Games Reviews

The Winter Of Premium Live-Service Games Is Coming

Premium live-service games are in the midst of a winter in the industry, where even though the industry consumes the time of millions of players, few new games are popular and server shutdowns are becoming more frequent. To keep players on their servers, series like Destiny and Overwatch have turned to free-to-play.

And premium live-service games, which are paid games with long-term profit projects, are gradually withdrawing from the market and are on the verge of extinction.

In 2024, developers and players are still fresh in their minds when they recall two major failures of premium live-service games. Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League cost WB Games nearly $200 million in investment. And another more expensive game, Concord, launched by Sony, couldn’t even get players interested in the game. In just a few weeks, the game disappeared.

Although Sony also has a popular game Helldivers 2, it is obvious that Helldivers 2 is not a game that the developer has worked hard to market, and the developer did not even consider it would be successful. And the final result also surprised the developers.

The Success Of Diablo 4 Is Because Of Its Game Type

Faced with such a difficult Premium live-service game, the developer of Diablo 4 rose to the challenge. Once launched in 2023, it won the love of many players and brought huge sales to the developer. Even in 2024, the game still has many fanatical fans, demonstrating a strong growth momentum.

So, how did Diablo 4 rise to the challenge and stand out from the decline of Premium live-service games?

For Rod Fergusson, the producer of famed Gears of War and now the general manager of the Diablo series, the most critical reason is that the developer did not consider the type of game when making the game. At the beginning of the game, the game studio only intended to make a game called Diablo.

But after the game was completed, the players in the game needed to continuously complete tasks, experience the game plot, kill enemies and get Diablo 4 Gold, which ultimately determined that it was an online service game rather than other types of games.

“An ARPG is inherently a live service. The question is what you do about it.” Rod Fergusson once said this to reporters in an interview. Rod Fergusson said that at the beginning of the production, the game production team had discussed whether Diablo 4 was a live service game, or whether the development team simply called it a live service game.

In the end, they found the right answer, recalling the expectations of millions of players in each season of Diablo 3. No matter how it is characterized, ARPG is essentially a live service game, and the most critical content is what efforts the developers have made for this.

For Fergusson, live service is an opportunity to constantly self-examine and self-update and repair the game, but the premise is to enable players to generate motivation to continue playing in the game. When players play Diablo 4 or a game similar to Diablo 4, they want to experience the entire game campaign. And after that, players hope to continue fighting, get Diablo 4 Items and other rewards dropped in the victorious battle, and reap the joy of winning the game and the rewards. In such an endless fantasy, players will return to the game again and again. This feedback will inspire game developers, allowing them to continuously provide new ideas for the game and generate new game content.

“That was one of the things that was great.” Fergusson believes that he believes they will not stop here, they will continue to improve the game and strive to create new game content for all players.

Game Developers Should Be Inspired By This

When making a game, game developers should not copy and paste, but consider the game content and choose the right game type. Just like when Suicide Squad promoted the experience content, players said after the experience that the content of the game was not suitable for online service games, and they could not be naturally integrated together.

Although the genre chosen by Concord is correct, it seems to be made by game developers to cater to the needs of live service games, which goes against the purpose of game production, players’ demand for Overwatch alternatives.

On the other hand, D4’s success is because players need a new game similar to the Diablo series. Players want new games that can be played for a long time, which also caters to the classic line of Field of Dreams “It’s not that if you build it, they will come, but because they will come, so we better build it.”

It can be seen that listening to the voice of players and choosing the correct game genre to match the game content is particularly important for the success of a game. Developers should be good at listening to players’ opinions, thinking, and constantly modifying games to achieve success.

In 2022, many people were impressed by the first season of Arcane. In 2024, Riot Games launched the second season of the series, which was still well received by the audience.

According to reports, the co-founder of Riot Games recently said that the production and marketing costs of making two seasons of Arcane totaled $250 million. Netflix and Riot Games’ parent company Tencent need to use $3 million to exchange its broadcast rights for each episode. However, this is still less than half of the cost of Riot Games to make Arcane.

Arcane

League of Legends is an old game that has been born for 15 years and still has a large player base. Each hero in LOL has his own unique background story and power. In the first few years, the background stories of some heroes were a bit confusing. Then Riot Games spent some time to sort out, rewrite and integrate the background stories, and gradually created an almost perfect League of Legends universe.

As Riot Games grew and grew, they gradually came up with the idea of ​​turning the background stories into formal series. Finally, they made a bold move. Riot decided to make its own series about the background story of League of Legends. They wanted to keep full control of the characters. In 2020, Riot hired Spenley, who had worked at Netflix Inc., to form a team, which then expanded to 25 people.

