Game DevelopmentThree AAA live-service launches in April 2026 — Pokémon Champions, Crimson Desert, and Marathon — are testing whether the industry's standard playbook for recovering from a rough launch can actually work at this scale.
GamingBungie launched Marathon at $40, then slapped on $15 skin packs, a battle pass with zero earned premium currency, and a premium currency gap designed to force overspending. The backlash was immediate. Here's what happened.
GamingTwo extraction shooters, two very different philosophies. Arc Raiders dominates with 12 million copies sold while Marathon launches March 5 with Bungie's signature gunplay. Here's how they compare.