Can Live Service Games Ever Achieve a Fulfilling Conclusion?

A common concern with modern business models in gaming is that they can create conflict between the financial goals of a game and the principles of good game design. This issue is not new, as it has existed since developers first considered releasing unfinished content as downloadable content (DLC) rather than including it in the base game. While this is not typically how DLC is created, it is also untrue to claim that such conflicts never arise. A more significant example of this conflict is the use of paid items that provide a competitive advantage in multiplayer games, known as 'pay-to-win' models, which have tarnished the reputation of free-to-play (F2P) games. Another example has emerged with Destiny 2, which has seen its player numbers plummet after delivering a satisfying conclusion to its decade-long narrative. The game's troubles, including the departure of its CEO and poor design decisions, have been well-documented. However, the decline in player numbers can be attributed to the game's narrative conclusion, which allowed players to feel satisfied and drop the game. For most games, this would be a desirable outcome, but for live service games, it can be a commercial disaster. This conflict is a concern for players engaging with live service or F2P games, as it may lead developers to avoid creating satisfying conclusions to core narrative threads. Some games, such as Final Fantasy XIV and Genshin Impact, have managed to strike a balance between narrative conclusions and ongoing storylines. However, Destiny 2's example may lead to pressure on developers to avoid ending games with a satisfying conclusion, resulting in many games fading out instead of ending with a bang.