Launching a live-service game might be one of the toughest prospects in the video game industry currently, as several ambitious titles have sadly failed to find an audience and have folded shortly after launch. Marvel Rivals isn't one of those games, as the free-to-play action game has maintained its momentum with a constant influx of new heroes and game modes since it first hit PC and consoles in December 2024.
While the market might be tough, Marvel Rivals executive producer Danny Koo believes that there is space for both single-player and live-service games to flourish, as the industry has gone through numerous phases over the decades where certain ideas and genres were declared to be at death's door. The key to success for other studios might lie in being nimble and agile enough to adapt to the needs of an audience quickly.
"I think live-service is going to continue; there's a place for it. Single-player games are going to continue; there will be a place for it," Koo said to GameSpot at GDC 2026. "Over the course of 22 years, it's the same narrative being looped based on whichever slice of timeline you look at. Like, once upon a time, it's like AAA games are dead, indie games are in trouble. It's never-ending, the medium is evolving, and we have to be nimble enough to adopt technology and go where the audience is."
"Technology will evolve, how we serve content will evolve, but the method of providing live-service could change. But live-service games will continue, and also a self-contained single-player game will continue; it doesn't matter what size it is. And as long as people want to still play games, there will be a market for it. Build it, and they will come."
Koo added that NetEase is always listening to its community and is well aware that sudden changes amongst its players happen gradually, not suddenly.
"We're constantly monitoring the communities, chats, industry news, and see where it's heading," Koo said. "It's not like overnight it suddenly changes. It's gradual, so we do have time to make adjustments necessary and we worked together for so long that we address anything that comes our way and find solutions. Our gaming industry is resilient; it keeps evolving, and that's how all of us together find solutions. For example, digital versus physical, we find a way to make those models work. If everybody still loves collecting, then you have specialty collectors that publish those collections. Embracing change is the way to go, expecting change is also the way to go, and we all have to be patient and nimble."
And when some problems seem unsolvable? Koo has a very Avengers-inspired method for getting around these roadblocks. "If you can't solve the problem, gather everyone, go eat, drink, and talk about it," Koo concluded.
Looking ahead, Marvel Rivals is building up to the release of Avengers: Doomsday on the big screen, with several events planned for throughout 2026. A Loki-centered limited-time mode kicks things off in April, and it'll be followed by special events throughout the year that reference previous Avengers movies. New characters are also on the way, with fans speculating that Black Cat and White Fox will be added to the roster soon.
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While the market might be tough, Marvel Rivals executive producer Danny Koo believes that there is space for both single-player and live-service games to flourish, as the industry has gone through numerous phases over the decades where certain ideas and genres were declared to be at death's door. The key to success for other studios might lie in being nimble and agile enough to adapt to the needs of an audience quickly.
"I think live-service is going to continue; there's a place for it. Single-player games are going to continue; there will be a place for it," Koo said to GameSpot at GDC 2026. "Over the course of 22 years, it's the same narrative being looped based on whichever slice of timeline you look at. Like, once upon a time, it's like AAA games are dead, indie games are in trouble. It's never-ending, the medium is evolving, and we have to be nimble enough to adopt technology and go where the audience is."
"Technology will evolve, how we serve content will evolve, but the method of providing live-service could change. But live-service games will continue, and also a self-contained single-player game will continue; it doesn't matter what size it is. And as long as people want to still play games, there will be a market for it. Build it, and they will come."
Koo added that NetEase is always listening to its community and is well aware that sudden changes amongst its players happen gradually, not suddenly.
"We're constantly monitoring the communities, chats, industry news, and see where it's heading," Koo said. "It's not like overnight it suddenly changes. It's gradual, so we do have time to make adjustments necessary and we worked together for so long that we address anything that comes our way and find solutions. Our gaming industry is resilient; it keeps evolving, and that's how all of us together find solutions. For example, digital versus physical, we find a way to make those models work. If everybody still loves collecting, then you have specialty collectors that publish those collections. Embracing change is the way to go, expecting change is also the way to go, and we all have to be patient and nimble."
And when some problems seem unsolvable? Koo has a very Avengers-inspired method for getting around these roadblocks. "If you can't solve the problem, gather everyone, go eat, drink, and talk about it," Koo concluded.
Looking ahead, Marvel Rivals is building up to the release of Avengers: Doomsday on the big screen, with several events planned for throughout 2026. A Loki-centered limited-time mode kicks things off in April, and it'll be followed by special events throughout the year that reference previous Avengers movies. New characters are also on the way, with fans speculating that Black Cat and White Fox will be added to the roster soon.
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