2024 has been a very curious year for gaming. There have been welcome surprises like Palworld, Stellar Blade, and Black Myth Wukong, as well as failures such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Foamstars, and Concord.
Despite being backed by big companies like Warner Bros or Square Enix, these latter games were big flops that couldn’t retain their players. The worst offender was Concord, which Sony removed from all platforms just two weeks after release, making it one of the worst releases of the year.
While there are various reasons as to why the games flopped, many players and people related to gaming have unanimously agreed on one point: They are all failed attempts at the Live Service Games model. But what are Live Service Games, exactly? This article will examine why companies and players alike love these games so much.
What is a Live Service Game?
Live Service Games (LSGs) are online games designed to add new content with the purpose of keeping their players engaged so they will keep coming back to them. Some people compare LSGs to online casino games since they are both online, and they can involve money, but they are actually pretty different. If anyone wants to play Lightning Roulette and experience all their multipliers they can enter an online casino and bet money, but they won’t be able to download, buy or play it offline, like it happens with many Live Service Games.Â
Online casino games also remain mostly unchanged after release while LSGs, on the other hand, receive updates and expansions that can overhaul the graphics and gameplay, making them completely unrecognizable sometimes.
The first games to operate with this model were the massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XI. Since then, the model has been implemented in different genres, such as action role-player games (RPGs), first-person shooters, and even racing.
Seeking the Golden GooseÂ
Live Service Games are very appealing for game companies since they can generate income for a long time and in many different ways. Final Fantasy XIV, for example, sells the base game as well as expansions and a monthly subscription fee for players.
Others, like Genshin Impact or Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle, are completely free to play, but they implement loot boxes (also known as gacha) systems. These systems involve using a game currency to obtain characters, items, or weapons available at the moment.
Some, like Destiny and its sequel, try to combine the best of both worlds: a full free campaign with paid expansions and microtransactions.
Although not every LSG is successful, many have joined the list of the highest-grossing games in history. One of the most famous examples is World of Warcraft, which has generated over USD $9 billion since its release in 2004.
Considering that Tetris is the highest-selling single-player game of all time, with 520 million copies sold, it’s pretty obvious why companies want to become part of the live service market so badly.
Are Live Service Games Bad?
Many Live Service Games like Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail have become excellent choices for many. There are plenty of people who prefer to buy these types of games since they can enjoy most of the new content for free.
Some games, like League of Legends, Fortnite, and Final Fantasy XIV, have built strong communities with thousands of players and dozens of hours of content. These have become a good option to try out by oneself or even to try out with a group of friends.
That said, if developers want to create successful LSGs, they need to first devise a formula that is fun for players and offers enough to keep them playing in the long run. If the developers fail to meet this standard, the players will eventually abandon the game, even if it is from a popular brand or studio.
Looking to the Future of Live Services Games in 2024
Despite some high-profile failures, 2024 has been a good year for LSG titles, with interesting proposals like Helldivers 2, Marvel Rivals, and Zenless Zone Zero. It’s pretty obvious that there’s still demand for these types of games.
Because the competence in the LSG market is pretty fierce right now, if companies want to succeed, they will need to bring new ideas to the table instead of repeating formulas.
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