The release of a highly anticipated video game used to really mean something: when a new Mario or God of War game would come out, Congress shut down. But now, it seems like the industry has been flipped on its head with companies being too risk-averse, indulging in self-destructive live service practices, and firing staff seemingly at random. Like come on, guys, gaming used to be this magical world when we were kids. They weren’t just bundles of code and programming. Instead, our favourite interactive experiences were worlds to get lost in and cherish for years to come. Everything is so different now.
Why do we even play this stuff in the first place? Should we subject ourselves to this constant stream of negativity? Why does anybody do this? It’s much worse, though, because… there’s something out there. Yep, it’s called Live. Service. Games.
The mere thought of them will make any casual gamer shudder in their seat — even if we might not fully understand their ramifications. However, we can at least dream up possible solutions to this problem, which is no doubt due to late-stage capitalism. But that’s definitely a bigger topic than what we can cover today. Anyway, here’s the top twenty — apologies for all the rambling.
20. Take More Risks
So, this is probably an obvious point to make, but it’s true. Remember in the early 2000s when we got games like Killer 7 and Okami just a year apart from each other? Yeah, that was cool. We now need to rely on companies like Nintendo for their weird ideas. However, even Nintendo has largely shied away from creativity due to its reluctance to create new IPs or do more with its old series.
Even worse is how these scummy ideas have been seeping into the scene as of late as over the year, with the rise of cute games largely devoid of substance and overpromising developer statements only muddying the waters. It’s just gross. So, it would be nice to have the comfort of knowing the best developers on the planet can do whatever they want without much resistance from their bosses. But even that seems a bit far-fetched…
19. Make More Stylish Games
It’s no secret to anyone that nice graphics can be very appealing sometimes — seeing technology evolve while featuring impressive shirt physics and dynamic resolutions can be a cool experience — but sometimes it’s fun not to care. When you think of the most successful releases in the medium’s history, nearly all of them have some form of stylization. There is more to it, though, because Astro Bot recently came out after completely overshadowing the failure of the now-defunct multiplayer Concord game. Astro Bot looks gorgeous while still having an outstanding style so developers can make impressive-looking games without compromising their ambitions. If the live service module is here to stay, ensuring quick development cycles and keeping reasonable budgets intact is a great way for these big corporations to have their cake and eat it, too.
18. Lower Budget For Live Service
This industry went from pumping out from pumping out hits year after to banking on one massive game every ten years — looking at you, Rockstar Games. That’s not to say we should bring crunch back, because of course not. That’d be awful. However, what we should do is make more mid-budget projects to balance out the massive AAA experiences that the industry loves to rely on these days. How about a new Crimson Skies? Or a follow-up to Sunset Overdrive? Not everything needs to be this huge, expensive, and well-acted game made to make billions. It just doesn’t.
17. Stop The Inferiority Complex
One of the most apparent things many have noticed about video games is how we always try to make ourselves feel like we can stand with our cousins in the film industry. This is especially true with how much slop is pumped out by companies no one has ever heard of that are making titles with pretty much every genre known to man all blended up into a blender. Then there are live service games, which are the worst outcome because they no longer feel like art. They feel like money.
16. We Don’t Need Marvel In Our Live Service Games
If you’ve ever watched even just a few minutes of the Game Awards — you will have seen the sheer amount of Hollywood guest stars and generic trailers of games that you’ll forget about in five minutes. So, it would be great to get these big wigs out of our stuff and return to a simpler time. Our favourite interactive medium is worth enough on its own — it doesn’t need to act tough.
15. New Genres, Better Live Service
It’s understandable why new genres have been lacking in recent years—everything has been done before. But that doesn’t mean new developers can’t begin to try. Video games have been around for a long time, and if we continue past that route, more innovation is needed. Less space shooters, more vacuum games, please.
14. Get Rid Of Microtransactions
Admittedly, it is a tall order given the immense popularity and profit. But you also stop buying them. Yes, while people love their yearly dose of Call of Duty and Fifa, these series are also doing more harm than good. So, please support indie games and developers pushing the industry forward instead of resting on their morals. That is, if the indie scene actually had some diversity in its products…
13. Stop With the Cute Stuff
Not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but it seems like the indie scene has become oversaturated with cute farming games, animal soccer titles, and an overreliance on frogs. Of course, people like that stuff, but if they watch any YouTube video or read any Twitter thread, they will say, “Oh, here’s the hundredth frog game; it looks ok.” Does anybody else find that weird? If not, then maybe you should get your priorities straight. Much like how many publishers rely too heavily on third-person action games, independents have become way too complacent with their approach. If we genuinely want to stop the bubble from bursting, then this change sooner rather than later.
