Title: Is the Live Looter Shooter Era Coming to an End?
Title: Is the Live Looter Shooter Era Coming to an End?
In the realm of game coverage, I've earned a reputation as the "live looter shooter guy," with a long-standing love for titles like Destiny 1 and 2. However, the genre I adore seems to be slowly drying up, leaving me pondering what the future holds. The reasons for this decline are multifaceted, primarily stemming from the genre's high production costs, risky investments, and decreasing demand for long-term staples.
Live looter shooters are notoriously expensive to produce, with constant demands for seasonal content to keep fans engaged. In addition, these games carry a significant financial risk, particularly in a market filled with high-profile failures. Take Anthem, for instance, a game that failed to resonate with players and drained BioWare's resources, delaying new Dragon Age and Mass Effect titles. The same can be said for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a project that reportedly lost $200 million, leaving the possibility of a single-player superhero game in jeopardy.
These missteps have created a culture of cautiousness in the industry, with developers like BioWare and Rocksteady reverting back to their tried-and-true single-player games. Even Crystal Dynamics, following Marvel's Avengers' slow demise, abandoned the looter shooter format.
My mainstay, Destiny, has been influential in popularizing the genre but now finds itself in a challenging position. Its declining interest and revenue, combined with substantial costs, have resulted in major layoffs at Bungie. Sony, too, has had to question its $3.6 billion investment in the developer, given the unsettling circumstances.
Destiny 2, once boasting its highest player count with The Final Shape, is now struggling, with a smaller-scale content future and no full sequel in sight. In an attempt to rebound, Bungie is shifting focus to pure PvP with Marathon and a separate project, Gummy Bears, a MOBA/Smash Bros. hybrid.
Perhaps the most consistent performer in this genre is Warframe, a title that has managed to maintain a consistent player base since 2017, despite the genre's struggles. Warframe, however, remains an anomaly in the industry, often ignored despite its proven success.
Looking ahead, The Division 3, a Ubisoft project, is one of the few promising live looter shooters on the horizon. But with the company currently in flux and the game's future uncertain, it's challenging to be optimistic.
Borderlands 4, championing non-live service gameplay, and adding more traditional expansions instead, is a title I eagerly await. It will offer a refreshing change of pace, given the trends established by Destiny and its successors.
However, launching a successful new looter shooter is no small feat. Games like Outriders, although not live, failed to garner the attention and success they sought. Despite positive reviews, the game was not considered a success, and the IP now appears dormant.
The future of looter shooters seems uncertain, with few contenders on the horizon. Yet, in the face of this uncertainty, Warframe has proven that success is not limited to the tried-and-true. The genre may be evolving, but the heart of excitement and adventure beats on.
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The high production costs and financial risks associated with looter shooter games have led to a culture of cautiousness in the industry, with developers turning to safer, single-player projects. innovation in looter shooter games is essential to revive the genre, as demonstrated by the success of Warframe and the anticipated release of Borderlands 4 with traditional expansions.