That one live service game you begrudgingly like? It’s probably just as bad as all the others, you just need an intervention

As if “always online” is a selling point for entertainment. I’m always online! Let me log off!

Image credit:Bungie, VG247

If you’re anything like me, nothing makes you lose interest in a game quicker than the words “always online”. Or “free-to-play”. Or “connected experience”, or whatever other marketing terms they’ve come up with for “live service grindfest that sucks”. Sometimes they don’t even tell you upfront that it’s a GAAS title, leaving it up to the prospective audience to divine this information from visual cues in gameplay trailers like… three distinct types of in-game currency, numbers popping out of enemies heads, and the whole thing having that unmistakable whiff of a project that no involved creative could ever muster real enthusiasm for. The core of a good idea spoiled by shareholder demands. Etc.

It wouldn’t be so bad if every single effing game didn’t seem to ship with live service elements nowadays. But still, sometimes a s**t sandwich comes with sprinkles, and people can enjoy any old muck if they have to. Which brings us to the topic of today’s Best Games Ever Podcast: what’s the best live service game you begrudgingly like? Could it be Destiny 2 , the series that many hold responsible for this genre? Could it be Genshin Impact , the poster-child for F2P games that are Good Actually? Or could it be Diablo 4 , which leverages a beloved ARPG brand to lure people into its miasma of micro (and macro) transactions?

To find out, you’ll have to watch or listen to this podcast, and you can do either via the methods listed handily below these messages:

The Best Games Ever Podcast from VG247. It’s a good show for smart people who are cool.

Watch the video version ofThe Best Games Ever Showhere:

This is the video. You should watch it, you get to see our faces as the Diablo 4 discussion reaches its 19th minute.Watch on YouTube

Listen to the audio version ofThe Best Games Ever Showhere:

This is the audio. You should listen to it, that way you can bed getting on with some household chores as the Diablo 4 discussion reaches its 19th minute.

Special thanks to David Bulmer for performing “Jim’s Theme”.

That one live service game you begrudgingly like? It's probably just as bad as all the others, you just need an intervention - 5

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , PC

That one live service game you begrudgingly like? It's probably just as bad as all the others, you just need an intervention - 6

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Video Game

That one live service game you begrudgingly like? It's probably just as bad as all the others, you just need an intervention - 7

Diablo IV

PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , PC

That one live service game you begrudgingly like? It's probably just as bad as all the others, you just need an intervention - 8

Genshin Impact

Android , iOS , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

Wishlisted - Our 10 Best Steam Next Fest Demos

Another Next Fest kicks off soon, but we’ve already done the digging for you.

Welcome to Wishlisted, a showcase of our favourite demos from Steam Next Fest: June 2024. Check the video above or watch on YouTube .

Finding the Best NextFest Demos is all about the joy of discovery, but with so many Steam Next Fest demos getting released in such a short amount of time, it can be bewildering. So we’ve decided to show you our ten Best Steam Next Fest games which we think deserve your attention. These are all upcoming Steam Next Fest games that we’re genuinely excited for, and that we think should play nicely on PC handhelds too!

This is just the start of our Next Fest coverage. This week we’ll be previewing loads of upcoming demos across the entire network - right here on VG247, of course, but also over on our sister sites Eurogamer and Rock Paper Shotgun. Bookmark our Wishlisted Steam Fest hub to stay in the loop. And this is well before Next Fest actually starts, so you, dear reader, get to bask for a solid fortnight celebrating all the wonderful new games that are just around the corner. Enjoy!