The live-service gaming scene is navigating a challenging and transformative period. Despite capturing millions of player hours, new successes in this space are rare, and shutdowns are becoming more frequent. To stay relevant, franchises like Destiny and Overwatch have shifted to free-to-play formats in hopes of maintaining player interest. Meanwhile, premium live-service games, which require a full purchase price upfront along with plans for long-term monetization, are becoming increasingly scarce.
In 2024, the industry witnessed two major letdowns in the premium live-service area. Rocksteady’s “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” ended up losing WB Games a staggering $200 million. Similarly, Sony’s costly attempt with “Concord” failed so spectacularly that it was discontinued mere weeks after launch. Interestingly, Sony did achieve a hit with “Helldivers 2,” but given the relative lack of marketing push compared to the other two titles, it seemed this wasn’t a success they were banking on—or perhaps even hoping for.
Yet, Blizzard’s 2023 release “Diablo 4” defied the odds with impressive sales, a strong expansion in 2024, and a dedicated player base. Why did it succeed where others faltered? Rod Fergusson, well-known for his work on Gears of War and now leading the Diablo franchise, believes it’s because Blizzard didn’t intentionally aim to create a live-service game. Instead, they focused on producing a solid Diablo entry, and the nature of action role-playing games like Diablo inherently lends itself to a live-service model.
“A role-playing game is inherently a live service. The question is what you do about it,” said Fergusson in a conversation with Polygon back in November. He recalls the early discussions during Diablo 4’s development about whether to treat it as a live-service game or not. “Look at the history of Diablo 3—the recurring engagement every season proves that, whether intentional or not, an ARPG acts as a live service. Our challenge was how to handle it.”
For Fergusson, live service represents an opportunity for ongoing improvement and enhancement of a game, provided the audience’s desire to continue playing stems naturally from the game’s design. “In a Diablo-like game, players might complete the main campaign, but they’re really seeking what I call the hundred- or thousand-hour experience. They want continuous progression, the thrill of empowerment, and a reason to return repeatedly.” This intrinsic interest gives developers a platform to inject fresh content and ideas. “That was the exciting part,” Fergusson noted. “We weren’t restricted to what was in the box at launch. We could enhance features like Helltide, introduce new elements like The Pit, and experiment with additions like The Gauntlet.”
The takeaway for game publishers is straightforward: don’t force a live-service model. When “Suicide Squad” was unveiled, it clearly didn’t suit a live-service mold, as noted by players who felt it wasn’t a natural fit with the game’s genre. Conversely, although “Concord” fit the live-service genre as a hero shooter, it seemed designed to fulfill a publisher’s checklist rather than addressing players’ desires for an alternative to Overwatch. The concept lacked genuine player-driven demand.
In contrast, “Diablo 4” resonated because fans eagerly anticipated a new Diablo installment, one they hoped to immerse themselves in for countless hours. It’s a twist on the famous line from “Field of Dreams”: not merely “If you build it, they will come,” but rather, “They will come, so make sure you’re ready for them.”
