“For God’s sake,” exclaims the Gears of War creator, firing back at EA’s claim that Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed due to the absence of live-service elements. EA believes the RPG struggled because it lacked “shared-world features and social engagement”, but Cliff Bleszinski strongly disagrees.

Live-service gaming has dominated the industry in recent years, offering ever-evolving multiplayer experiences with microtransactions that rake in billions. While these titles command a massive player base, a significant portion of gamers still prefer single-player adventures. Electronic Arts found tremendous success with Apex Legends, though the battle royale shooter has been steadily losing players.

Yet, despite this, Electronic Arts claimed three days ago that Dragon Age: The Veilguard flopped due to its lack of live-service mechanics. During EA’s latest shareholder meeting, Andrew Wilson, the company’s CEO, stated that the RPG’s failure wasn’t due to its core gameplay but rather because it didn’t feature “shared-world elements and social engagement.” It’s an argument that’s already facing widespread criticism, and Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski is among those calling it out.

Bleszinski took to X/Twitter to slam EA’s obsession with prioritizing live-service models at the expense of traditional single-player games. The Gears of War veteran criticized big publishers for their relentless push towards multiplayer-focused titles packed with microtransactions.

“Let single-player games exist, for God’s sake. Not everything has to be a live service,” he said. In a follow-up response, Bleszinski referenced Concord and Dragon Age, stating, “There’s a lot more behind that failure, just like my past failures.” Regardless, EA’s revenue remains heavily dependent on Apex Legends, EA Sports FC, The Sims, and microtransactions.

Source: 3djuegos