12. Japan Should Stay Away From Trends
Japan has been the hotspot for innovation in this industry. Whether it’s Nintendo, FromSoftware or Capcom, they seem one step ahead of everyone else. However, some disconcerting stuff has started to seep into the region. For example, FromSoftware went from making the critically acclaimed Dark Souls series to releasing Elden Ring, an open-world game. It’s still great, but that uniqueness has been lost. So, hopefully, we can fix this little problem sooner rather than later.
11. Stop Firing Talented People
You would think this would go without saying — but pay attention to the news on any given day, and you will see that’s not the case. In 2023, it felt like you couldn’t go two days without hearing of a popular studio being fired without much of a reason. It was really disheartening to hear and see, no doubt made even worse by the fact that there was no mention of this at the Game Awards that year. What are we doing here? This doesn’t seem like the best representation of what is quite possibly the most creative and complicated industry on the planet.
10. The Game Awards Need to Change
So much bad stuff could be said about The Game Awards, but what’s worse about them is how negative they make everyone feel after watching every year. For being a celebration that airs during the holidays, the show just puts everyone in a crummy mood. Couple that with the endless barrage of trailers and boring live service games — and you have a recipe for disaster.
9. Endless Isn’t Always Better
One of the examples people like to bring up about live service games is how they are endless since you can pretty much play them forever. Many were scared by this notion, and understandably so. Short games have always been a point of contention among those online because, with the price tag comes expectations. Those expectations have led to where we are today, with gamers clamouring for 100-hour experiences full of sidequests and complicated story structures. But are those the things that make gaming great in the first place? The jury’s still out on that one.
8. More Demos Please
Much like the indie scene and lack of originality that’s already been talked about here — more demos are needed for the games fans are on the fence about. The industry has been doing a great job of this, with Pikmin 4 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth getting meaty demos to sink our teeth into. But it would still be nice to have. That’s all.
7. Online Multiplayer Isn’t a Selling Point
Helldivers 2 is a great game, and many people love it. However, what’s even better is paying a budget for a ten to twelve-hour experience that you can beat in a weekend or two all by yourself. While yes, a Metroidvania with skill trees does seem better on paper — it isn’t always the case. No wonder Super Metroid is still relevant all these years later. Do people really only like to play games for other people’s enjoyment? Jeez…
6. Stop With The Kitchen Sink Design
You might’ve noticed a prevalent theme in this article: originality is essential. Despite you, the reader of this article, being a human (or at least I assume you are a person), you still don’t develop all your ideas independently. Nope, much of what you come up with is based on previous experiences, what people have told you, or your upbringing. All fairly basic, right? So, you’d think the gaming would get a free pass, correct? Nope.
There are so many examples of games that shamelessly copy every trend, mix them all, and come out the other end feeling lifeless and forgettable. Of course, this can still be done quite admirably. For example, stuff like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or the recent Final Fantasy titles. Both of these appropriately use ideas from other already successful developers but do so uniquely. There is a way to do this sort of thing, but sadly, many teams have been thrown to the wolves of live service.
5. AI Isn’t the Future
AI is most certainly a hot-button topic that could continue forever. But let’s just say that a person’s creativity comes from within, not from a computer. There is a reason why Nintendo doesn’t allow people upstairs, ya know?
4. More Isn’t Always Better
As the industry grows, so do the games; while that is a good thing, it’s not always true. Yeah, the 60-dollar price tag, the hour you spend working for the money, all of that. But there’s beauty in simplicity, and if live service is the way of the future, it would be nice to be excited about new releases again instead of feeling like they’re a commitment.
3. No More Controversies, Please
All these mega-corporations love to do stupid stuff that ultimately upsets their fanbase while simultaneously uniting them as one. Understandably, they can’t stop altogether — but Nintendo and now, recently, Sony should learn from their past experiences with hubris — fat chance.
2. Preservation Is Important!
It’s not just because physical games look nice on your shelf or because you own them for good — you’re always doing your part. And if there’s one thing that live services have in common, it’s the lack of presentation. Look at the Wii U and 3Ds eShops; those things are gone for good. Wouldn’t you want to prevent that in the future? No? Hmm…
1. Live Service Games Have Potential
After everything discussed today, you, me, and everyone want good games to come out and stay around for a long time. There’s no need for live service, there’s no need for conglomeration, and there is certainly no need for people to lose their jobs. So, to all the giant companies and big publishers out there, you better be good.
Hoo, boy! This was an all-timer in terms of wordiness and just general complaining. Guess I better learn from my hubris, eh? Fingers and keyboards were made for a reason, so let us know what you think of… whatever this was.