this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2025
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In the graveyard of live service games Concord may just be the biggest headstone, and that seems to have focused some minds over at PlayStation. Previously the noises coming from Sony were all about the importance of live service games to its future strategy, and it had announced plans to launch more than 10 live service games by the 2025 fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2026.

Now? Not so much. A new Bloomberg report reveals that "following a recent review" PlayStation has canceled two unannounced live service games in development at subsidiaries Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games. Bend is best-known for Days Gone and, back in the day, Syphon Filter, while Bluepoint mainly handles high-profile remakes like Demon's Souls.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

Stupid question, but was is a live service game?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Game they keep updating with new content and microtransactions.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

All I read here is that there are still 8 too many live service games in development. Are execs addicted to gambling or what? Because that’s exactly what live service game development is. Also I would like to know what kind of research they are doing that indicates that more live service games is what the market wants, when people who play them rarely ever switch once they find the one they like and at this point there are entirely too many of them.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Live service deez nuts. Shitty trend that needs to die.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Good! Wonder what trend the brain-dead CEOs are going to chase after now. Cozy games?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

I think they're going to jump ship for straight up gambling apps. That seems like the growth area now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Just ask "what is making money" to get the answer. It's still live service and gacha shit, but I'm sure they'll try to add machine learning to it somehow cause you gotta have that

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

They'll ask the AI what to make then ask the AI to code it and use AI art.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Especially if Silksong comes out this year. I could see a board memeber pointing at it saying, "IF THAT FLAT GAME CAN MAKE A MORBILLION DOLLARS, WE CAN MAKE ONE SO FAST AND GET SO MUCH MONEY!"

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I don't even know what a God of War live service game would be like but I can't imagine it would be good.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

GoW as a live game isn't the most out there thing. Tens of people liked the multiplayer mode in Ascension (?) and the reception to the roguelite mode was generally very favorable. And the core game already had gear based progression that could map to something like what Ghost of Tsushima has (that has hundreds of people who like it...).

But having frigging Bluepoint spend cycles on this? I am sure that the studio asked for something more than just remakes but... what?


I don't think it at all matches "Never ask me about my past" Dad Kratos and nobody likes Atreus enough, but one could easily imagine an "open world" live service game where new gods and factions are added every few months and you do quests for or against them.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Bend is best-known for Days Gone and, back in the day, Syphon Filter

Are we just gonna pretend Bubsy 3D never existed?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

Damn. Bubsy 3D to Days Gone. What a redemption arc lol

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

11 days? How is that even enough to see if it could many money? It sounds like they were very excited to pull the plug at the first hiccup

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

When a game cost that much to make and didn't launch with big numbers, there was no prayer of it ever making money.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

cancelled God of War sequel

"That's bad!"

Live service

"That's good!"

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

Oh well thank god then

[–] [email protected] 61 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Good riddance. Seems like Sony got the message; we're sick of everything being a "live service".

[–] [email protected] 56 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Well, no.
Deep Rock Galactic has fully optional skin packs to make money and they're doing great.

Warframe has been chugging along for over a decade now and they're doing great. Beating the pants off of Destiny 2 for average player count.

The live service trick is that live service only works if the company actually cares about the product. Those two companies stand out because they legitimately care and have great communication with their communities.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago

DRG doesn’t make me feel like they are taking advantage of me with their transactions because they aren’t required. It’s nice that way.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 weeks ago

DRG and Warframe also hit the critical requirement of actually being games that are fun to play!

I haven't played a lot of WF, but I've got hundreds of hours on DRG. There is no grind. Getting holiday loot takes 5 to 8 matched total, and the Seasons are long and very relaxed. I maxed out XP for this season already and the next probably won't start until at least this summer.

The community is going strong, the game is fun, Ghost Ship seems stable and like a nice place to work. It's so stupid that more companies don't see that they could run like this instead of chasing "get rich quick" corporate schemes that always alienate the fans.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

So far Warframe has been the ONLY example of a good live service game. It's the OG when it comes to the model, but it's also the exception, and not the rule.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

Don't forget Path of Exile.

Id argue a bunch of early access games that get constant updates are Live Service games too.

And indie games like Terraria and Minecraft were the best examples of live service.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Destiny historically vasscilated between "fucking amazing" and "dumpster fire". The problem has always been that it is near impossible to maintain that level of quality and entertainment consistently while also innovating on a regular basis. It is very difficult and very expensive.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

They moved into "dumpster fire" territory significantly more than "fucking amazing", sadly. Like one good expansion, three bad updates and two bad expansions, one good update.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago

I'd say also it depends on the franchise. Depp rock? Be a funny space dwarf yelling rock and stone? Hell yes imma do that with some friends.

God of war? No. Much more serious tone, I want to do that alone to explore the narrative

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

You want to make money? Let bluepoint make a bloodborne remaster and bring it to PC.

Like, make the obvious good and profitable decision.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

But hear me out. Battle passes, dark patterns and FOMO.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It’s for the best. The series deserves better than live service.

[–] [email protected] 182 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

While playing the single player masterpiece which was God of War, I absolutely thought: "The only way to make this game better is if I had the luxury of buying a battle pass to grind for seasonal cosmetics along with a dozen other people." 🤤🤤🤤🤑

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I’ve played each game and they are all awesome.

[–] [email protected] 47 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Would be better if you can earn skibidi toilet emoji dances for Kratos

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