Every Live Service Game Is The Same..

Summary

In this video, the speaker reflects on their shift away from online multiplayer games (MMOs) toward single-player games. They discuss their growing frustration with the repetitive, time-wasting mechanics in online games—such as battle passes, FOMO rewards, and constant power resets—that feel designed to keep players hooked without offering meaningful enjoyment. Highlighting the superficial nature of online progression and the negative impact of grind-heavy systems, the speaker contrasts this with the satisfaction they find in single-player games that respect their time. Ultimately, they advocate for games that prioritize fun over endless cycles of digital obligations.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker has been moving away from online multiplayer games (MMOs) and is enjoying single-player games more.
• 😀 The speaker reflects on how online games have evolved to be designed around addiction, wasting time, and the pursuit of instant gratification.
• 😀 Many modern online games feature repetitive battle pass systems that offer cosmetic rewards and FOMO (fear of missing out) incentives, which the speaker finds tiresome and time-wasting.
• 😀 The speaker has played a vast amount of time in games like World of Warcraft but now feels that this time investment no longer offers meaningful rewards.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the cyclical nature of online games, with rewards and content updates being repeated every 60–90 days, creating a sense of futility in progression.
• 😀 FOMO in live-service games forces players to log in daily to avoid falling behind, leading to burnout and making the experience feel more like a chore.
• 😀 The speaker discusses the sense of pride in past competitive gaming, where showing off skill and achievement mattered, but now sees gaming as a source of fun, not competition.
• 😀 The overabundance of paid options, like pay-to-win mechanics or convenience payments, is seen as a cynical method to exploit players' time and money.
• 😀 The speaker contrasts online games with single-player experiences like Elden Ring, where rewards are more straightforward and don't require excessive grinding.
• 😀 There is a growing realization that competitive, online gaming is no longer as enjoyable, and the speaker is shifting to single-player games that respect their time and provide meaningful enjoyment.

Q & A

Why has the speaker started moving away from online video games?

The speaker feels that online games are often designed to waste time, with repetitive content cycles, reward structures that don't feel meaningful, and mechanics that encourage addiction. They now prefer single-player games that offer more respect for their time.

What is the problem with the 'battle pass' and 'seasonal' models in online games?

The speaker criticizes these models for being repetitive and centered around FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), where players feel pressured to engage constantly, only to find the cycle resets and the content becomes repetitive, making the effort feel futile.

How does the speaker feel about 'pay-to-win' mechanics in online games?

The speaker expresses frustration with 'pay-to-win' systems, where players are encouraged to spend money to progress or catch up, rather than enjoying a fair and rewarding game experience.

What are some examples of games the speaker mentions in relation to their dissatisfaction with online gaming?

The speaker mentions games like World of Warcraft, Genshin Impact, Call of Duty, and New World as examples of games that follow similar patterns of addiction and time-wasting mechanics.

How has the speaker's mindset about gaming evolved over time?

Initially, the speaker enjoyed competitive gaming and showing off skills, but as they grew older, they shifted to playing for fun and no longer felt the need to prove their superiority or compete in the same way.

Why does the speaker refer to their past behavior as 'wasting time'?

The speaker reflects on their past focus on completing tasks and achieving in-game rewards, realizing that this effort often felt unfulfilling due to the cyclical, meaningless nature of online gaming systems.

What is the speaker's issue with the concept of 'completionism' in online games?

The speaker now believes that being a completionist in online games is a waste of time, as it leads to repetitive, endless tasks without meaningful rewards. This realization helped them step away from the hamster wheel of completionist behavior.

How does the speaker compare single-player games to online games?

The speaker finds single-player games like Elden Ring and Metaphor: ReFantazio more enjoyable because they respect the player's time, offering rewards and meaningful content without the pressure of endless grinding and time-wasting mechanics.

What does the speaker say about the 'grind' and 'power creep' in online games?

The speaker describes the grind and power creep in online games as tiresome and discouraging. Effort put into a game can be rendered irrelevant when new content resets the power levels, making players feel like their time is wasted.

What is the speaker's perspective on FOMO in live service games?

The speaker believes that while FOMO can keep players engaged in a game, it can also push them out when they feel too far behind. It creates a paradox where players are trapped in a cycle of trying to keep up, which ultimately leads to frustration.