People Can Fly is looking at various ways to grow Outriders. According to the developer, the game may follow the Diablo 3 expansion model as opposed to seasons and live events, which are a common theme with more live service titles today.
People Can Fly has always intended for Outriders to evolve as it ages just like Diablo 3 and Destiny 2, and the game will receive post-launch support comparable to the success it has already received. Outriders launched to significant demand that overwhelmed its servers, suggesting the game is more popular than People Can Fly may have believed going in.
People Can Fly creative director Bartosz Kmita said Outriders won't follow the games as a service style of monetization, but that there are several options currently on the table for post-launch content. According to a recent interview with People Can Fly, Outriders will have post-launch content focused on big expansion packs. Outriders draws a lot of inspiration from Diablo 3 and it's not only evident in some of the gameplay mechanics, but the planned post-launch roadmap too.
"We are prepared for a few variants depending on what players would like," Lead Game Designer Piotr Nowakowski said during in an interview with Games Radar. "We can adjust and find something that's interesting for the players and also interesting for us."
If People Can Fly follow the Diablo 3 post-launch model, the title will receive dozens of updates, a major expansion, and a smaller expansion focused on a new class. Diablo 3 sold over 12 million copies and if Outriders performs as well, gamers can likely expect tons of DLC for the third-person shooter. Developers at People Can Fly have a few plans for Outriders' post-launch content, but it will focus on significant expansions with self-contained stories that explore the planet even further.
Considering People Can Fly plan to support Outriders with additional content the more popular it becomes, it looks like the post-launch content roadmap could be as good or better than Diablo 3. Considering recently released live service titles such as Anthem and Fallout 76 have scorned their communities, it may be a wise strategy for People Can Fly to give Outriders expansions in this way.
Games such as The Elder Scrolls Online, Diablo 3, and Destiny have seen success through releasing major expansions, and while People Can Fly is looking to follow the same model, live services also remain relevant and profitable through titles such as Fortnite and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. Many fans may prefer the expansion system over a live service model, but Outriders' focus on major DLC may turn away fans who grow impatient the longer they have to wait.
Outriders is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Games Radar