Returnal dev vows to avoid live-service for “as long as people are buying premium games”

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Housemarque Studios are currently immersed in the creation of Saros, an upcoming action game with a cinematic flair, featuring actor Rahul Kohli (known for his roles in Gears of War, Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass). The single-player game is set to launch in 2026. Studio leaders Ilari Kuittinen and Gregory Louden have pledged that the studio will steer clear from live-service games in the future.

In the ever-expanding gaming landscape filled with live-service titles offering battle passes and relentless grinding, Housemarque, as I understand it, has pledged to maintain a strong focus on single-player experiences – as long as gamers continue to support their creations.

Returnal devs won’t make live-service games

At Housemarque’s 30th anniversary celebration in Finland, the co-leads and I shared our plans to continue creating standalone gaming experiences. As long as gamers are still purchasing premium titles, we’ll keep crafting them!

Kuittinen referred to the studio’s transition to cinematic single-player experiences as being similar to a film or TV show that chronicles a character’s life stage. In contrast, live-service games necessitate continuous player engagement to avoid missing out on updates and developments.

Their viewpoint is that our games provide an immersive moment in your life, which you can savor over a few days or weeks, but it’s not necessary to dedicate all your spare time to them.

Kuittinen clarified that Housemarque games aren’t essential for lifetime play, but rather offer a “one-of-a-kind adventure” that gamers may revisit should they choose to. As long as the studio consistently delivers unique, enjoyable, and well-crafted experiences, this is acceptable.

Mikael Haveri, the brand director, commented, “Our strength lies in our most recent game.” He elaborated on the team’s challenging road to their current success. Yet, they are driven forward by their unwavering ambition to develop “exceptional games” that endure and leave a lasting impact.

Ever since I first played it on the Atari ST back in 1993, Housemarque has consistently produced something extraordinary – truly special games. While they’re renowned for hits like Super Stardust, Nex Machina, and Returnal, even their lesser-known titles such as Dead Nation stand out distinctly. (As for the Gizmondo Motorcross game, I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure of owning a Gizmondo.)

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2025-05-20 18:40