Live service game
What is a live service game? Games run as ongoing services with seasons and updates, from World of Warcraft to Destiny 2 and Warframe.
A live service game is sold or run as an ongoing service rather than a finished product: the publisher keeps adding content in seasons and updates and earns continuing revenue from it, much like software as a service. Battle passes and in-game shops pay for many of them.
Where the term comes from
Sources trace the idea to subscription games such as RuneScape and World of Warcraft, whose monthly fees guaranteed continuing revenue.
Examples
Each game links to the source that describes it using the mechanic.
Related terms: Battle pass, Loot box, Gacha, Power creep, Matchmaking (MMR/Elo).
Sources
Checked .
- Games as a service — Wikipedia
- Live Service — GameDesign.gg
- Glossary of video game terms — Wikipedia