Sharkmob, the developer behind the popular game Bloodhunt, has announced that it has halted the development of the game, leaving fans disappointed. The Battle Royale game was released for PS5 just over a year ago and garnered a decent player base during that time. However, it seems that the studio has not been able to maintain the game’s success, leading to the decision to stop making new content for the title.
Sharkmob has stated that it will continue to keep the online servers switched on, but only “for as long as we have an active player base and community.” They will also implement an update that includes a voting system which allows the player community to pick what items should be unlocked next. Additionally, on 26th September 2023, the ability to purchase Bloodhunt’s premium currency, known as Tokens, will be turned off. Before that date, the studio will make adjustments to enable players to earn in-game tokens more easily so that they can continue to play and unlock cosmetics beyond this date.
The decision to halt Bloodhunt’s development was due to the game not achieving the critical mass required to justify continuing its development. Sharkmob has acknowledged that the decision was a difficult one that they did not take lightly. The game’s developer has even expressed that they are taking this experience with them, which would later have implications on the development of their forthcoming games.
As games become more popular, developers are increasingly leaning towards Games as a Service (GaaS) offerings. However, maintaining a sustained player base for GaaS titles long-term remains difficult even when you have built a significant player base initially. Mainly, games, particularly Battle Royale games, have migrated to mobile phones, which have a broader market and a lower barrier to entry than console games.
Despite the necessity of games being online and the exit of some games from the marketplace, there are other games currently holding the fort in Games as a Service. Online offerings like Fortnite and Warzone 2 seem to be able to build and maintain their communities regardless of the market conditions, but we know that these are exceptions rather than the rule.
The sundown of Bloodhunt has happened at a time when Sony is massively expanding into the GaaS sector, with ten live service games in plan. This shift towards and investment in games as a service provides an exciting opportunity for more significant studio exposure, new franchises, and expansion into different market segments.
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According to https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2023/05/another-game-as-a-service-on-ps5-is-being-abandoned
The material in this article is written on the basis of another article.
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