Stop killing games!

The Death of Video Games: A Look at Lemnis Gate

In this video, the speaker discusses the trend of games dying due to lack of player engagement and support from developers. Specifically, they focus on the game Lemnis Gate and its impending shutdown.

Introduction

• Games can die when they are no longer playable or supported by developers.

• Lemnis Gate is a turn-based FPS game developed by Canadian Rat Loop Games and published by Frontier.

• The game's servers will be shut down on June 11th, 2023.

What is Lemnis Gate?

• Lemnis Gate is a turn-based FPS game where players interact with their past selves to accomplish objectives.

• It has mediocre visuals and gameplay but features a unique time loop mechanic.

• The game is multiplayer-only with no single-player career mode or story.

The Trend of Multiplayer-Focused Games

• Many games have failed due to being multiplayer-focused with mediocre visuals and gameplay.

• These games rely on players to keep them alive, leading to a snowball effect where fewer players lead to even fewer players until the game dies completely.

Conclusion

• Lemnis Gate will be removed from sale on all platforms on April 11th, 2023 but will continue to have its multiplayer servers online until July 11th, 2023.

• The speaker hopes that this video can bring attention to the issue of games dying and encourage positive change in the industry.

Digital Rights Management and Game Shutdown

The section discusses digital rights management (DRM) and the challenges of shutting down a game's servers. The speaker contacts the publisher, Frontier, for comments on why players cannot continue playing offline or in tutorial mode after server shutdown.

DRM and Server Shutdown

• Companies encrypt their data to protect against hackers and piracy through DRM.

• When a game's servers are shut down, players cannot play even in offline or tutorial mode.

• The speaker contacted Frontier for comments on this issue but received no response.

End of Life Plan

• The speaker contacted the developer who worked on a server emulator to ask how much work it would take for companies to provide the bare minimum to give users a reasonable chance to create a server emulator once the game shuts down.

• There were two basic options provided by the developer, but they would not be enough for a playable game.

• It could take anywhere from less than an hour to a few days depending on how well the game was written and how competent the developers are.

Game as Service

• Games as services are sold under perpetual licenses under most countries' laws.

• Developers do not have resources to spare at the time for something like releasing code or making some sort of an update to allow players to continue running after server shutdown.

Publisher Decision

• Frontier had the final say as to how Lemnis Gate was being handled and whether or not it even lived.

• Rat Loop mentions that Frontier did a decent if not good job for Lemnis Gate as a publisher.

The Importance of Game Preservation

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of game preservation and how companies are responsible for preserving their games.

Preserving Games

• Companies should preserve their games to ensure that unique and interesting designs are not lost.

• Only 4% of all games as a service have been preserved by companies.

• Preserving games is becoming harder as companies encrypt files more and more.

• Most companies using live service games do not care about game preservation or future generations.

Bricking Games

• Many games will stop existing once login servers are gone, making them genuinely bricked.

• Bethesda and Arcane have thrown in so much DRM and live service crap that even single player games now are treated this way.

End of Life Plan

• If there is no end-of-life plan to make a game playable, refunds may not be possible.

Comparing Games to Movie Theaters

In this section, the speaker compares games to movie theaters and argues that games are more like a Blu-ray disc bought from a discount bin than a service.

Games vs. Movie Theaters

• Games are like buying a Blu-ray disc from a discount garbage bin in a gas station.

• Killing Lemnis Gate is more akin to a movie studio coming into your house and breaking that movie disc.

• Piracy is the last great bastion of game preservation, but it only preserves the game files, not its playability.

• Frontier Developments has the capability to make a positive change in the industry by preserving unique ideas and ensuring their legacy goes on.

Frontier Developments' Success Story

In this section, the speaker talks about Frontier Developments' success story and how they went from work for hire to becoming fully independent.

Frontier Developments' Journey

• In the past decade, Frontier Developments went from work for hire making small games to rejuvenating space sim genre with Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen.

• Their success propelled them to become fully independent, making Planet Coaster and continuing to rise eventually trying their hand into publishing.

• The first two games they announced and published were struggling which is weird experimental small game and Lemnis Gate 2 weird unusual experiences.

• If killing Lemnis Gate was Frontier's decision, that doesn't really reflect well on them as publishers or developers.

Preserving Game Playability

In this section, the speaker talks about how Frontier Developments could have preserved Lemnis Gate's playability and how they can still make a positive change in the industry.

Preserving Game Playability

• Killing Lemnis Gate doesn't reflect well on Frontier Developments, especially since they had an end of life promise for Elite Dangerous.

• Frontier Developments should release one final last update for letting this game make it playable offline or remove DRM or maybe even release the server code as a final farewell to the game.

• This unique idea deserves to be archived, and Ratloop artists, coders, designers, sound engineers, and even their pets deserve a better fate.

• Frontier Developments has the capability to make a positive change in the industry by preserving unique ideas and ensuring their legacy goes on.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes by asking viewers to contact Frontier Developments and share the video to ask them to be good guys in the sea of bad actors.

Final Thoughts

• Games with genuine effort must be saved, and viewers are asked to contact Frontier Developments and share this video to ask them to be good guys in the sea of bad actors.

• The right thing for Frontier Developments is to preserve unique ideas like Lemnis Gate's gimmick that's more than worthy of being saved and examined.

• By doing so, they can ensure that their customers' trust is maintained while also building confidence that they do their best as publishers and developers.

The Importance of Trying New Things

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of trying new things and taking risks, even if they may not be successful.

Importance of Innovation

• Speaker encourages taking risks and trying new things.

• Even if something fails, it can still have a positive impact on future projects.

• Speaker plans to do a follow-up on a story if there is positive news.

• Encourages viewers to cherish their work and save it as inspiration for others.

Games as a Service

• Speaker calls "games as a service" a fraud.

• Encourages viewers to support games that inspired them instead.

Conclusion

• Thanked supporters on Patreon and YouTube members.

• Encourages viewers to join the community by checking out the links below.