live-service Archives

AppWizard

July 4, 2026

Crossfire is actually the second singleplayer shooter named after Korea’s Counter-Strike—and the last one was made by Remedy

Crossfire is a new military simulation game developed by the creators of the 2019 reboot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, published by Smilegate. It features an innovative cover mechanic and a deeper emotional connection between its two lead characters. The game is related to the earlier multiplayer FPS Crossfire, which received a single-player mode called CrossfireX, developed by Remedy Entertainment. CrossfireX includes three-hour FPS campaigns that follow a Call of Duty formula and features a bullet-time mechanic. The game faced challenges upon release and was met with poor reception, leading to its shutdown just over a year after launch.

AppWizard

July 2, 2026

Blood Bowl’s videogame rights have been acquired by Slitherine and at this point I’ll take any change as a good sign

Slitherine has acquired the rights to the Blood Bowl series, previously held by Nacon, which faced insolvency and impacted various projects, including Blood Bowl 3. Developers Cyanide had planned to update Blood Bowl 3 to align with the latest tabletop rules, now back on track under Slitherine. Blood Bowl 3 was released with significant issues, including bugs and frustrating microtransactions, leading players to prefer Blood Bowl 2. Despite some improvements, menu navigation remains cumbersome. There is cautious optimism for the series' future under Slitherine's management.

AppWizard

July 1, 2026

PlayStation PC Retreat Is A Mistake, As 18+ Months Late Ports Made Money Without Costing a Single Console Sale

In recent years, PlayStation has shifted its strategy by porting titles previously exclusive to PlayStation 4 and 5, such as God of War and The Last of Us, to PC. This transition was confirmed by SIE's president, Hideaki Nishino, who stated that future ports will focus on multiplayer and live-service games. Former PlayStation head Shawn Layden discussed the rationale behind this strategy, emphasizing the importance of reaching a broader audience beyond console owners. He noted that the late PC ports have successfully introduced PlayStation's characters to new players and have not negatively impacted core sales, as those waiting for PC releases were unlikely to buy the hardware. Layden supports staggered PC releases to maintain platform exclusivity, which he believes is essential for differentiating the PlayStation brand and driving hardware sales. He cautioned against a day-and-date release strategy, which could dilute the brand's identity. PlayStation is also mindful of competition from Xbox, which releases exclusives on PC simultaneously, and is committed to keeping certain titles exclusive to its consoles.

AppWizard

June 28, 2026

Quantic Dream’s Star Wars: Eclipse is struggling: ‘We’re understaffed,’ say devs

Quantic Dream employees have raised concerns about staffing and project viability for Star Wars: Eclipse, following significant layoffs of 115 employees after the cancellation of their live-service game, Spellcaster Chronicles. Remaining staff believe these layoffs threaten the game's future and staged a strike during a LucasFilm visit to seek support. Employees are frustrated with management's lack of communication with parent company NetEase regarding project resources. They plan further protests, called the “Summer Strike Fest,” to advocate for additional staff needed to complete the game.

AppWizard

June 21, 2026

Sony Pulls Back on PC Games and Puts More Focus on AI

Sony is shifting its strategy regarding game releases, particularly first-party titles, by emphasizing the PlayStation ecosystem and omitting previous commitments to launch these games on multiple platforms. Future internally developed single-player games will be more closely associated with PlayStation, reducing the likelihood of PC versions. However, live-service games will continue to be available on multiple platforms, including PC. Sony has revised its growth objectives to a more cautious outlook for 2026, reflecting anticipated challenges in the economic landscape. PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino stated that while PC releases are still a possibility, the primary focus is on enhancing the console experience. Additionally, Sony is increasing its focus on artificial intelligence, establishing a dedicated division to explore its applications in game development without replacing the creativity of artists and developers. The company also announced a price increase for its consoles, influencing gamers' decisions about investing in PlayStation hardware.

AppWizard

June 20, 2026

Sony confirms PS5 and PC are still “the standard” platforms for live-service PlayStation games

PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino stated that live-service PlayStation games will remain available on both PS5 and PC, while single-player games developed in-house will become exclusive to PlayStation. Each game will be evaluated individually for its release platforms, with a focus on expanding the audience for live-service titles. Sony aims to enhance the unique experiences of single-player games on its hardware, suggesting future exclusivity for narrative-driven titles. This marks a shift from previous strategies where several major titles were released on PC after console exclusivity. The acquisition of Nixxes Software supports Sony's dual-platform approach.

AppWizard

June 19, 2026

Sony Exec Says PC Game Ports Not Ruled Out, Insider Rumors Argue There Is No Ambiguity

Sony's PlayStation strategy for game releases is influenced by the unique characteristics of each title. PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino stated that games will be released on PC only if it enhances the gaming experience, with multiplayer titles more likely to appear on PC while single-player narrative games will remain exclusive to PlayStation. Jason Schreier reported that Hermen Hulst, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, confirmed this exclusivity for single-player games during a town hall meeting. Additionally, first-party PlayStation games have not generated sufficient revenue as PC ports, leading Sony to reassess its strategy, focusing on multiplayer games to build a larger player base.

AppWizard

June 19, 2026

Report: PlayStation changed first-party single-player PC strategy due to lack of revenue

PlayStation has reevaluated its strategy regarding first-party titles on PC due to underwhelming revenue performance. CEO Hermen Hulst announced that single-player narrative games will now be exclusive to PlayStation, citing inconsistent PC releases and insufficient financial returns. Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, stated that while platform selection will depend on maximizing the gaming experience, single-player games developed in-house will focus on enhancing PlayStation's value. Live-service games will continue to be released on both PS5 and PC. Reports indicate that Sony has decided to halt the release of its first-party titles on PC.

AppWizard

June 9, 2026

You should back up your Forza Horizon 6 save before its latest bug brings you to tears

Forza Horizon 6 players are experiencing significant issues with save data loss, with many reporting that their progress is erased, particularly when using the Quick Resume feature on Xbox or encountering cloud save problems on PC. Certain vehicles, including the 2003 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning and 1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta, are suspected to be linked to these issues. Players are advised to avoid these vehicles and disable Quick Resume to mitigate risks. Regular backups of save files are recommended for PC users. In case of data loss, players can contact Forza Support to restore their inventory, but they will still need to restart the campaign and collect items again.

AppWizard

June 9, 2026

Guild Wars 3 won’t have a ‘battle pass fee buried in it’, says studio head: ‘We’re not gonna hold their time hostage’

Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs) have integrated live service features like seasonal content and battle passes, with varying outcomes. World of Warcraft has successfully implemented a free battle pass-like system through its Trading Post, enhancing player engagement. In contrast, Guild Wars 2's studio head Colin Johanson has stated that Guild Wars 3 will avoid a battle pass model, aiming for a more balanced player engagement. He noted that contemporary battle passes resemble subscription services and expressed concerns about overwhelming players, while also recognizing the issues with minimal rewards in games. The contrasting approaches of these titles illustrate the challenge developers face in balancing monetization and player satisfaction.