The best live-service games

There is always a debate raging about which is the best Final Fantasy game. Some love 7, others 6 or 10, and so on, but Final Fantasy 14 has become a top contender despite being an MMO. That wasn’t the case at launch, as most will remember, but thanks to a string of amazing expansions and updates it has risen to become many longtime fan’s absolute favorite. The story is just as strongly written as a single-player entry, but with hundreds of hours of content, dozens of massive areas to explore, and all the classes and jobs to play. You can even play the story as though it were a single-player game if you aren’t into MMOs, but those who are can also enjoy all the extra content like raids and events. While it does have a subscription tied to it, you can try it out with an extremely generous free trial that gives you almost all the content in the game.

When you think of a live-service game, you probably think of Fortnite. This biggest battle royale game in the world has evolved to be so much more and is more like a social space than just a singular game. The BR mode is still what most people come for, and each new chapter and season expands on the gameplay with changes to the map, new NPCs, quests, weapons, mechanics, and, of course, more skins. The friendly art style makes it appropriate for teens and adults, especially with all the crossover skins that have covered almost every notable IP at this point. But if you don’t enjoy that aspect, you can always play custom maps, build your own, or check out the musical events that are hosted within the game. As long as you can resist buying skins, it won’t cost you a thing, either. It’s easy to see how some people exclusively play Fortnite for years on end.