Another live service shooter is getting shut down, this time before it even launched on Steam

(Image credit: Zynga)

Back in June 2024, PC Gamer's Fraser Brown made a wish: He wanted the free-to-play hero shooter Star Wars: Hunters, which was then available for the Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, to come to PC. In November 2024, his wish was granted—Star Wars: Hunters was set to launch on Steam in January 2025. But today I have to be the Break-a-Wish guy, because it looks like it's not going to happen, and in fact the whole thing is going away.

"After careful consideration, we want to let you know that the final content update for Star Wars: Hunters on all platforms will be on April 15^th," a shutdown message states. "The game will remain playable until October 1st, 2025, when the game’s online servers will be shut down.

The closure announcement doesn't specifically mention the Steam release of Star Wars: Hunters, which did not happen in January as planned. The most recent update to the Steam store page, posted on January 9 after a December playtest, says the planned early access launch was delayed so developers could "implement as much feedback as we can." It remains unreleased, and given the looming closure it's almost certain it will stay that way, but the Steam page is giving what you might call mixed signals and so I don't want to make any iron-clad promises.

Star Wars: Hunters Steam page detail: Game is no longer available on the Steam store, also coming soon — (Image credit: Steam)

I will say, however, that even if Star Wars: Hunters did get shoved out the door onto Steam so fans could bang around in it for a few months, the looming end would surely suck any wind out of its sails: Nobody's going to commit to a game that's on a countdown timer from day one, after all. Somewhat oddly, a Zynga rep declined to confirm whether the Steam release will happen or not.

I will also note that this is yet another example of a live service game getting the hook in very short order, despite coming to the table with a big-name license. Star Wars: Hunters only launched in June 2024, less than a year ago, after multiple delays from an original 2021 release target. We have no way of judging player numbers, but the Switch version wasn't especially well received, holding an unenviable 57 aggregate score on Metacritic.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

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