But which kinds of living dead?
Why is every blockbuster video game now some kind of live service game?
Premium game priceshave not risen in proportion, and investors want growth, as they do.
Live service games sneak around this difficulty by dragging out the time we spend playing them.
The music is slowing, however.
Ubisoft’s ten-year “quadruple-A” nautical lifestyle sim Skull And Bones is not expected to break even.
While a few publisherscontinue to push live service game development, others arehedging their bets.
Even before they became ubiquitous, live service games felt like a burden.
They are inherently exhausting to think about.
Again, the unspoken hope is for that product to evolve indefinitely.
It’s a framing that allows for some fun distinctions.
The zombie’s hunger can never be sated.
It’s not always that openly chilly.
It might be you’re signing up to the Adventurer’s Guild, rather than joining Blackwater.
It may be that you’re a Descendant or aFreelancer, rather than a PMC.
Helldivers 2both epitomises the PMC framing and subverts it.
The same can’t be said for the vampires.
A game that wants to eat your time endlessly isn’t allowed to provide closure.
Villains are defeated only so that other villains may be introduced.
Every finale has its dangling thread.
Destiny is a vampire, I think.
These are wonky caricatures, I know.
