“Games as a service” is a common phrase in the video games industry referring to practices used by publishers that increase the longevity of games after release. These “services” can come in the form of updates and enhancements, online events, free or paid downloadable content, and generally anything that can incite players to return and re-engage with the game for longer than they otherwise would.
For game publishers, this method is a prime opportunity to maximize revenue. While games which are not designed “as a service” are limited in their earnings to the number of copies sold, those which incentivise spending on things like new gameplay or story content such as in season passes and DLC, gameplay advantages like loot boxes, or microtransactions like new item packs, cosmetic alterations, or in-game currency can become extremely profitable over time. For this reason, the games as a service model is controversial among gamers, as it is seen by many to emphasize a “quantity over quality” approach to the content produced. Additionally, although the rewards offered can often be obtained through hard work and level grinding, the option to spend money for the same result seems to encourage pay-to-win style behaviour in online interactions.
Games that employ the "games as a service" method include ... well ... pretty much all of them these days, in one way or another. But some notable examples are Grand Theft Auto Online, Call of Duty: WW2, Middle Earth: Shadow of War, and the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront 2.
Thanks for reading Words to Know. For a much more in-depth look into the “Games as a Service” model and its impact on the games industry you should have a look at this Kotaku article from Jason Schreier. If you liked what you saw here you can follow me on twitter for updates whenever I post something, or just check back here, as I try to post every week or so.
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