Riot hopes to use Arcane as a gift to players and attract more players to play their games. League of Legends has been operating for many years, and the number of players is decreasing. This is the dilemma that Riot Games is facing now.

Riot hopes to open another path with Arcane, or even become another Disney company.

However, the budget of the series exceeded their expectations. Riot originally planned to make a profit in the second season, but the situation does not seem to have changed much.

How Arcane Makes Money?

In fact, some employees within Riot do not support the development of Arcane. Nicolo Laurent, the former CEO of Riot, invested too much passion in Arcane, which squeezed out resources about the game of League of Legends itself. Laurent tried to develop more value for the game of LOL, not just the game itself.

But when Arcane’s first season was released, Riot did not give item designers enough time to design Arcane-related items, which is one of the reasons why players only saw four skins in the first season, and three of them were free. Arcane did attract a lot of players for Riot in the first season, but the player retention rate was very low and did not meet Riot’s expectations.

Although Arcane was not commercially successful, it won many awards, which excited the Arcane production team and Riot.

After that, they gave Arcane two years to make related items for Arcane, but the profit still did not seem to meet their expectations.

Riot’s Explanation

Although Arcane did not bring profits to Riot, a Riot spokesperson said that the show was successful, at least in November, it was Riot’s highest-income month. They hope that the show can bring more players to the game to increase player consumption.

With T1 winning this year’s world championship and the release of Arcane, Riot took advantage of the opportunity to launch expensive skins, even up to hundreds of dollars. Players complained on Reddit that Riot Games has forgotten its original intention and only releases these mass-produced skins to perfunctory players. Marc Merrill, co-founder of Riot Games, responded that they did not create such a wonderful work as Arcane to promote their own skins. On the contrary, they launched so many skins just to create wonderful music and animation like Arcane.

Adjustment Of Riot Games

However, from the perspective of Riot Games, it seems that it has suspended the idea of ​​continuing to enter the film and television industry. They laid off 11% of their employees at the beginning of this year and announced that they would focus their future work back on the game industry. They suspended the subsequent production of Arcane and also suspended the adaptation and development of other works. Shauna Spenley, president of Riot Games, resigned and reorganized the entertainment department.

Reasons For Failure

In fact, it is not the first time that a game has been adapted into a movie and faced such a failure. Nintendo had experienced a similar failure in 1993. Publishers are accustomed to licensing their characters to Hollywood film companies to transfer possible risks. Riot Games suffered a financial failure, and it is obvious that they did not consider how to make a profit from their works.

Adapting video games into animations or movies is a current trend, but it is clear that Riot Games still lacks a lot of experience in this regard.

On the other hand, the second season of Arcane did not satisfy gamers. Although the content of both series can be regarded as excellent productions, their content does not match the background stories that players know. The content of Arcane’s adaptation also changes the background settings of the game. It is difficult to say whether this large-scale adaptation method is a good thing or a bad thing.

Whatever, fans still hope that Riot Games can continue to promote the production of the series. Completely develop the entire game map. This is a very big challenge. Maybe Riot Games will not try this method in the short term, but they have not given up. Maybe Riot Games will not give up their project to continue developing the background story of League of Legends, but perhaps it would be more appropriate to tell the background stories by games.

Released on February 14, 2025, the new Assassin’s Creed game Assassin’s Creed Shadow will be released. This time, the story of Assassin’s Brotherhood takes place in Japan in 1579. The story unfolds with the confrontation between Japanese ninja Naoe and the samurai Yasuke from Africa. The daimyo served by Oda Nobunaga’s son Yasuke tried to invade Iga, but failed.

For Ubisoft, this is the first time they have placed the official work in the East. Although Ubisoft has also released a Chinese-themed Assassin’s Creed before, it is a horizontal version of the game, which is not as good as Assassin’s Creed Shadow in terms of investment.

However, before the game was released, Assassin’s Creed Shadow suffered some twists and turns in publicity. The restoration and integration of history that Assassin’s Creed series is proud of, but this time they make some mistakes in the knowledge of Japanese history. This caused many Japanese players to be dissatisfied. This also made fans of Assassin’s Creed series feel a little worried. However, Ubisoft has also polished this game for a long time, trying to make players to experience new weapons and assassination methods, and improving the environmental system. So is Assassin’s Creed Shadow worth players’ expectations?

Plot

Ubisoft has not revealed much about the detailed plot of Assassin’s Creed Shadow. But it mainly revolves around Japanese ninja Naoe and African samurai Yasuke. They may be enemies at first, but they will turn to cooperation or even become comrades-in-arms later.

