Platinum Games, the developer of Babylon's Fall, announced that the co-op action RPG game is being shut down due to its negative reviews and low player count. The game had a rating of 45% and received negative feedback from players, leading Platinum Games to cancel plans for large-scale updates. The game was taken off sale last September, but players were still able to play it up until its final shutdown this week.
The last update, version 1.4.0, contained patch notes announcing the end of the service and making it impossible to play the game. The low player count in the last month, with an average of only four players at any given time, led to the shutdown of the game. Platinum Games CEO Atsushi Inaba attributed the failure of Babylon's Fall to disagreements between the game mechanics and the live service aspect.
Not an Isolated Incident
Shutting down live service games has become a frequent occurrence in the gaming industry over the past five years, with well-known victims such as Anthem, Artifact, Marvel's Avengers, and Stadia. These games were launched with the intention of providing a long-term player experience through updates and new content. However, due to various reasons such as low player counts or negative feedback, these games were unable to achieve their goals and were shut down.
Destiny 2, on the other hand, launched in 2017 and is an example of a successful live service game that has just received its seventh expansion. The game has continued to attract a large player base due to its appealing gameplay, regular updates, and support from the community.
Although the shutdown of Babylon's Fall is disappointing for its players, it serves as a reminder of the challenges in creating and sustaining a successful live service game.
