With flashy trailers featuring fast-paced gameplay and highlighting seamless online multiplayer with friends, both Capcom’sExoprimaland Rocksteady Studios’Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueare gearing up to be technical showcases for the current generation of high-powered consoles. But behind their different settings and visual styles, the two games share a multiplayer-focused, live-service gameplay structure with always-online features that has slowly lost its luster in recent years. Both are set to release into a landscape where many are growing tired of these mechanics, which could makeExoprimala particularly tough sell thanks to its online-only gameplay.
Letting players connect with others from around the world has been transformative for the gaming industry. However, as online multiplayer become the norm, some developers have been accused of letting the potential profits overwhelm other facets of design. Capcom and Rocksteady Studios are the latest developers to face these sorts of complaints, with some fans questioning the monetization practices in the two developers' upcoming releases. The backlash againstSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s gameplay debut may have even played a role in its recent delay.
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Exoprimal’s Online-Only Gameplay May Turn Some Players Off
In the lead-up toExoprimal’s open betathis month, the dinosaur-filled online shooter has been under increasing scrutiny. While the gameplay looks exciting, tasking players with mowing down hordes of prehistoric beasts as they compete against other teams in the game’s main “Dino Survival” mode, an announced Battle Pass and real-world fees for cosmetic items have garnered more attention. Coupled with its always-online requirement, this could makeExoprimala tough sell for some.
The game’s recent release date trailer spends a significant chunk of time listing various unlocks, Battle Pass bonuses, and perks available to those who pre-orderExoprimal’s Deluxe Edition. This focus on upselling players has led some to draw unflattering comparisons betweenExoprimaland EA’s ill-fatedlive-service shooterAnthem. If players feel that Capcom’s third-person shooter is pushing them too hard to spend real money, they may avoidExoprimalaltogether.
Rocksteady Studio’s upcomingSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueis similar toExoprimalin that even solo players have to be connected to the Internet while playing, and many are unhappy with the tonal shift from the developer’sBatman: Arkhamseries. Although set in the same universe, it abandons that series’ acclaimed mix of brawling and stealth in favor of fast, class-based multiplayer action and gunplay. Though not specifically a live-service game, plans have already been announced forSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice LeagueDLCranging from cosmetics and weapons to a Battle Pass system.
The shift towards looter-shooter mechanics has already soured some gamers’ opinions of the title. WhileSuicide Squad’s recently announced delay may give the developer time to retool some of its most hotly criticized elements, as unlikely as this is within the current time frame players who had been hoping to enjoyArkham-style gameplay alongsideKevin Conroy’s final performance as Batmanmay be left disappointed.
BothExoprimalandSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguehave some unique and interesting mechanics that could be a blast for players, but their reliance on a gameplay structure that has increasingly fallen out of favor may end up hurting them in the long run. As shown by recent high-profileclosures of several live-service titles, the end can come quickly for even AAA behemoths once players stop opening their wallets, losses compounded by the difficulty of preservation with always-online games.
Exoprimalreleases July 14 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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