Live service games are built to bring you back, and the servers can disappear. This documentary looks at the psychology of live service games, digital ownership, game preservation, and the Stop Killing Games movement.

Games used to be products. Now many of them are platforms. From battle passes to limited-time shops to games that vanish when the servers shut down, here's how the model changed and what it means for the games we play.

What's the game that made you realize this isn't just about playing anymore? Tell me in the comments.

New gaming documentary every week. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

#gaming #liveservicegames #gamingdocumentary

Welcome back to Albion.The Evolution of Fable — From Beautiful Lies to a New Beginning is the ultimate deep dive into one of Xbox’s most iconic and beloved RPG franchises. We’re tracking the entire history of the series, from the revolutionary (and famously over-promised) visions of Lionhead Studios to the highly anticipated modern reboot by Playground Games. Whether you’re a veteran Hero who remembers acorn trees growing in real-time, or a newcomer waiting to step through the Heroes' Guild for the first time, join us as we explore the lore, the humor, the morality systems, and the incredible legacy of Fable. For every choice, a consequence.

There was a time when buying a game meant it was yours.

No battle passes. No constant updates. No digital storefronts deciding what you could access. You bought the game, put the disc in, and that was it.

But gaming has changed.

This episode looks at how we went from owning games to licensing them, and how digital distribution, live services, subscriptions, and online requirements quietly changed what it means to actually own a game.

So… when did games stop being yours?

What made Uncharted feel so much more like a movie than most other games?

It wasn’t just the explosions, huge set pieces, or Nathan Drake’s constant escapes. Naughty Dog used a clever combination of camera work, pacing, animation, level design, and player control to blur the line between playing a game and watching an action movie.

In this documentary, we explore the trick that made Uncharted feel cinematic — and how Naughty Dog turned scripted moments into something that still felt like you were in control.

From Uncharted 1 to Uncharted 4, this is the story of how one of gaming’s most cinematic franchises mastered the art of making you feel like the star of your own blockbuster.

🎧 Watch/listen to the full documentary on Teckload.

In the early days of console gaming, Microsoft’s Xbox was struggling to find its place in the market—until Halo: Combat Evolved changed everything. This iconic first-person shooter from Bungie introduced Master Chief and helped turn Xbox from a risky experiment into a major player in the gaming industry.

In this episode, we explore whether Halo was truly the only reason Xbox survived. We trace Xbox’s history from its humble beginnings to its current status, looking at how Halo 2 and Halo 3 helped establish Xbox Live as a cornerstone of modern online gaming. We also examine Microsoft’s acquisition of Bungie, the creation of Halo Studios, and how Halo reshaped game design, console shooters, and Microsoft’s entire approach to gaming.

From the early days of PC gaming to today’s console landscape—and even the role of engines like Unreal Engine 5 in modern development—this is the story of how one franchise helped change Microsoft and the wider gaming industry forever.

In this episode:

• The game Apple thought it had: Halo’s origins before Xbox

• Microsoft’s biggest gamble: launching a console as a software company

• How Halo reinvented console first-person shooters

• Halo 2 and the birth of modern online console gaming

• Halo 3 as a cultural event, not just a game

• When Bungie walked away—and what it meant for Halo

• How Halo changed Microsoft’s strategy and identity

• The legacy Halo left on gaming as a whole

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:34 Chapter 1 – The Game Apple Thought It Had

02:29 Chapter 2 – Microsoft’s Biggest Gamble

04:22 Chapter 3 – Halo Reinvented Console Shooters

08:08 Chapter 4 – Halo 2 and the Birth of Modern Online Gaming

10:51 Chapter 5 – Halo 3 Became More Than a Game

12:44 Chapter 6 – When Bungie Walked Away

14:42 Chapter 7 – Halo Changed Microsoft Forever

17:40 Chapter 8 – The Legacy That Changed Gaming

Question for listeners: Do you think Xbox could have survived without Halo, or was the franchise truly the make-or-break moment for Microsoft’s console ambitions?

Subscribe: @teckload — weekly gaming documentaries about the stories, ideas, and creative decisions behind the games we remember.

