Live service games are a high-risk, high-reward genre, a fact that has never been more evident over the first two months of the year. Whereas Palworld and Helldivers 2 have made headlines for record-setting sales and player counts, larger titles such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Skull & Bones are struggling to stay afloat.
Cliff Bleszinski, the creator of Gears of War, brings to light the inherent challenges and pitfalls of developing these risky endeavors in an interview with PCGamesN, saying that succeeding in this domain isn’t merely about delivering engaging gameplay; it requires a game to achieve viral status, a feat easier said than done.
His observations are particularly relevant in the context of Helldivers 2, a co-op shooter that’s defying the odds – keep in mind that it’s the first in Sony’s much-maligned live-service pipeline – emerging as a standout success in a sea of live service offerings.
Bleszinski’s experiences with LawBreakers and Radical Heights, both of which failed to secure a foothold in the competitive live service market are proof of the precarious and risky nature of this business model. He articulates the stark reality that if the live service game fails to capture and maintain a significant player base, it risks falling off the radar. Look elsewhere and there’s proof of this sentiment.
Helldivers 2 stands as an anomaly. Several factors contribute to its success, including its modest pricing and the organic virality it achieved across social media platforms. It has found a dedicated following, bolstered by its presence on Twitch, TikTok, and Twitter, proving that achieving virality can indeed serve as an effective form of marketing. This approach, coupled with the fact that it’s just an overall fun game to play that doesn’t prioritize monetization over gameplay experience, has allowed Helldivers 2 to maintain a robust player base despite the general volatility of the live service market.
Thus, it’s important to recognize that Helldivers 2 is an exception. The live service model demands a substantial investment, with the expectation that it has to be good and also be a cultural phenomenon to survive (and not even thrive). This is a tall order, and as a veteran like Bleszinski points out, the financial and operational burdens of sustaining a live service game are immense.
Arrowhead, in particular, finds itself expanding its team, recruiting new patriots to help it in its ongoing struggles with Automatons and Terminids increasing server capacity without letting costs go out of control.
Palworld‘s developers, Pocketpair, recently mandated to keep the servers up regardless of the costs, and it found itself footing a massive bill.
While this may seem like a good solution as players line up to play a game, the natural ebb and flow of live service titles mean that players will always eventually leave until the next big update comes along.
As companies chase the elusive success of genre stalwarts such as Fortnite and Destiny 2, both of which are or were recently dealing with their own financial struggles, they’re facing challenges like high development costs, player fatigue with monetization practices, the fickleness of viral trends, and actually making enough profit to sustain itself.
Sony’s decision to cancel Twisted Metal and The Last of Us’ multiplayer spin-off, among several other high-profile projects despite investing billions into this endeavor, serve as cautionary tales. It’s a reminder that for every Helldivers 2, countless others fail to make an impact.
As the industry continues to grapple with a surprising if possibly brief resurgence of the live service model, Helldivers 2 proves that with the right approach, a live service game can captivate and retain a dedicated player base. But as Bleszinski rightly points out, it’s a level of success that requires a blend of quality gameplay, strategic marketing, and, perhaps most importantly, a bit of luck, to achieve.
As for Cliffy B, the Gears of War creator continues to wait for Microsoft to give him a call.
