It looks like there is a chance that upcoming Warner Bros. games will have a live-service focus. Twitter user MauroNL has revealed an internship listing that mentions the direction Warner Bros. is going in for future games.
The live-service genre is certainly a hot topic in the gaming industry today. In essence, it refers to games which see consistent updates after the official launch. At best, live-service can deliver extras like new options, story, or gear for players to explore over time. At worst, the genre presents a hollow launch product that only gets intermittent and minor fixes afterwards. The model is extremely profitable despite cynicism from gamers, so next generation consoles could be overrun by this format.
According to MauroNL, the information comes from a post on the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment career page. WBIE is working on a variety of games, both casual and core, but all with “a heavy focus on live-service.” Regardless of the platform, the internship listing implies that upcoming games will have these elements. While this is by no means an official announcement, it is not out of left field. The recently revealed Warner Bros. multiplayer title Back 4 Blood will have live service elements to improve the experience and fix any unforeseen bugs after coming out.
That said, other Warner Bros. titles in the works do not seem like live-service games. MauroNL mentions others, like LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Hogwarts Legacy, and Gotham Knights. From the available trailers it is unclear how post-launch updates or additions will factor in, especially with big delays. Live-service does tend to appear more in multiplayer formats, and many of these games are story-focused narratives.
The genre of live-service games has seen results ranging from great to abysmal. For instance, Final Fantasy 14 has been updated over multiple years, and even the recent Shadowbringers expansion is considered to be one of the best. In comparison, the highly anticipated Anthem came out broken and bare-bones, with a mere promise that BioWare would improve it over time. The gaming industry is constantly evolving, so it is possible that Warner Bros. understands what makes a good live-service experience.
However, this latest news from Warner Bros. could cause concern for some players. The term “live-service” can often be used to justify half-baked game launches. And the expectation that a game can remain popular for years is sometimes a pipe dream. When this happens, fans of a certain game can find that the service is ending on a whim. Some may purchase a game with the hopes it will see support for awhile, only to be disappointed. As of right now, gamers will just have to wait and see what live-service means for upcoming Warner Bros. titles.
Source: MauroNL
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