- Digital Extremes CEO Steve Sinclair believes that live service games should not be considered “make or break” at release.
- He argues that game makers often discard their creations too quickly, potentially wasting years of development effort due to high operating costs.
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Steve Sinclair, the CEO of Digital Extremes, thinks that the current trend of quickly abandoning live service games is unnecessary and detrimental.
In an interview with Video Games Chronicle, Sinclair suggests that struggling games at launch can still be salvaged, and that the long development cycles should not go to waste just because of post-launch operating costs.
“Many game companies believe that the success of a game hinges on its release, but this is a misconception. There are ways to sustain a game financially over time, but they rarely take advantage of it. Instead, they give up when the going gets tough,” he stated.
“It’s disheartening to see years of hard work being discarded just because of high operating costs and declining numbers.”
11 Years of Success
Steve Sinclair’s perspective stems from his extensive experience with live service games, notably with Digital Extremes’ Warframe, which has been thriving for over 11 years. Warframe, an MMO live service title, boasts a player base of over 70 million worldwide, featuring third-person shooter mechanics, open-world environments, procedurally generated content, and multiplayer gameplay.
Originally launched on PC in March 2013, Warframe has since expanded to all major gaming consoles and recently made its debut on iOS in February.
The iOS version, developed in collaboration with Nitro Games, offers the full Warframe experience available on other platforms, attracting a broader audience to the live service game.
Additionally, crossplay functionality enables iOS users to interact with existing players on different platforms seamlessly.
According to AppMagic estimates, the iOS version of Warframe has generated $1.13 million to date, with an Android version in the works.
Short-Term Outlook
In contrast, several prominent studios have prematurely shut down their live service games after brief attempts at success. Marvel’s Avengers by Crystal Dynamics ceased operations less than three years after launch, while EA’s Knockout City lasted only two years.
Smilegate’s CrossfireX, an Xbox exclusive, lasted for 15 months.
“We’ve witnessed the premature closure of some incredible games with enormous potential, indicating a trend of giving up too soon,” Sinclair summarized.