Naoe is a ninja who has been protected and trained by her father since she was a child. Later, the invasion of the enemy destroyed her life, forcing her to face the world alone and become a real assassin. Naoe has some special blood, which may be the reason why she is connected with Assassin Brotherhood.

In addition, Ubisoft also stated that it will continue to expand the modern plot, and it is not known in what form it will be integrated into the game.

Protagonist

The protagonist of this game still adopts the dual protagonist mode, but unlike Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the protagonist is not just a gender difference, but two completely different characters. And they play different roles in battle.

Naoe is like a traditional assassin who avoids direct combat with others, while Yasuke is a threatening warrior. Both of them have their own talent growth system, and both players have the opportunity to operate them. This may be similar to the brother and sister of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.

Weapons

Due to their different identities, the two protagonists use unique weapons.

Naoe:

• Katana: Katana is fast, has good damage output, and can also repel enemies. After obtaining Katana, Naoe will unlock the ability to assassinate enemies through doors.
• Kusarigama: Allows Naoe to gain the ability to attack enemies from a distance and allows Naoe to unlock the ability to sprint and assassinate at short distances.
• Tanto & Hidden Blade: Can bring a storm of attacks to the enemy, while unlocking the ability to double assassinate.

Yasuke:

• Long Katana: It has a long attack range, suitable for one-on-one or large-scale conflicts.
• Naginata: This knife is two meters long, suitable for dealing with multiple enemies at the same time.
• Kanabo: A very heavy and deadly weapon that can shatter enemy armor.
• Yumi Bow: Has a variety of arrows to choose from, and can hit enemies far away.
• Teppo rifle: It has a longer range than a bow and is more powerful, but it reloads slowly.

Combat

Ubisoft is confident about this game, which has been polished for four years. Although the two protagonists fight in different directions, their core combat mechanics are the same.

Although Naoe is a ninja, she still has the ability to confront the enemy head-on. Naoe can launch a series of attacks on a single enemy at a very fast speed, but when dealing with multiple enemies, Naoe’s weak armor will be exposed. At this time, Naoe will be in danger.

Yasuke is a warrior who is good at long-term combat. He can break the enemy’s defense with combos and give the enemy a fatal blow.

Attack

• Light attack: Launch a series of attacks on the enemy, causing a small amount of damage. Some enemies may attack the player when the player is light attacking, so be careful.
• Heavy attack: a slow but powerful attack that can push the enemy back.
• Posture attacks: Press and hold the light attack or heavy attack button to charge the attack, which is called posture attacks. Posture attacks can be maintained until the enemy is in front of you.
• Vulnerable State: In a perfect dodge or in some special states, the enemy will fall into a vulnerable state, and the damage to the enemy in this state will be greatly increased.

Defense

The two protagonists have some of the same defensive postures, but some postures are unique to the characters.

Dodge: Naoe dodges by rolling, while Yasuke stands and rushes a short distance. Yasuke cannot dodge continuously, and he needs a certain CD time after dodging twice.

Parry: After Yasuke parries the enemy’s attack, he will bounce the enemy’s attack and destroy the enemy’s posture, allowing Yasuke to pursue. After Naoe parries the enemy’s attack, he will quickly come to the enemy’s side.

Block

This is Yasuke’s unique mechanism, and he can use his weapon to block arrows.

Weather System

In addition to the improvement of the combat system, players will also be able to experience the actual changes of the four seasons in Assassin’s Creed Shadow, and they can also interact with the environment according to the changes of the four seasons. For example, it will snow and freeze in winter, and players can walk on the ice, but they cannot enter the underwater area.

In more than a month, Assassin’s Creed Shadow will be released, and the developers of Assassin’s Creed are full of confidence in it. Ubisoft did come up with such an excellent work as Prince of Persia this year. This work has made some innovations and also retained many traditional gameplays. As for whether this Assassin’s Creed can meet the expectations of players, we have to wait and see.

Players can now find Striker Visionary Evolution in EA Sports FC 25, an event that enhances the stats of your strikers. In addition to evolving your players, Striker Visionary Evolution also introduces False 9 Role++ and TikiTaka PlayStyle, both of which can be used to great effect on the field.

Just like previous evolutions, this Striker Visionary Evolution still requires your players to meet the requirements first, and then use FC 25 Coins to unlock.

