Live-service games have always been a mixed bag. Although the industry has flocked to this genre, the market is now highly saturated, with very few games truly standing out. This has led to numerous high-profile failures in recent years, such as Concord.
Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden recently discussed the live-service game genre, sharply criticizing the various metrics touted within the sector. He believes that the success of live-service games is purely a matter of luck, with no clear formula to guarantee a hit.
In an interview with Kiwi Talkz, Shawn Layden discussed how difficult it is for live-service games to gain a foothold in the market. He stated that the success of such games is largely "accidental," making it absurd to believe there are established formulas for success.
This is indeed the case. Over the years, many game studios have attempted to replicate the models of successful titles, hoping to copy their success, only to find that this approach simply doesn't work. In the past few years, we have seen too many online live-service games fail as a result.
Players crave fresh and creative content. Therefore, even with a modest budget, a game can still achieve success if it is sufficiently innovative. The most typical examples in recent years include REPO, Meccha Chalameleon, and others.