Live Service Goldmine: GTA Online vs. Assassin's Creed's New Frontier

Gaming, itself, has changed tremendously within the past decade.

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It has turned out that live service games currently dominate both screens and wallets worldwide. Two major players took different approaches on this goldmine. While GTA Online built its empire through constant evolution, Assassin's Creed Shadows marks a bold step for Ubisoft into similar territory.

GTA Online: The Money Printing Machine

When it was launched in 2013, expectations were low for GTA Online. Who would have imagined that this would snowball into an $8.6 billion revenue giant? The game still has more than 20 million players across all platforms, and it shows up more than a year shy of a teenage birthday.

Rockstar's formula seems deceptively simple. Major content updates like "Oscar Guzman Flies Again" are periodically released, and these updates introduce new missions, vehicles, and activities. Returning players always meet brand-new stuff for all of them.

The monetization relies entirely on Shark Cards. These optional purchases let players skip the grind. Everything can be earned through gameplay. But gamers with less time often buy shortcuts. Grand Theft Auto an in-depth look at franchise evolution demonstrates how this model transformed from experiment to industry standard.

Many spend hundreds on these cards without feeling forced. For diehard fans, the value proposition sounds pretty compelling. Rockstar got lucky by making purchases feel optional but easy.

Assassin's Creed Shadows: Fresh Blood in the Arena

Shadows launched on March 20, 2025 and had an instant impact. It attracted over 1 million players in just 24 hours. The Steam reviews sit at "mostly positive" with 79% approval. Clearly Ubisoft allowed itself to learn from its previous mistakes.