Back in June 2024, PC Gamer’s Fraser Brown made a want: He wished the free-to-play hero shooter Star Wars: Hunters, which was then accessible for the Nintendo Switch and cellular gadgets, to come back to PC. In November 2024, his want was granted—Star Wars: Hunters was set to launch on Steam in January 2025. But right this moment I’ve to be the Break-a-Wish man, as a result of it seems to be prefer it’s not going to occur, and actually the entire thing goes away.
“After cautious consideration, we wish to let you understand that the ultimate content material replace for Star Wars: Hunters on all platforms will likely be on April 15th,” a shutdown message states. “The sport will stay playable till October 1st, 2025, when the sport’s on-line servers will likely be shut down.
“We perceive this information could also be disappointing and wish to guarantee you that this determination was not made calmly. Your ardour and dedication to the sport and its neighborhood have meant the world to us, and we’re dedicated to offering visibility and updates all through the transition course of.”
Star Wars: Hunters in-app purchases may also be disabled on April 15, when the ultimate replace rolls out. Players who’ve excellent balances of Crystals, the in-game forex, is not going to be provided refunds: Zynga stated in an FAQ that it is offering a 30-day discover main as much as the top of in-app purchases “to provide gamers ample time to organize and spend the in-game forex they’ve bought.”
The closure announcement does not particularly point out the Steam launch of Star Wars: Hunters, which didn’t occur in January as deliberate. The most up-to-date replace to the Steam retailer web page, posted on January 9 after a December playtest, says the deliberate early entry launch was delayed so builders may “implement as a lot suggestions as we are able to.” It stays unreleased, and given the looming closure it is nearly sure it’ll keep that manner, however the Steam web page is giving what you would possibly name blended indicators and so I do not wish to make any iron-clad guarantees.
I’ll say, nonetheless, that even when Star Wars: Hunters did get shoved out the door onto Steam so followers may bang round in it for a number of months, the looming finish would absolutely suck any wind out of its sails: Nobody’s going to decide to a sport that is on a countdown timer from day one, in spite of everything. Somewhat oddly, a Zynga rep declined to substantiate whether or not the Steam launch will occur or not.
I may also notice that that is yet one more instance of a dwell service sport getting the hook in very quick order, regardless of coming to the desk with a big-name license. Star Wars: Hunters solely launched in June 2024, lower than a yr in the past, after a number of delays from an authentic 2021 launch goal. We haven’t any manner of judging participant numbers, however the Switch model wasn’t particularly nicely obtained, holding an unenviable 57 mixture rating on Metacritic.
