Gundam Evolution, the live service multiplayer 6v6 shooter launched in September 2022 will be shut down shortly. The news was announced by developer Bandai Namco, which confirmed Gundam Evolution will cease operation on 29 November 2023, just over a year after the service went live.
‘We wanted to create a title that brought FPS fans and Gundam fans together,’ executive producer Kazuya Maruyama said on the Gundam Evolution website. ‘We challenged ourselves to create an authentic Gundam FPS game that could be played globally. Unfortunately, we have determined that it is no longer possible for us to provide a service that satisfies our players.’
‘We want to express our gratitude to everyone who has played the game and supported us to this point. At the same time, we would like to sincerely apologise to our fans and players.’
An exact reason for the sudden shutdown was not provided, but as with all live service games, it’s likely several challenging factors came into play.
Read: Knockout City was shuttered due to inflation, low player retention
The crowded live service games market makes launching a new product, even one backed by a license as popular as Gundam, very complex. Given harsh economic circumstances that have dissuaded players from spending generously on video games, and a need for high player retention to maintain increased server and development costs, it’s fair to say live service games are challenging to make viable.
In recent months, we’ve seen a number of live service titles shuttered – including Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier, Knockout City, CrossfireX, Apex Legends Mobile, and Rumbleverse. It appears the tide is turning, with companies now reckoning with fading audience bases, and dramatically changed global circumstances.
In the following months, Gundam Evolution will continue to roll out new content, including fresh maps and units so that ‘players can enjoy Gundam Evolution to the fullest till the very end’. Once this content concludes, players will need to prepare for a formal shut down on 29 November 2023.
