Ex-CoD Dev Robert Bowling Founds //18.bravo to Fight Live Service Trends

Robert Bowling, best known for his role as a creative strategist at Infinity Ward during the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare trilogy, is founding a new studio aimed at resisting what he calls the industry’s most damaging “live service” habits.

//18.bravo wants “forever play,” not live service

Bowling introduced //18.bravo on LinkedIn and said the studio’s next project will rethink how modern games are built. He confirmed the game will include an online component, but he drew a firm line against labeling it “live service.” Instead, the intent is to create something players can keep enjoying even if the studio stops operating.

“While we will support dedicated servers during our peak / launch periods, the foundation of the game is focused around supporting ‘forever play,’ which means optimized P2P architecture that allows the community to play together even if the company moves on,” Bowling said.

First game details: single-player story, PvP, and a new model for rewards

In an interview conducted specifically for this announcement, Bowling said the studio’s debut title will be a first-person shooter built around a single-player narrative, alongside PvP multiplayer.

He also criticized the current state of the industry, arguing that games have become “over commercialized,” with teams pressured toward profit forecasts at the expense of players and staff. Bowling said live service “is killing development teams,” that free-to-play content pipelines drain players through constant treadmill updates, and that the “AAA studio system has failed.” His message was direct: he believes the only way forward is a “radically different approach,” and he frames the studio’s work as a make-or-break effort.

Beyond gameplay and infrastructure, Bowling described how //18.bravo plans to reward the people building the game. He said leadership pay will be tied to employee success, staff will receive a royalty program, and the studio will also create profit-sharing opportunities for outside contributors—specifically naming voice actors, motion capture performers, and other contractors.

Bowling further stated that the studio is preparing for worst-case scenarios. He confirmed through his LinkedIn post that if //18.bravo ever shuts down, the game’s assets and code will be released as open source, with the aim of keeping the experience alive rather than disappearing when the company ends.

“It is written into our bylaws that if our studio shuts down, our assets, code, and everything required to extend the game (except 3rd party integrations and licensed music) will become open source by default,” Bowling said. “Most importantly, we will be releasing all the legal paperwork and processes that make this possible publicly so the model can be replicated easily and at low cost to those who decide to mimic the model.”

Industry pressure mounts as layoffs and cancellations spread

Bowling’s pitch lands during a rough stretch for the industry. Bungie has reportedly laid off nearly half of its staff after finishing support for Destiny 2. At the same time, Xbox is preparing for major cuts, which could lead to more studio closures and canceled projects.

Reports also suggest Microsoft is considering canceling Marvel’s Blade, alongside shuttering studios such as Undead Labs.

What to watch next

• //18.bravo’s debut game is described as a first-person shooter with a single-player campaign plus PvP multiplayer.
• The studio is positioning online play around “forever play” using optimized P2P architecture, while dedicated servers are planned for peak and launch windows.
• Leadership pay, staff royalties, and external talent profit sharing are all part of the compensation plan outlined by Bowling.
• In the event of closure, the studio says it will open source assets and code by default, while publishing the legal and process documentation to help others replicate the model.