How “Ship Now, Fix Later” Affects Player Trust and Game Quality

The gaming industry hit an impressive milestone in 2024, boasting a revenue of $282 billion. However, this achievement is dampened by a trend that’s troubling both players and developers: the habit of releasing games that aren’t quite ready, relying on patches after launch to reach even basic levels of quality. This “release now, fix later” approach, often pressured by corporate timelines and live-service goals, has been eating away at player trust and is reshaping how games are developed.

### Broken Launches and Financial Fallout

We’ve seen some notable flops under this trend, with Cyberpunk 2077 and Battlefield 2042 as prime examples. Cyberpunk made headlines with a hefty 43 GB patch right on release day but still stumbled into lawsuits and even got yanked off the PlayStation Store due to severe console bugs. Battlefield 2042 also suffered, launching without essentials like voice chat and witnessing a staggering 75% drop in its Steam player base in just three months.

Such disastrous rollouts often come from strict financial aims. Take Ubisoft’s XDefiant, which was axed in June 2025 after failing to keep players engaged, leading to 277 layoffs. These blunders take a toll on a studio’s integrity. According to a 2022 survey by PCMag, 68% of gamers are now holding off on buying games until months after they’ve been released.

### iGaming’s Update-Driven Ecosystem

In the iGaming world, updates are a constant, but they’re more about keeping players interested than fixing things. For online casinos like SIA Casino, these updates roll out fresh offers and exciting premium slot experiences.

Casinos and sportsbooks employ AI-driven tools to craft personalized bonuses, game variations, and tournaments instantly. Unlike in the gaming world, these updates are meant to enhance what’s already there, not patch up unwanted surprises.

### The Live-Service Shift

The games-as-a-service shift has made ongoing updates a standard practice. Hit games like Fortnite and Apex Legends dedicate a huge chunk—60-70% of their content— to seasons that roll out after the initial launch. This encourages studios to focus on long-term financial gains rather than polished initial launches. While this model has proven fruitful for top guns like Capcom’s Monster Hunter World, which saw a 72% rise in players thanks to free updates like Iceborne, it poses a threat to smaller developers. For every success story like Genshin Impact, which raked in $3.7 billion in 2023 through constant updates, there are many live-service games that can’t sustain the high development costs and end up folding within a year.

### Player Trust in Decline and How It Can Be Rebuilt

The constant dependence on patches after launch has really shaken player trust. A PCMag survey from 2022 showed that 68% of gamers now wait for reviews or crucial updates before diving into new titles, a leap from 45% in 2018. This hesitation is rooted in the numerous frustrating releases that failed to wow players. Plus, those massive day-one patches that sometimes surpass 50 GB are a real headache for those with limited storage or sluggish internet.

The urge to hit financial goals each quarter drives this “ship now, fix later” attitude. Yet, some studios, such as Nintendo, are taking a stand by postponing releases—like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 2023—ensuring a polished product from day one. If developers aim to regain player trust and lift game quality, they should focus on delivering top-notch games at launch, reserving updates for improvements rather than quick fixes.

With the gaming market projected to expand from $262 billion in 2023 to a whopping $312 billion by 2027, studios have a golden chance to align their methods with what players expect. Striking this balance will be key for fostering lasting success.