Rockstar Games has spent decades turning each new release into a cultural event. From the chaotic streets of Grand Theft Auto to the emotional frontier of Red Dead Redemption, the studio behind GTA and RDR is often seen as the benchmark for open-world game design.[spotify +1]

In this episode, we explore why Rockstar rarely fails: their obsessive attention to detail, unforgettable characters, living open worlds, fearless storytelling, and willingness to take years to build something truly ambitious. We also ask whether Rockstar’s success is only about quality—or if there’s a deeper formula behind the anticipation, secrecy, controversy, and long-term impact of every launch.[spotify +1]

From GTA III and GTA V to Red Dead Redemption 2 and the future of GTA VI, this is the story of how Rockstar Games became one of the most trusted—and most debated—names in gaming.[spotify +1]

In this episode:

• Why Rockstar never followed the industry’s usual rules

• The small details players didn’t even notice (but still felt)

• How taking time became part of the brand’s power

• Why Rockstar doesn’t chase trends—and why that works

• How trust became Rockstar’s greatest asset

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:48 Chapter I – Rockstar Never Followed The Rules

01:33 Chapter II – Details People Didn’t Even Notice

02:26 Chapter III – They Take Their Time

03:30 Chapter IV – They Don’t Follow Trends

04:07 Chapter V – Trust Is Their Greatest Success

Question for listeners: What makes Rockstar games stand out to you—the world, the characters, the story, or the freedom?[spotify +1]

Subscribe: @teckload — weekly gaming documentaries about the stories, ideas, and creative decisions behind the games we remember.

he Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time didn’t just define 3D Zelda—it helped define modern 3D game design. In this episode, we break down how Nintendo’s N64 classic reshaped combat, exploration, camera systems, and world-building in ways still visible in today’s action-adventure games.[spotify +1]

We explore why Ocarina of Time has remained a benchmark for nearly 30 years: from the lock-on “Z-targeting” system that solved 3D combat, to a world designed around curiosity, and a structure that literally grows with Link from child to adult. Whether you’re a lifelong Zelda fan or new to the series, this episode shows why Ocarina’s DNA is everywhere in modern gaming.[spotify +1]

In this episode:

• Why 3D gaming was still a mess before Ocarina

• The lock-on mechanic that changed action games forever

• How curiosity-driven level design set a new standard

• The “child vs. adult” structure and its impact on pacing

• Why Ocarina of Time still matters for game design today

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:30 3D Gaming Was Still a Mess

01:50 The Lock-On That Changed Everything

03:00 The World That Made You Curious

03:20 The Game Grows Up With You

04:10 Why It Never Left

04:30 Why It Still Matters

Question for listeners: What do you think is the greatest Zelda game ever made? Is Ocarina of Time still the king, or has another title taken its place?

Elden Ring didn’t just become one of the biggest games of its generation — it changed the conversation around modern game design.

At a time when many open-world games were filled with quest markers, checklists, tutorials, and constant guidance, FromSoftware took a completely different approach. Elden Ring trusted players to explore, experiment, fail, and discover its world for themselves.

From its challenging combat and mysterious world design to its freedom, exploration, and refusal to constantly hold the player's hand, Elden Ring challenged many of the ideas that had come to define modern open-world gaming.

So why did Elden Ring have such a huge impact on the gaming industry?

And how did it change the way players and developers think about open worlds, difficulty, freedom, and discovery?

In this episode, we explore why Elden Ring's design philosophy resonated with millions of players and why its success may have changed the future of open-world games.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider following the show for more gaming documentaries and essays exploring the history, design, impact, and stories behind the games that shaped the industry.

And let me know your thoughts: Do you think Elden Ring changed the future of open-world gaming?

Thanks for listening.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

01:11 – Difficulty Was No Longer Just Punishment

03:20 – Freedom Became Part of the Combat System

05:01 – It Challenged the Industry's Idea of Accessibility

07:17 – It Made "Figuring It Out" Feel Meaningful Again

09:11 – Its Success Gave the Philosophy Real Weight

10:56 – Ending