Nexon has announced the official shut down of Warhaven, its free-to-play PvP fantasy warfare game, just four months after it launched in early access. Despite being in development and testing phases for several years, it appears Warhaven has failed to make a major impression, and will now be sunsetted before it can realise its potential.
An exact reason for the closure was not provided, however, there are plenty of game reviews on Steam that hint at a range of troubles. Some players have cited a lack of balance as a major issue in gameplay, while others have cited server issues as reasons for dissatisfaction.
While rafts of players have tried out Warhaven since it launched in early access, it appears the number of players, and their collective enthusiasm, has not been enough to justify keeping the game online and maintaining its servers.
“Warhaven has come this far thanks to everyone’s love and support,” Nexon said in its announcement post on Steam. “We want to express our gratitude for the love and care you have shown for Warhaven. To create a game that could be cherished and enjoyed over an extended period, we invested much consideration and effort. However, regrettably, we must bid our sincere farewell as of April 5, 2024.
We apologise that we could not come to you with better news.”
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From its closure date, players will no longer be able to play the game. Already, its microtransaction system has been cut off, meaning players will not be able to spend any real world money on the title as it heads towards the sunset in April 2024.
With this announcement, Warhaven becomes just the latest live service game to shutter in recent months. We’ve already seen titles including Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier, Knockout City, CrossfireX, Apex Legends Mobile, Rumbleverse, Gundam Evolution, Evil Dead: The Game, Call of Duty: Warzone Caldera, and others shut down over the last year – and it’s likely there’s still more to come.
In light of economic circumstances, and the changing taste of consumers, it appears interest in live service games – particularly those reliant on microtransactions – is waning. At the same time, games need to be more profitable to achieve longevity, creating complications for developers as they look to enter a crowded live service market dominated by high profile games.
Warhaven, for all its promise, has seemingly not been able to overcome the odds. Those still playing the game will have just a few short months left to enjoy it before it disappears entirely on 5 April 2024.
