Over the last couple of years, we’ve kept an eye on Cinderstone Online aka Fioresia Online, a cutesy indie MMO that actually made it to early access launch in September; we even gave the game a spin on stream. Unfortunately, it’s not going to make it any further, at least not in its last form, as studio Codevision announced this week that it’s shutting the game down already, just two months into its full run.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Cinderstone Online servers,” the team posted to Steam. “After four years of continuous development, dreams, and dedication, we’ve come to a difficult realization. Despite our best efforts, Cinderstone Online hasn’t attracted the audience we hoped for, nor has it developed the features and content necessary to thrive. We wanted to keep our world alive as long as possible, but the reality is, the costs have surpassed our earnings. So, with a mix of sadness and gratitude, we’re saying goodbye to this chapter of Cinderstone Online.”
Indeed, a quick peek at SteamDB shows that the game saw a peak of 120 concurrent players half a year ago. Nevertheless, Codevision suggests that it’s going to bring the game back online in a refreshed state… with a free-to-play business model (and the accompanying perks for players who purchased the first game).
“[I]s this the end of Cinderstone? Absolutely not! We’re excited to share that we’re working on a new free-to-play version. This isn’t just a new game; it’s a token of our appreciation for your unwavering support. To our loyal players, expect special premium items in this new adventure – a small thank you for journeying with us.”
There’s no ETA for the relaunch, nor any clarity on what else it might entail, and of course the original game has been yanked off Steam, so you can’t even play that in the meantime. Unfortunately, as Crowfall fans can tell you, that makes patience a hard sell – even for free.
