All articles tagged with #live service
Sony will permanently shut down online services for Destruction AllStars later in 2026, ending the PS5 launch-era live-service experiment; multiplayer will go offline first, with single-player modes remaining available until November 25, 2026, and in-game currency non-refundable. The move follows a rocky reception and underscores ongoing challenges in Sony's live-service strategy.
An opinion piece argues Sony must deliver a standout State of Play to repair waning PS5 perception amid criticism of its live-service push (Concord/Fairgames) and price hikes, hoping Marvel’s Wolverine anchors a strong show with solid first-party games to win back core fans.
An opinion piece urging Sony not to re‑reveal the rebranded Fairgames during the next State of Play, warning that PlayStation fans’ backlash to live‑service titles could sink the announcement. The author suggests unveiling Fairgames separately (e.g., via a PS Blog post or dedicated stream) and using SoP to showcase other anticipated single‑player titles like Wolverine, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, or God of War to avoid derailing the show.
Quantic Dream has canceled development of Spellcasters Chronicles, its free-to-play 3v3 online gambit, citing a challenging market environment; servers will remain online until June 19, after which they’ll be shut down and refunds will be available on request. The studio also notes an internal reorganization (layoffs) and says Star Wars Eclipse will not be affected. The decision reflects broader industry concerns about the sustainability of live-service titles amid stiff competition and volatile player engagement, with the game having peaked at under 1,000 players on Steam and currently only a handful online.
A French union blasts Quantic Dream’s leadership after Spellcasters Chronicles, the studio’s first live-service game in eight years, flops, is pulled from Steam, and its servers will go offline in June, potentially triggering up to 95 layoffs. The union blames mismanagement and business decisions, while Quantic Dream cites external factors and says Star Wars Eclipse will be unaffected as staff questions who moves between projects during the studio’s pivot.
Sony’s beta Welcome Hub weekly tracker reveals the top ten PS5 games by unique weekly players in the US, led by Fortnite, GTA V, Minecraft, Call of Duty and Apex Legends. The data underscore that live-service titles dominate the PS5 ecosystem, highlighting Sony’s strategy to lean into evergreen games with ongoing updates and microtransactions, a point fueling debate among fans about the future of single‑player experiences.
Embark Studios says ARC Raiders will move to two major updates a year, starting with October’s Frozen Trail—bringing the largest map yet, a new ARC operation, and redesigned progression. A late-game trader and expanded Expedition are also on the way, while a dedicated live-service team will handle regular updates, balance tweaks, bug fixes, store updates, and events. The company stresses this is a measured pivot toward a longer-term, expanding experience and confirms the game isn’t winding down.
Five years after first unveiling it, Sega has canceled its ambitious Super Game project and is pivoting away from live-service and free-to-play titles, transferring more than 100 developers to full‑game teams and prioritizing mainline IPs. Revivals of Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage remain in production, while the company previously eyed up to ¥100 billion in investment for Super Game. The shift comes as a volatile GaaS market and recent underperformance (Sonic Rumble Party) and the Rovio acquisition weigh on strategy, signaling a move toward traditional, standalone experiences over expansive live ecosystems.
Sega has officially canceled its long‑promised 'Super Game' after weak performance of its live‑service/free-to-play titles, shifting more than 100 staff to traditional game development and lowering the priority of F2P work, while reaffirming plans to revive classic franchises like Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio.
Bungie says Marathon’s story direction is mapped out for years, but will remain open to player input and shaped by the community; the live-service shooter will use seasonal entry points so new players can jump in anytime while uncovering Tau Ceti’s past, following positive reception after a recent mid-season update (despite grenade issues).
Bungie says Marathon will have years of planned story content that players help shape, with Tau Ceti backstory revealed gradually. The PS5 live-service shooter will stay accessible for new players each season, ensuring newcomers can jump in anytime while the ongoing narrative evolves with updates.
Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson reports Haven Studios’ PS5 live-service shooter Fairgames (Espresso) got a rough reception in a recent pre-alpha: players criticize movement, the class system, and a toned-down, grittier visual style; the extraction-shooter premise sees four teams of three competing to loot a vault, with NDA-restricted feedback. While the test aims to improve the experience, many say it feels boring and doubt it can justify Sony’s live-service push, though Sony remains supportive so far.
Arc Raiders has plunged on Steam, dropping from a peak around 466,000 concurrent players in January to about 90,000, prompting talk that the extraction shooter is in a ‘dead game’ spiral. Analysts point to a weak season, cheating issues, streamer backlash, and a PvE-focused design as contributing factors, with comparisons drawn to Helldivers 2’s ongoing live-service success. The piece also touches on broader gaming news, including the Call of Duty movie set for release on June 30, 2028.
Forbes cites anonymous sources claiming Bungie’s Marathon cost over $200 million to develop, potentially rising above $250 million when post-launch costs are included; the figure excludes ongoing maintenance. If accurate, Marathon would rank among the industry's costliest games and could surpass Spider-Man 2’s rumored $300 million budget. Sony purchased Bungie for $3.6 billion and integrated it into PlayStation Studios, but Marathon has struggled with player counts; its long-term profitability will hinge on ongoing content and monetization via microtransactions, with Bungie continuing to expand the game rather than winding it down.
Kotaku reports that The Cube, Save Us, a sci‑fi extraction shooter from XLGAMES, launched March 18 but failed to attract players or favorable reviews, peaking at just 5,177 concurrent players and earning near‑70% negative reviews on Steam; after three weeks the team announced its shutdown for May 8, 2026, with automatic Steam refunds beginning April 9.