Steel Hunters Down: Even World of Tanks Devs Aren't Immune to the Live Service Apocalypse
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Wargaming's mech shooter, *Steel Hunters*, is shutting down just three months after its early access launch, becoming the latest victim in the ongoing live service bloodbath. Turns out, even the creators of *World of Tanks* aren't immune to the brutal realities of the gaming industry.
Right, so Wargaming, the folks who brought us *World of Tanks*, tried their hand at a mech shooter called *Steel Hunters*. And, well, let's just say the mechs are going back to the hangar… permanently. According to a recent report by IGN South Africa, *Steel Hunters* is biting the dust just three months after its Early Access launch on Steam.
Ouch.
Launched on April 2nd with hopes of sparking some *Titanfall*-esque excitement, *Steel Hunters* just couldn’t capture an audience. I mean, we've all seen live service games struggle, but this one… well, it's a bit of a cautionary tale, isn’t it? Think a peak of 4,479 concurrent players at launch, followed by a rapid decline. By the time IGN reported on it, the 24-hour peak was a measly 97, with only 52 brave souls actually playing. Bloody hell, that's brutal for a free-to-play title.
Wargaming’s statement wasn’t exactly cheery: “Today we share difficult news: we've made the decision to sunset Steel Hunters… continuing development is not sustainable.” Sound familiar? It's the live service graveyard choir warming up again. Servers are scheduled to shut down for good on October 8th. So, if you're one of the dedicated few still piloting those mechs, enjoy the next few months.
So, what went wrong? Apparently, a lack of a clear roadmap, slow updates, and a healthy dose of bugs didn't exactly help. One Steam user with over 300 hours in the game (fair dinkum, that's dedication!) pointed out that player feedback was often ignored. Early Access should never have happened, the review says. Ouch again!
And it's not just *Steel Hunters*. We're seeing live service games dropping like flies lately. Remember Sony's *Concord*? Or Microsoft cancelling that unannounced MMORPG from the *Elder Scrolls Online* developer? It's a tough market out there. Maybe *Steel Hunters* could've benefitted from some Web3 integration - a way to reward players for their dedication and build a more sustainable economy. But maybe, that's just me thinking out loud. One thing is for sure, though: building a successful live service game is harder than it looks. You need a good foundation, a dedicated team, and a hell of a lot of luck.
Tags: Steel Hunters, Wargaming, Live Service, Game Closure, Mech Shooter
Original article: IGN South Africa