Helldivers 2 Director: Live Service Is Good for Gaming, But Only If It's 'Done Right' | Push Square
'Live service' has become something of a dirty term over the years, but as is often the case, there are both good and bad examples of the model — it's just that we all tend to focus on the negatives. But Helldivers 2 director Johan Pilestedt would rather talk about the positives — and that's exactly what he did at the recent Nordic Game conference.
As reported by GamesRadar, the knowledgeable lead truly believes that «live service is a good thing for the games industry», but, crucially, only if it's «done right».
Pilestedt goes on to list the things that live service titles do well, stating: «It's a continuous hobby that allows players to get more of the games they love.»
However, he's also well aware of the inherent problems of so many live service projects. «If you want to make a live service game, if you want to have monetization in the game if you think that people are buying stuff in the game [...] don't charge $70 upfront and then nickel and dime people for skins. It just is wrong,» Pilestedt explains.
Of course, it's easier to say all this when Helldivers 2 has turned out to be a roaring success. Equipped with a lower price point and making its money through cosmetic unlocks, the co-op shooter is a great example of a well-balanced live service release.
«Be kind to users, and do live service right by asking yourself what is the value for the gamers in this game and it being live service rather than what is good for the bank account,» Pilestedt concludes.
So there you have it. If you want to launch a well-liked live service title, don't be a greedy b*stard. Oh, and it helps if you make it a really good game, too.
What are your thoughts on these quotes? Is Pilestedt absolutely right? Is Helldivers 2 a shining beacon in a sea of live service crap? Grab yourself a new cape in the comments section below.
Robert (or Rob if you're lazy) has been a fan of PlayStation since the 90s, when Tekken 2 introduced him to the incredible world of video games. He still takes his
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