Massive Battle Royale Game Shutting Down?
Rumbleverse, the popular battle royale video game, is rumored to be completely shutting down at the end of February.
Reliable industry insider Tom Henderson just shared devastating news about Epic Games shutting down its battle-royale game one month from now. Fortnite players can sigh in relief as their favorite battle royale remains intact, save for $520 million in settlements Epic has to pay out. We’re referring to Rumbleverse, a free-to-play brawler battle royale whose digital storefront delistings apparently start today.
According to Henderson, who has a pretty impressive track record when it comes to insider news, Epic Games is shutting down Rumbleverse at the end of February, only five months after the game was released to the market. This is sad news for the game fans that pits 40 players against each other, with the ultimate goal of being the last one standing. While this premise is similar to Fortnite and many other battle royale titles, Rumbleverse differs from most with its cartoony design and wrestling-style fighting.
The game recently launched its second season, bringing various improvements to the baseline game, including content, more weapons, special moves, customization options, and some quality-of-life updates. Interestingly enough, Rumbleverse was one of the best multiplayer games of 2022, so it’s unclear why Epic is discontinuing the game. Sure, we’re basically discussing a rumor which should be taken with a grain of salt, but then again, Henderson has given correct scoops many times before.
Still, there’s no official confirmation from the developer Iron Galaxy or Epic Games, but if Henderson’s right, one could be right around the corner. Gamers weren’t shy about voicing their discontent regarding the shutdown, sharing their favorite moments about the game. There are those who want to see the game continue, others that mourn the amount of money spent, and those who aren’t actually surprised by the shutdown at all. Apparently, the battle royale market is experiencing a battle of its own, and Rumbleverse wasn’t winning.
Apparently, Rumbleverse couldn’t keep up with the fierce competition within the genre/market, going up against giants such as Fortnite—which removed an overpowered weapon from the game— Apex Legends, and PUBG. Online gaming has been a rapidly expanding market ever since the pandemic hit, and more and more games are launching their online components as separate releases to appease the crowds and make development easier. However, some games just aren’t meant to be, and Rumbleverse seems like one of those games.
There could be a number of reasons why Rumbleverse is shutting down, and we’re likely to find out the official news in the coming days. The game was released in October 2022 on PC and both last- and current-gen Xbox and PlayStation platforms as a free-to-play battle royale brawler with a season pass model, which unlocked a variety of cosmetics for players. But unlike Square Enix’s version, which infuriated players, Rumbleverse’s cosmetics can be unlocked through playing missions and matches. Sure, one could obtain stuff at the in-game shop, but they weren’t limited to the pay-to-win model.
It’s always sad when a game faces a shutdown—except for Marvel’s Avengers—but it’s the reality of business. Some games just aren’t financially viable for companies to keep running. If the shutdown is confirmed, players will have one month to say goodbye to Rumbleverse.