The requirements are as follows:

• Total score not exceeding 86
• Pace maximum is 93
• Physical maximum is 89

Here are the best strikers for this Striker Visionary Evolution:

7. Cristiano Ronaldo

• Card variant: Base
• Overall Rating: 86
• Position: ST
• Rating after Evolution: 87

Cristiano Ronaldo is a well-deserved football star, and can almost be said to be one of the greatest players in the history of football. He still showed great strength in Saudi Professional League. As the main player of Al Nasr, Cristiano Ronaldo showed unparalleled goal-scoring ability and enjoyed scoring. Cristiano Ronaldo’s basic card also has a Shooting panel of 88. This card can help you steadily let the ball fly into the goal in EA FC 25.

The total score of Cristiano Ronaldo’s basic card after evolution will reach 87. His data after evolution is relatively good:

• Pace: 82
• Shooting: 88
• Passing: 83
• Dribbling: 82
• Physical: 86

6. Julián Álvarez

• Card variant: Inform
• Overall Rating: 86
• Position: ST
• Rating after Evolution: 87

After switching from Manchester City to Atlético Madrid, Julián Álvarez hoped to get a chance to play as a starter, and now he has become a starter and scored key goals in several games.

This Argentine had a balanced stat in FC 25, and he remains so after his evolution. However, this does not mean he is mediocre, on the contrary, he will become stronger and stronger.

Here are some of his excellent stats after evolution:

• Pace: 89
• Shooting: 87
• Passing: 86
• Dribbling: 87
• Physical: 88

Solid stats allow this striker to score without any suspense on the pitch.

5. João Pedro

• Card variant: Inform
• Overall Rating: 86
• Position: ST
• Rating after Evolution: 87

João Pedro played well for Brighton in the 2024/2025 season, so he was awarded the title of Team of the Week. This Brazilian striker has very good stats, so he is a very good choice for Striker Visionary Evolution.

You can also use Team of the Week card to evolve João Pedro, and you will also get a striker with an overall rating of 87. Some of his stats after evolution are:

• Pace: 89
• Shooting: 88
• Passing: 82
• Dribbling: 89
• Physical: 80

In addition, João Pedro can also play as an offensive midfielder or a left midfielder, and he can be flexible in your team.

4. Loïs Openda

• Card variant: Base
• Overall Rating: 85
• Position: ST
• Rating after Evolution: 87

Loïs Openda impressed everyone at RB Leipzig in the 2023/2024 season. Therefore, EA gave Loïs Openda, a very talented striker, an overall rating of 85. This basic card is excellent in many aspects and is worth investing in with FUT 25 Coins.

Striker Visionary Evolution can provide a great boost for this talented Belgian striker, allowing him to perform exceptionally well in Ultimate Team:

• Pace: 93
• Shooting: 86
• Dribbling: 83
• Physical: 88

These data make him unstoppable on the court.

3. Matheus Cunha

• Card variant: Inform (Team of the Week)
• Overall Rating: 86
• Position: CAM (ST Secondary Position)
• Rating after Evolution: 87

This Brazilian striker has performed very well in Wolves in the 2024/2025 season. Several clubs have already extended olive branches to him. Perhaps his status will change in the transfer period.

Although he mainly plays the role of offensive midfielder, he can also perform well in the striker position. He is already very good in Team of the Week, but he can still be improved by evolution. After Striker Visionary Evolution, his stats are:

• Pace: 91
• Shooting: 87
• Passing: 86
• Dribbling: 90
• Physical: 88

If you have this card, don’t hesitate to evolve it.

2. Alexander Isak

• Card variant: Inform (Team of the Week)
• Overall Rating: 86
• Position: ST
• Rating after Evolution: 87

Alexander Isak is a reassuring goal scorer. Put him in your Ultimate Team and you will get a reliable scorer. All you have to do is arrange for other players to cooperate with him to score goals.

Of course, if you want to get Alexander Isak at level 87, you must first use Inform card on him to get him to 86 points, and then let him evolve. The stats of this Swedish player after evolution are:

• Pace: 89
• Shooting: 87
• Passing: 80
• Dribbling: 88
• Physical: 85

1. Jonathan David

• Card variant: Inform (Team of the Week)
• Overall Rating: 86
• Position: ST
• Rating after Evolution: 87

Jonathan David is the best card after Striker Visionary Evolution. This Canadian striker performed well during his time playing for Lille in French Ligue 1. His speed in the field is amazing.

Some of the excellent stats after completing the evolution are:

• Pace: 89
• Shooting: 87
• Passing: 82
• Dribbling: 86
• Physical: 88

He has a 5-star weak foot, so he can score with both feet. This is one of the reasons why this card is so powerful. You don’t have to worry about the overall number of goals.

The above are some of the best strikers for Striker Visionary Evolution. If you have these cards and have enough FUT coins, don’t hesitate to evolve them!