With Sony picking up Bungie and various reports suggesting that it is determined to make some successful live service titles - with Destruction All-Stars being a failed attempt at this - it only makes sense to do so with an established IP. Of all its dormant franchises, Killzone joins Insomniac’s Resistance as a perfect live service candidate, as it is easy to imagine its multiplayer being supported for years.
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Killzone Can Continuously Provide Fresh Content and Cosmetics
When looking at successful live service games like Call of Duty, it is important to provide a wide variety of content. Fortunately, the Killzone franchise is in a perfect position to do just that. If done correctly, Guerrilla Games or another PlayStation Studios developer can revitalize Killzone, keeping players coming back with exciting content drops.
Starting with maps, Killzone already has an array of classics to pull from. While a launch lineup would surely be full of original maps that have not been seen in previous games, post-launch Seasons could start to restore some classics. Much like how Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brings back Shipment and Shoot House in its inaugural Season, extra content for Killzone could see the legendary Radec Academy and Blood Gracht brought fo life on next-gen consoles.
A live service style could see new weapons and modes added to a next-gen Killzone as well. While fresh Assault Rifles and Shotguns being dropped at a consistent rate would be nothing surprising, extra modes is where Killzone updates could shine. The co-op Intercept mode could come after launch and be consistently updated with new areas, objectives, and enemy types, making the game feel like a full package. Killzone 3’s Operations could return and be expanded upon as well, with another coming each Season to freshen things up. Ranked play and never-before-seen modes are also viable options.
As is always the case with games of this style, cosmetics would have to be a big deal, as they would be Sony’s main source of revenue. Fortunately, the orange-eyed Helghast and ISA are ripe for exciting customization options. The Helghast have already worn different outfits depending on their roles and the locations they fight in, while the ISA essentially being traditional soldiers ensures they can wear anything. Perhaps the developer of this hypothetical Killzone game could let players customize each piece of their attire, equipping different helmets, armor pieces, and so on.
With Sony making a big push to release PlayStation exclusives on PC, launching this Killzone game on both platforms at the same time could guarantee a larger player base on day one. From there, Sony would just have to keep that sizable audience engaged, and Killzone is an IP that truly seems built for that task. While the series will likely stay dead for the foreseeable future, it would be a welcome surprise to see it revived and built to suit a modern audience. Though some players may naturally be concerned whenever the phrase live service is mentioned, games like Fortnite have shown how beneficial it can be. Killzone’s issue has always been lasting mainstream appeal and not quality, as the games have been consistently great. As such, a live service approach (and maybe even a free-to-play format) could be exactly what it needs.
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