Some of today’s most popular games fall under the “live service” umbrella. And while plenty of new live service games have quickly fallen off the map in 2024, it’s highly unlikely we’re seeing the start of the genre’s demise. It might be difficult to break into the club — but because they’re so lucrative, don’t expect to see them disappear anytime soon.
These Live Service Games Are Still Thriving
The definition of live service games varies slightly from person to person, but they’re typically online multiplayer games that receive constant updates to keep players coming back for more. But they’ve particularly been in the headlines in 2024 due to a few notable cancellations and commercial flops.
Despite this, live service games are far from dead. Take one look at the most played games on any platform, and you’ll see titles like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Rocket League, and Destiny 2 leading the pack. These are all live service games, and they’ve been holding down communities filled with millions of players for years.
These titles all have one thing in common — regular content drops that are both high quality and highly anticipated. Not only do their development teams get players hyped for a new season or expansion with teaser trailers, but the content they’re producing is good enough to rival those of traditional games.
Fortnite is a prime example of this, as players flock to its servers at the start of every new season, eager to see what’s waiting to be discovered. Many successful live service games aren’t pay-to-win either, meaning the playing field remains fair whether you spend $100 on in-game purchases or refuse to drop a dime.
Because of this, good live service games have an incredible lifespan. Fortnite and Destiny 2 released in 2017, Rocket League blasted onto the scene in 2015, and Apex Legends arrived in 2019. However, holding onto a player base for years requires constant dedication from the developers and a will to reimagine the experience as needed. Because of this, crafting a live service game that can stand the test of time is a unique challenge.
Breaking Into the Genre Is Difficult
Once a live service game has built up its community, it seems as if it can last indefinitely. Unfortunately, building that community is often the most difficult part of creating a live service game. Concord is a prime example of this. After years in development, the game’s launch was met with little fanfare — and just a few weeks later, Sony pulled the plug on the project.
We’ve seen similar things happen with The Last of Us Online and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. But these games didn’t fall short of the goal line because they were live service games. Rather, they had a variety of factors working against them.
For Concord, it was mediocre reviews, a long development cycle, and a crowded playing field (competing with hero shooters like Overwatch 2 and Valorant is never going to be easy). For Suicide Squad, it was repetitive gameplay and clunky combat. And for The Last of Us Online, Naughty Dog simply decided it’d rather spend its resources on single-player games. Keeping a live service game running isn’t cheap and it requires heaps of resources (both in terms of infrastructure and employees).
Games Like Diablo IV Prove Live Service Models Still Work
Breaking into the circle of successful live service games is remarkably difficult, but it’s not impossible. Plenty of live service games released over the past few years have built up dedicated communities, including last year’s Diablo IV and Valve’s upcoming Deadlock.
Diablo IV earned critical acclaim when it launched last year, and after a rocky first season, it’s quickly building momentum. Its first expansion is slated to arrive later this year, and if it’s successful, it’ll likely cement its status as one of the premier live service games available today.
Deadlock, meanwhile, does not yet have a release date, but players in early access are excited by what’s on display. The 6v6 hero shooter is similar to games like Valorant and Overwatch, and because it’s developed by the legendary Valve, it has plenty of eyeballs watching its every move.
Follow the Money
Live service games are certainly still thriving. Whether it’s old stalwarts raking in the cash or newcomers vying for the throne, don’t expect to see publishers back away from the genre until the money officially dries up.
Last year, Genshin Impact pulled in over $900 million globally on iOS and Android. Fortnite earned $4.4 billion in 2022. Apex Legends has earned $3.4 billion throughout its lifespan. Those are massive numbers, and until they start to wane, don’t expect live service games to disappear.
We may see some companies shy away from the development of live service games, as it’s clearly a risky endeavor. But with so much money being tossed around, it’s impossible to say that the days of live service games are coming to an end.
