I’m sorry to report this evening that buried under all the Summer Game Fest reveals was the quiet news that Jandisoft’s unique MMOARPG Mad World is closing its doors.
“Although we have strived to create a more enjoyable game, we regret to inform you that Mad World’s service will end on Wednesday, July 4, 2024,” the studio wrote on Steam earlier this month. “We sincerely apologize for delivering this unfortunate news to all of you who have enjoyed Mad World for so long. Thank you to everyone who has used Mad World, and we will do our utmost to provide the best service until the end.”
While the game does dark on July 4th (oof), players will be able to use up their remaining currencies in-game; some players who recently bought currency are going to be eligible for currency refunds as well, though you’ll need to apply for it.
The sunset is unfortunately not going to come as anything like a surprise. The MMO had been delayed for several years before it finally launched in April of 2023, and even then, the launch was a bit of a mess, and the studio held back the Steam launch at the last minute without much by way of communication. In fact, we didn’t see that Steam launch until January 2024 – a nine-month delay – and it never peaked above 147 players. In the last month, it’s averaged around 12, which is why the game celebrated its first anniversary by merging its servers down to just one. Either way, it’s a sad ending for an inarguably unique MMO.
