I’m sorry to report to Wolcen fans today that Wolcen Studio has announced the end of updates for the game, essentially putting it in permanent maintenance mode – without multiplayer, which was the whole reason we covered it, obviously.
The studio explains that while it has “diligently updated Wolcen, enhancing every facet of the game” it has now “encountered foundational hurdles that prevent further improvements under the existing framework” – partly owing to “early technical decisions made regarding the game’s architecture, challenges that are insurmountable without a complete technology overhaul.”
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce a significant change: Starting September 3, 2024, Wolcen will no longer support multiplayer functionality. Additionally, we will cease further development and support for the game. This decision allows us to focus on new projects, carrying forward the lessons learned from Wolcen. We are committed to excellence and driven to create new experiences and adventures that we hope you will be eager to join. We want to assure you that Wolcen will still be available to play in single-player mode and to purchase at a new, permanently reduced price. Your feedback has always been invaluable, and it will continue to guide the development of our future projects.”
Readers might recall that our Not So Massively columnist Tyler Edwards was an early fan of the multiplayer roguelike, even finding Bloodtrail a worthy addition, but in spring 2023, even he deemed Wolcen’s Endgame update “one of online gaming’s worst blunders.” Either way, that release brought back only a sliver of the game’s original population, as peak concurrency fell from 127K to 3.5K – and has slid to 169 peak in the last month.
Thank you for your support. Unfortunately, we must end support for Wolcen. Starting September 3, 2024, multiplayer will be discontinued. The game will still be available in single-player mode at a reduced price. Read our full statement here:https://t.co/hDFS9B9DYP pic.twitter.com/6goOPXflB8
— Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem (@WolcenGame) May 30, 2024
