Live-Service Games That Prove The Model Can Work

Key Takeaways

Live-service elements in games can be divisive, but success lies in enriching the gaming experience without alienating players.
Fortnite’s
longevity is attributed to clever use of live-service elements, keeping players engaged with regular updates and events.
Games like
Helldivers 2
and
Warframe
show that a good balance of content, engagement, and value for money can win over players.

As a seasoned gamer with over 3 decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that these three games – Warframe, Destiny 2, and Grand Theft Auto Online – have all left their indelible marks on the gaming landscape.

Occasionally, a new trend emerges that does something extraordinary, managing to bring together just about every gamer. However, these trends often end up uniting gamers against them. Lately, the trend has been incorporating live-service components into games, even when it appears unnecessary. A prime example of this is the game “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League“. This game is a recent and particularly frustrating instance of this trend.

It’s true that Suicide Squad’s disappointing performance has sparked hope among some gamers for the demise of the live-service trend. However, it’s important to remember that there are numerous successful live-service games that demonstrate the model can thrive. We’ve highlighted some outstanding examples spanning various genres as a guide for developers and their publishers. By incorporating live services in ways that enhance gameplay rather than leaving players feeling exploited, they might create more satisfying gaming experiences.

9 Fortnite

Isn’t Going Anywhere

“Hardcore” gamers might enjoy criticizing Fortnite, but it’s not fading away anytime soon. Although it didn’t initiate the Battle Royale trend, seven years after its debut, it remains one of the most popular games in circulation. A significant factor contributing to its longevity and Epic Games’ wealth is their strategic implementation of live-service features.

The story began when they introduced an engaging battle pass, a term not always well-received, that kept players coming back for more. Later, developers introduced chapters and seasons, some of which drastically altered the game. Occasionally, Epic would take away popular weapons or make significant changes to the map. Regardless of their actions, they managed to keep the media spotlight and ensure gamers continued to play. Lately, Epic has leveraged Fortnite to produce spin-offs like a LEGO survival collaboration and even organize live events. While not everyone is fond of how Fortnite has impacted the gaming world, it remains one of the top Battle Royale games and manages to stay fresh and exciting.

8 Helldivers 2

Playing With The Community

Surprisingly, Helldivers 2 exploded in popularity beyond expectations. Given its genre – a squad-based third-person shooter featuring players battling colossal insects and enraged robots – one might not expect much originality. However, Helldivers 2 has revolutionized the live-service model. While it includes battle passes (referred to as Warbonds) and premium currency, Arrowhead Game Studios introduced significant modifications. For instance, the Warbonds are not time-constrained, allowing players to advance at their leisure without being tied down, and the premium currency is reasonably earned through gameplay itself.

In this game design, players are always satisfied because they can unlock top strategies merely by playing, making the gameplay feel organic instead of a forced mechanic to generate revenue. The Warbonds aspect seems seamless within the overall gaming experience rather than an additional feature solely intended to extract money from gamers. Furthermore, Arrowhead Studios have excelled in community interaction. In Helldivers 2, there’s a Game Master (a developer named Joel) whose role is to assign tasks to the community, such as eliminating a specific number of enemies or conquering a particular planet. If they succeed, the entire community benefits. If they fail, they receive nothing. The success or failure of live-service games heavily depends on player goodwill, and it’s evident that Arrowhead Studios understands this well.

7 Apex Legends

Solid Gameplay

Apex Legends demonstrates that outstanding gameplay and a unique concept can sustain the live-service model. Respawn, taking inspiration from Fortnite and PUBG’s Battle Royale format, introduced a hero class system reminiscent of Overwatch, blended in their first-person shooter expertise, thereby crafting something remarkable.

The majority of Apex Legends enthusiasts continue to play the game not just for the battle pass perks or other live service aspects, but primarily because they genuinely enjoy playing it. Respawn Entertainment has done a commendable job in ensuring that the gaming experience remains engaging and novel. With each new season, fresh weapons and characters are introduced, offering veteran players opportunities to innovate and experiment. Furthermore, by avoiding gimmicky tie-ins that Call of Duty is known for and staying faithful to their initial game concept, they have managed to keep the player base satisfied without alienating them.

6 Path Of Exile

Built For People Who Hate Live-Service

Gamers often dislike the live-service model due to several factors, with one major issue being the frequent encouragement to spend our earned cash. It’s particularly frustrating when you shell out $60-$70 for a game and then get inundated with ads during gameplay. The brilliance of Path of Exile‘s approach lies in its exceptional value for money. Unlike many other games, it is entirely free to play, and the few elements locked behind a (fair) paywall are solely cosmetic items.

