Exoborne is Sharkmob's brave next attempt at live-service success, but with one dead game behind it, can this one survive?

In case you’ve not been keeping tabs on the live service space in recent years, it’s a bloodbath. A feast or famine venture where developers can either bring home some serious crash (see Helldivers 2), or drown in tumultuous waters like the recently released and often mocked Concord. For every game that succeeds, there are three that do okay, and five that fail. Heading into this space once is risky, but to go again following a failed first attempt? An act of bravery, or perhaps of financial masochism.

This is the position of Sharkmob, a studio founded by various industry professionals including many of the big names behind The Division and Hitman series. A few years ago, the Swedish office presented the world with Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodhunt. An ambitious 3rd-person battle royale, the game placed heavy emphasis on verticality and various distinct vampire powers that set it apart from its peers. The game would cease development just over a year from its release. Now they are back with Exoborne, a sci-fi extraction shooter which clearly has lots of the bones of Bloodhunt transplanted in, alongside some fresh ideas and a neat extreme weather component.

This year at Gamescom, I was able to see a hands-off gameplay demo fro Exoborne alongside other members of the press. The game seemed entertaining enough, hitting all the markers of a good extraction shooter. That weather system offers opportunity for quick movement across the map for smart players, as well as a strong force that pushes players from stationary playstyles. But as good as it looks, the shadow of Bloodhunt looms large. That’s why I asked CMCO and narrative director at Sharkmob Martin Hultberg what the team learned from their first attempt.