GamesActionAnthemDragon Age and Anthem producer says live-service games can “dramatically” fail as they forget they’re competing with juggernauts like World of Warcraft as they are now, not as they were 20 years agoWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesActionAnthemDragon Age and Anthem producer says live-service games can “dramatically” fail as they forget they’re competing with juggernauts like World of Warcraft as they are now, not as they were 20 years agoWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: EA)
FormerBioWareexecutive Mark Darrah, who was a longtime producer on the Dragon Age series and Anthem, says that so many live-service games have suffered the samedoomed fate as his exo-suitted shooterbecause companies forget they’re competing with games like World of Warcraft as they are today, not as they were at launch.
In his most recentYouTubevideo, Darrah spoke out about some of the disadvantages plaguing new live-service games (games that aim to continue growing for years after launch.) “When I’m trying to get you to pick up my forever game, what I have to think about is the fact that I’m not competing against that other forever game at its day of launch,” Darrah says. “I’m not competing with World of Warcraft on the day it came out; I’m competing with WoW at the last moment that the prospective player played that game. That game got better after its launch for that player. Even if they’re not playing it any longer, that experience improved for them, hopefully, over the time they played it.”
The Secret Advantage Of Non-Live Service Games - YouTubeWatch On
The Secret Advantage Of Non-Live Service Games - YouTube
The Secret Advantage Of Non-Live Service Games - YouTube
Keeping up with a game that’s effectively been in development for decades, as is the case with World of Warcraft, is one thing, but Darrah also highlights that, from a player’s perspective, switching between games isn’t just about quality. “You’re competing with the inertia of the fact that people have already integrated this game into their day-to-day life,” Darrah calls out. Many players slot live services into their daily routines and may “already have a social circle built” around these digital worlds, so games that have been amassing millions of players a day have a built-in advantage.
“You need to be better enough than that game to make it worth the while of going to all the trouble of switching. They need to buy this new game, they need to convince their friends to come along with them, they need to relearn this game, they need to re-level up – there are a lot of barriers to switching between two live services. But, even if I’ve already set that other live service aside, the fact that I played it for so much longer has anchored a perception of what this kind of game is supposed to be like, that this new competitive game has to overcome,” he continues.
Darrah says that so many live-service games have failed “so dramatically” because “companies have forgotten this or didn’t know it in the first place and are thinking this live service only needs to be comparable to this other live service [and] doesn’t need to dramatically beat it.” I’d also add that there probably aren’t enough hours in the day for people to support the dozens of live-service games that come out every year forever, so let’s maybe hit the brakes.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”