Former Bungie CEO Harold Ryan says not every game needs to be a live service, as ProbablyMonsters shifts away from the model that defined Destiny.
Live service games have been everywhere over the past decade, from Fortnite, League of Legends, and Call of Duty. Some of them rake in billions, running for years with constant updates, battle passes, and seasonal drops. But for every success, there have been just as many failures. Hyenas, Babylon’s Fall, and, more recently, Concord, all tried to get a piece of the live service pie, and most didn’t make it past the first year.
Bungie, the studio behind Destiny, helped kick off this entire trend. The original Destiny set a new standard back in 2014, and Destiny 2 carried that forward for years. But even Bungie is struggling now. With two massive rounds of layoffs, lower player numbers, and low pre-orders for annual Destiny 2 expansions, the model that once defined the studio is no longer a guaranteed win.
That’s why Harold Ryan, former Bungie CEO and the founder of ProbablyMonsters, says his studio is taking a different path. In a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Ryan explained why ProbablyMonsters is stepping away from live service, despite his own history helping create one of the most influential ones.
“You want to pick a player experience and then build the game that delivers that experience”
Ryan says the focus for ProbablyMonsters going forward isn’t on live service, but on creating smaller, complete games that don’t rely on endless updates or monetization hooks. This comes as the studio gears up to launch two new games this fall: Storm Lancers and Ire: A Prologue, both priced at $19.99.
He explained that the decision was based on what players actually want, and what makes sense for the kind of games his team is building. “I think that model [live service] is appropriate for some games,” Ryan said. “But I don’t think it’s appropriate for all games. And I believe consumers are telling us it’s not appropriate for all consumers.”
Ryan added, “Would I ever make another service-based game? Sure. If I see the right game idea and the right audience, am I happy to build that and bring that to market? I am. But I think [for] sustainable careers, I think for the industry, it’s pretty clear that we can’t just pick a business model and say that’s a reason to make a game.”
“You want to pick a player experience and then build the game that delivers that experience to the audience where they’re at, the way they want to consume, on the platform they want to play it on.
“We all could be shipping successful games”
Despite the shift in direction, Ryan still has respect and affection for Bungie. “I still have many dear friends there,” he said. “And absolutely, it’s a part of me.”
“I celebrate their successes, and I feel their struggles,” he continued. “And I think in some ways, when I look at it, it feels like they’re in the very same place that almost everyone in the industry is, where the things that were working and reliable before aren’t quite as reliable.”
“Everyone can’t be the number one most successful game in the industry,” Ryan added. “But I think we all could be shipping successful games.”
“What I see for our teams, and I hope everyone can find, is a sustainable business model where everyone has the opportunity to ship games that delight their audience and are profitable, that pay the bills,” he said. “That’s what we all need.”
And even Destiny 2, the original poster child for this format, is showing signs of wear. With Bungie facing layoffs and The Final Shape and The Edge of Fate pre-orders reportedly lower than expected, it’s a reminder that no live service is bulletproof.
What do you think? Are live service games finally on their way out? Or is there still room for new ones done right? Let us know in the comments.
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