The live-service bubble, once a seemingly invincible force in the gaming industry, has been slowly deflating over the past few years. That a lot is obvious. As triple-A and even double-AA video games increasingly require extensive development periods and boast astronomical win potential, it’s hardly surprising that a shift in approach has been underway over the past few years. As this summer season unfolds, several free-to-play games akin to The First Descendant and Zenless Zone Zero are generating buzz; nonetheless, we’re still grappling with the same major hurdle.
With many gamers now seasoned veterans of free-to-play titles, it’s taken some time for us to develop a healthy skepticism towards live-service models and the allure of microtransactions, especially when they’re tied to premium releases. As a result, we’ve become desensitized to these offerings and either devour or dismiss them without much thought. At the end of the day, however, you’re more likely to spend money repeatedly on a product that has already provided you with countless hours of high-quality entertainment at no extra cost.
This persistent confirmation underscores the reason Overwatch was ultimately sacrificed for an esports-focused, streamlined “sequel” – a move that alienated many fans initially drawn to the IP. The acquisition of Activision by Blizzard has not led to meaningful changes in their business practices, as evidenced by the ongoing development strategy of their titles; conversely, free-to-play games have consistently employed similar unlock and development models without facing significant repercussions.
Well before the summer season, controversy brewed around Wuthering Waves, a newly launched gacha game masquerading as an action RPG that slipped onto the market just ahead of HoYoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero and Ubisoft’s long-awaited XDefiant, which surprisingly offers a strong alternative to modern Call of Duty. I’m thoroughly underwhelmed by Lucasfilm’s latest gaming venture, Star Wars: Hunters, which has left a sour taste in my mouth after the promise of Star Wars Outlaws.
At their core, these titles, comparable to many others I will critique shortly, represent high-caliber video games that function satisfactorily and deliver expected outcomes within their respective genres. While they are designed to maximise revenue and player engagement, whether through traditional microtransactions (MTX), battle passes, or “gacha pulls” – also known as loot boxes? Treasures of Yesteryear: A Collection of Loot Bins
Many gamers successfully ignore such offers, as engaging game experiences and incentives like cosmetic items and in-game rewards often outweigh the value of their time. Spend more than a dozen hours with them, and you’ll start to realize that you’re not just participating in a traditional “upfront cost” launch where you’re constantly being presented with tantalizing offers every few minutes.
The short answer is that trendy free-to-play video games are partially designed to manipulate players into spending money. While the sensation may be sweet in general, a fixed suggestion loop can be surprisingly compelling, especially if one’s gaming horizons haven’t expanded beyond casual fare – a concerning trend among young people. While acknowledging the inherent value of genuine quality, it’s crucial to scrutinize when a product’s integrity is compromised, as evident in EA’s problematic approach with XDefiant and Apex Legends, where even modest adjustments are deemed excessive.
As we rapidly approach mid-July, the gaming community is still riding high on the buzz surrounding The First Descent and Zenless: Zero Zone’s impressive reveals. While initial figures appear robust, with subsequent data confirming a growth spurt, only time will tell if these gains mark a lasting trend or merely a fleeting anomaly. Beyond its underwhelming gacha mechanics and unimpressive visual style, I’m left uninspired by ZZZ. For a brief period of time, I devoted myself to completing this task. It is properly put-together. The animation team, including artists and fight designers, delivered outstanding work on this project.
Every little thing else? The very definition of . The partitions of textual content periodically blocked the flow of information, forcing me to wait several minutes at a time before being able to progress through the tedious sequence of anime-related paragraphs. Although alerts occasionally display more unfavorable gacha pulls than their corresponding Genshin Impact counterparts, I have never explored Honkai: Star Rail. As the recreation concluded, disappointment settled in over the mismatch between its polished presentation and the limitations imposed by its confining framework, further exacerbated by subpar prose.
It’s astonishing that The First Descendant could possibly sink so low, yielding a litany of uninspired moments that leave the viewer feeling utterly drained, devoid of any spark or novelty, with nary an innovative idea to be found throughout its entirety. Are you kidding me? You’re better off playing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League if you’re looking for a fresh and expensive loot-shooter experience. As part of its ongoing gaming promotions, Hell will be available to play at no cost for a limited time with an Amazon Prime membership and access to Prime Gaming.
Even if you click with The First Descendant’s seemingly endless stream of numbers increasing (ultimately yielding nothing in terms of moment-to-moment gameplay) and unremarkable-looking weapons raining down upon your robust robotic rabbit companion, you may find yourself wondering why you’re not playing Warframe instead – a game that, despite not being my cup of tea, at least demonstrates some innovative vision.
Unlike many gamers, I’ve never been one to disparage the free-to-play model, nor have I been opposed to purely aesthetic microtransactions (MTX) or affordable battle passes. While I’m no Fortnite aficionado, Epic Games’ pace of development and creative skin designs have left me impressed; each skin seamlessly integrates into the game’s overall aesthetic, justifying their value. As I dove back into Apex Legends at its initial launch, I invested countless hours in the game to serve as a productive distraction from preparing for my February exams.
Despite this, I still frequently play Call of Duty and have invested in a few pricey skin packs due to their successful collaborations with popular intellectual properties that resonated with me. I remain burdened by the weight of my transgressions. As the gold rush shows signs of waning or being reined in to keep costs in check, many are scrambling to extract as much value as possible before the window closes.
What’s driving my point is that we’re likely approaching a “peak slop state” where enthusiasts who play more than two games annually will wake up to realize that most free-to-play triple-A releases are just thinly veiled money grabs, with only the EULA missing before they pull out all the stops.
Will I get entranced by the 2024 free-to-play launch of Human: Fall Flat, whose protagonist might just cast a procedural spell on my gaming soul? I hope it’s not the case that I’ve been inundated with a massive pileup of correct video games awaiting my attention to indulge in some recreational gaming.
