Electronic Arts recently announced a shift in its development strategy, with a stronger focus on live service games. This decision comes in the wake of the company laying off numerous employees during what has been described as a turbulent period for the market.
The pivot towards live service games is not without controversy. The genre has seen its fair share of failures, with titles like Suicide Squad failing to meet expectations. However, EA, along with other publishers, seems undeterred, betting big on the live service model. According to Laura Miele, EA’s President, there’s a noticeable trend of players gravitating towards games that offer vast open worlds, large communities, and continuous updates. EA’s strategy is to align more closely with these evolving player preferences, concentrating on developing games that fit the live service mould.
EA is no stranger to the live service genre, owning successful franchises such as Apex Legends, FIFA, and Battlefield 2042, which have embraced the live service model to various degrees of success. Apex Legends, in particular, stands out as a flagship battle-royale game with over half a million players on Steam alone.
One of the critical issues facing the adoption of live service games is the reliance on microtransactions. As the cost of AAA games climbs to $70, players have grown increasingly resistant to overpriced in-game purchases and cosmetic items. EA has acknowledged this, admitting that they need to find a balance between monetisation and player satisfaction.
