There are some unexpected implications here. It's sort of been assumed that MMO-type systems should be live 24/7. But this is an alternative. It's only on for heavily promoted special events, when the promoters can line up performers for a live virtual event. Fortnite's biggest event was like that.…

Well, the Otherside crowd has now announced they will have a playable demo by mid-July. We'll see.

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Putting the player first

In 20…

Technical constraints can inhibit design, or force innovation

Of course, ambitious game designs require corresponding support from the backend tech, which can pose an added challenge for small studios with limited resources. Co-founder of Midwinter Entertainment Josh Holmes admits, when it comes t…

There’s a good reason why studios develop multiplayer games – it gives them an opportunity to work at their most creative, building live communities and taking on the challenge of real-time action. They also have the greatest potential to deliver profit. But it’s well understood that they are hard …

Not only do games without cross-play exclude a huge chunk of their target audience, which means lost marketing and sales potential for game studios relying on recuperating the massive expense of making them. Omitting cross-play negatively impacts gameplay, too.

The most obvious downside is gamers ca…