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

In 2024, the video game industry hit a remarkable $282 billion in revenue. However, this achievement is marred by an increasing trend of releasing games that aren’t quite complete, with developers banking on post-launch patches to bring them up to snuff. This “release now, patch later” approach, driven by strict corporate calendars and the chase for live-service models, has put a dent in player trust and turned development priorities upside down.

## Stumbles at Launch and Economic Repercussions

Notable flops like Cyberpunk 2077 and Battlefield 2042 are prime examples of this troubling trend. Cyberpunk notoriously dropped with a hefty 43 GB patch on day one, yet still faced lawsuits and a delisting from the PlayStation Store due to severe console bugs. Battlefield 2042 launched missing essential features like voice chat, leading to a drastic 75% plunge in Steam players within a few months.

These hasty launches often arise from unyielding financial deadlines. Ubisoft’s XDefiant couldn’t maintain player interest and wound down in June 2025, causing 277 employees to lose their jobs. Such blunders do more than just hurt a studio’s credibility; they hit where it hurts most—its finances. A 2022 PCMag survey revealed that 68% of gamers now prefer to wait months before buying new games, until they’re confident the bugs have been ironed out.

## iGaming’s Update-Driven World

The iGaming industry, on the other hand, leans on continuous updates not as a fix-it strategy but to keep players engaged. These updates are a lifeline for online casinos such as sia casinos, ensuring they offer the latest and greatest slot experiences and bonuses.

With AI tools, online casinos and sportsbooks can personalize bonuses, game variations, and tournaments on the fly. Unlike traditional video games, these updates are pre-emptive, designed to enhance the player experience rather than mend its shortcomings.

## The Evolution to Live-Service Models

The games-as-a-service (GaaS) model has made continuous updates a norm. Games like Fortnite and Apex Legends now focus 60–70% of their content updates on post-launch seasons, steering studios towards long-lasting revenue streams instead of initial polish. This approach can be a goldmine for big names—take Capcom’s Monster Hunter World, which broadened its reach by 72% through free updates like Iceborne—but it can be a death knell for smaller studios. While Genshin Impact thrived, bringing in $3.7 billion in 2023 thanks to steady updates, many other live-service games crumble within a year, overburdened by costly development.

## Waning Player Trust and Paths to Redemption

The overreliance on post-launch fixes is wearing down player trust. According to a 2022 survey, 68% of gamers now wait for reviews or major patches before investing in new releases, a notable jump from 45% in 2018. The frustrations are compounded by enormous day-one patches—often surpassing 50 GB—that are a bane for players with limited storage or slow internet speeds.

Corporations often push the “launch now, fix later” strategy to meet short-term financial goals. Yet, companies like Nintendo challenge this norm by delaying releases, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, to ensure quality from day one. To regain trust and elevate game standards, developers need to prioritize launching polished products and utilize updates for enrichment rather than repair.

With the gaming market poised to expand from $262 billion in 2023 to $312 billion by 2027, game developers have a golden opportunity to align with what players truly want. Striking the right balance will be crucial for securing a bright and lasting future in the industry.