Former BioWare Developer Warns AAA Gaming Over-Relies on Live-Service Models
By
Robert DeFelice
17h ago· 2 min readenNews
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Summary
Former BioWare veteran Mark Darrah warns that the AAA gaming industry is becoming overly dependent on live-service business models. He draws comparisons to the movie industry, noting that games lack the "live theater" experience that films still benefit from. Darrah also critiques subscription models in gaming, suggesting that games should rotate in and out of subscription platforms like content does on Netflix and other streaming services, rather than remaining permanently available.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMark Darrah has producer credits on games in major franchises, including Anthem, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age.
Darrah noted that the games business is missing the live theater experience that movies still benefit from.
He also suggested that if an alternative to the live service
Mark Darrah says the gaming industry risks creating a future where most major releases depend on live service models.