Not only is Path of Exile an exceptional game, but it shares many similarities with Diablo 2. This role-playing game in the isometric view stands among the best and allows players to avoid its live-service features if they prefer. Over more than a decade, it has been consistently updated, offering seasonal events and content releases that have kept existing fans engaged and attracted new ones. In essence, its creators have corrected many of the mistakes made by Blizzard in Diablo 4.

5 Genshin Impact

A Good Gacha Game

For a long time, free-to-play live-service gacha games had a bad reputation for ripping off players. That began to change with the release of Genshin Impact. YoYoverse gave us a triple-A Zelda-like experience with tons of free content and seasonal updates. Sure, it still has gacha elements, but it’s possible to play through the main story without spending a dime.

It’s been so successful that it basically spawned a whole new genre, with games like Wuthering Waves and Honaki: Star Rail following in its footsteps. There are so many quality gacha games around now that it’s difficult to pick the gacha games with the best combat, and that’s largely down to Genshin Impact. The game proves that if a live-service game is fun and has good gameplay, it doesn’t have to be heavily monetized to succeed.

4 Rocket League

From Paid To F2P

Typically, when a game switches from being paid to free-to-play, it’s often an indication of trouble. However, this isn’t true for Rocket League, a unique game where players engage in soccer but with adorable little cars. Instead, Rocket League initially garnered significant success as a popular paid game with a vast player community that yearned for more content.

The solution was to transform it into a free-to-play game with live-service elements. This monetization strategy allowed the developers to keep releasing content drops, car packs, and things like a battle pass to reward loyal players who kept coming back for more. Some original fans may have been skeptical initially, but these days, Rocket League has some of the best seasonal events and is proof that it’s possible to transform a game into a live-service one without alienating an entire player base. Devs just need a good base game and then ensure they offer value for money.

3 Warframe

An Insane Amount Of Content

Warframe doesn’t always hit the mark perfectly. Despite its decade-long existence, it still grapples with several issues that were present since its launch and often mirrors elements disliked in live-service games. Primarily, it’s excessively demanding in terms of grinding, boasts an overabundance of currencies, and appears to be persistently urging players to spend money. However, it should also be noted that it does many things well.

Initially, this game is fantastic, featuring space-faring ninjas as its theme. Its movement and combat mechanics are top-notch, and it offers a vast amount of content to discover. The creators have consistently released substantial updates, such as new areas, storylines, spaceships to pilot, and character modifications known as warframes, which keep the game fresh. It’s an engaging looter-shooter that demonstrates players can tolerate some issues associated with live service models, provided they’re enjoying themselves.

2 Destiny 2

A Dedicated Community

It’s somewhat peculiar to label Destiny 2 as a triumph. The original game was incredibly successful and there was immense anticipation surrounding its successor prior to launch. However, after release, much of that excitement waned for many fans, with Destiny 2 falling short of expectations and being seen as a letdown by some. In fact, the underperformance was so significant that developers Bungie eventually made the game free-to-play, which is usually a red flag.

Initially, there were concerns about Destiny 2’s success due to its smaller player base compared to games like Fortnite. However, the game has proven to be a triumph, mainly because its players are incredibly loyal and willing to spend money. A significant portion of Destiny 2’s success comes from getting people to play the core game and then charging them for expansions. Although the quality of these expansions can fluctuate, Bungie’s dedicated fanbase continues to support the game financially. Many studios might have abandoned the game by now, but Destiny 2 demonstrates that with perseverance and a loyal fanbase with deep pockets, success is possible.

1 Grand Theft Auto Online

Pocket Money Is Still Money

As a gamer myself, I’ve noticed something interesting: Rockstar and Epic Games have figured out a clever strategy. Kids might not have much cash to spare, but whatever money they do have is disposable income. Once you hook them on your game, it’s like printing money! Of course, adults play too, but let’s face it, a big chunk of the $8 billion earned by Grand Theft Auto V has come directly from parents’ wallets.

Rockstar Entertainment maintains its players’ engagement by frequently releasing updates that include new vehicles, weapons, missions, and heists, all at no cost. The game generates income by selling large quantities of in-game currency for real money, a traditional monetization approach for modern live-service games, despite its age. Remarkably, even persistent issues with hackers and unresolved bugs from a decade ago have not hindered the success of GTA Online. So, what can game studios take away from GTA Online? That while some gamers may grumble about live-service games, there’s usually someone else ready to pay.

2024-08-26 03:35