What do you consider to be a "dead" game?

[Hooch]

I realize that this is going to be largely subjective, but I'm curious what your "metrics" are for determining whether a game is dead or not.

Some might say that as long as it has at least 1 player, it cannot be dead.

Others, like myself, believe that it's a bit more complicated, and it includes but not limited to:
player drop %
current # of players
how decreased player count has impacted mp play if it is mp
lack of developer communication/news
lack of updates or continued development
lack of community activity.

Both seem to be on opposite sides of the spectrum though. One being rather simplistic (requires 0 players to be "dead), the other uses several different metrics.

How do YOU define whether or not a game is "dead"?

[AmsterdamHeavy]

Dead: Literally dead, game servers are shut down, no multiplayer play available

Figuratively Dead: Games where there is still a tiny online community if you hunt for it. Server(s) may be available a few hours a night with active players, otherwise empty and barren

[Cherrycat]

For a coop game, no servers. For a pvp game match making that takes more than 10 minutes.

[Crazy Tiger]

If I can't reliably find a game, it's dead.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

For a single-player game, it's never truly "dead" or it's simply always "dead" since it can be enjoyed quite similarly regardless of how many other people are playing, though one could argue the fandom around it can "die" in the sense of very few people are still talking about the game.

For a multiplayer game, there's basically two criteria:
* can you find a game with an adequate number of players, at any given time?
* are the appropriate servers still in operation?

[Crystal Sharrd]

A game that can no longer be played.

[Your Mom's Oshi]

Originally posted by sonic65101:

A game that can no longer be played.

This. I'm considering getting a Windows 98 machine just to play Starfleet Command 2. I consider that to be a dead game since it takes so much effort to play it .

[Count D'Cinamon]

Originally posted by sonic65101:

A game that can no longer be played.

basically this.

for example, a heavily bugged games that no longer receive fix or update, half finished game that can't be enjoyed as it current state that's abandoned, or multiplayer game with no healthy constant playerbase.

[Hooch]

Originally posted by Count D'Cinamon:

Originally posted by sonic65101:

A game that can no longer be played.

basically this.

for example, a heavily bugged games that no longer receive fix or update, half finished game that can't be enjoyed as it current state that's abandoned, or multiplayer game with no healthy constant playerbase.

Those are all examples of a game that CAN be played though. The experience just isn't a good one when you do.

A game that cannot be played would be a game that no longer runs on any available hardware or an mmo where the servers are shut down.

[AnoMorgan]

To me a Dead game is when it moves to epic games launcher

[ZanyScum]

Originally posted by Mysterious Chozo Lore: Quint:

For a single-player game, it's never truly "dead" or it's simply always "dead" since it can be enjoyed quite similarly regardless of how many other people are playing, though one could argue the fandom around it can "die" in the sense of very few people are still talking about the game.

For a multiplayer game, there's basically two criteria:
* can you find a game with an adequate number of players, at any given time?
* are the appropriate servers still in operation?

This is it. So easy.

[Aahzmandias]

Anthem was dead by design, as example.

A game designed for the shareholders, to get as much money out of the players as possible. With a terrible grind and sparse loot, only to bind players to play even longer. Designed for pay 2 win and a future battle pass ... that WILL come ...that will turn the switch on for more loot. Happenend twice accidently in their patches, because of the incompetence of the remaining skeleton crew.

A minimum viable product, castrated and butchered by a closer team before relesease, so that are be able to drip feed/sell already made content, and pretend there are stiill working real devs on it, beside the ♥♥♥♥ sweepers who only fix bugs.

That is my definition of a dead game. They can be dead on arrival, like zhe similar Fallout 76.

[lockwoodx]

Battleborn is as dead as it gets.

[ShelLuser]

To me a game is dead once it's not longer fun to play. I used to have a good time with space invader -like games but these days those types of games plain out bore me. Ergo: they're dead to me.

[Spookyea]

game with 0 people playing

[☆ƧQυiяяєL♫]

PC Games that require an online DRM authentication to "unlock" the game, .... and it is found these game authentication servers no longer exist.

Dead games can mean non-existent games that were once downloadable-only and now the download servers no longer exist, e.g., All of my non-refundable, purchased DLC's and downloadable games from the defunct Microsoft Marketplace.