Three hit games owned by 21 million fans going offline forever in weeks as players warned to ‘complete' before deadline
THREE major video games are due to go offline for good in a matter of weeks – and two will become totally unplayable.
The third will lose all access to online services and support, but you'll still be able to access it via an offline mode.
Advertisement
5
Millions of console owners will be affected – including Xbox players
Credit: Microsoft Xbox
5
PlayStation owners will also be hit by the game closures
Credit: Sony PlayStation
Millions of players across consoles and PCs will be affected by the shutdowns, all of which are taking place in June.
And it'll affect sports games, shooters, and a hit horror title too.
GAME SERVER CLOSURE #1 – XDefiant
Shutting Down:
June 3, 2025
Ubisoft shooter XDefiant is due to shut down in a matter of weeks.
Advertisement
Read more on vanishing games
The game is currently available on Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and Windows – but not for long.
Despite launching just one year ago (May 21, 2024) – and reaching a high of 11 million players – the game is about to be killed off for good.
"Thank you for your incredible dedication and support of XDefiant, Ubisoft said.
"We regret to inform you that we are initiating the sunset process starting today, December 3rd, 2024.
Advertisement
Most read in Gaming
Review
"As a result, new downloads, player registrations and purchases will no longer be available. Season 3 will still launch, so stay tuned for more updates to come.
"The servers will remain active, and the game will be fully playable until June 3rd, 2025."
Get an inside look at the new PS5 30th anniversary edition
Ubisoft said that players who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack will get a full refund automatically.
And if you've made any VC or DLC purchases since November 3, 2024, you'll also be fully refunded.
Advertisement
This will take about eight weeks to process.
Ubisoft admitted that the
news
would be a "disappointment", adding: "We deeply appreciate the time and passion you have invested in our community."
5
Doomed shooter XDefiant is due to go offline for good
Credit: Ubisoft
The game is due to go offline on June 3, 2025.
Advertisement
There's no offline mode, which means there won't be any way to play the game following the shutdown.
GAME SERVER CLOSURE #2 – Resident Evil Re:Verse
Shutting Down:
June 29, 2025
Resident Evil Re:Verse is also shutting down, with just over a month until closure.
The multiplayer game was released in October 2021, bundled in with Resident Evil Village (which sold 10.5 million copies).
Advertisement
But it's due to be killed off for good on June 29.
"This is to inform you that service will be ending for Resident Evil Re:Verse, which comes packaged with a purchase of Resident Evil Village for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Steam," Capcom explained.
"The application and all of its related DLC will no longer be available for download or purchase."
5
Resident Evil Re:Verse will soon be totally unplayable
Credit: Capcom
Advertisement
Capcom continued: "Resident Evil Re:Verse was developed in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Resident Evil series, and your overwhelming support for the game has far exceeded our expectations since the time of its release.
"Now that we've reached a new turning point for the series, we feel that Resident Evil Re:Verse has served its original, celebratory purpose admirably.
"We are incredibly grateful for your warm support for Resident Evil Re:Verse, and we deeply apologise for bringing you this disappointing news."
The game is already no longer available for download, and its DLC has been scrapped (as of March 3).
Advertisement
Then as of June 29, gamers will no longer be able to play the title.
GAME SERVER CLOSURE #3 – Madden NFL 21
Shutting Down:
June 30, 2025
American
football
fans will lose online support for Madden NFL 21 at the end of June too.
The 2020 title reportedly sold well, according to game-maker EA, although we don't have exact figures.
Advertisement
5
Madden NFL 21 is losing all online support in a matter of weeks
Credit: EA Sports
But in any case, the now-aged title is due to have its servers shut down for good.
"Thank you for your loyalty and passion for Madden NFL over the years," EA Sports said.
"As of June 30, 2025, online services, support, and in-game purchasing for Madden NFL 21 will be retired."
Advertisement
Madden Points are already no longer available for purchase in the game (as of April 1).
OTHER GAME CLOSURES COMING UP
Here's what to watch out for...
MultiVersus - May 30
xDefiant - June 3
The First Descendant - June 19
Black Desert - June 26
Resident Evil ReVerse - June 29
Madden NFL 21 - June 30
Arizona Sunshine - July 1
Skyworld - July 1
Danmachi Battle Chronicle - September 29
WWE 2K24 - September 30
Madden NFL 22 - October 20
PGA Tour 2K21 - October 30
NBA 2K24 - December 31
But it's still possible to use any existing balances until June 30.
Then on June 30, any of your unused Madden Points will expire.
The only upside is that you can still play the game offline after June 30 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and PC.
Advertisement
But all online services, support, and in-game purchasing will shut down.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Beloved PlayStation and Xbox game played by 11 million closes forever in DAYS – Ubisoft is offering some a ‘full refund'
A MUCH-LOVED game is shutting down next week on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S after only a year. The free-to-play first person shooter had 11million players across the world at its height. Advertisement 2 Ubisoft has already dished out refunds to some players Credit: Alamy 2 The team behind XDefiant were let go by Ubisoft after the game's closure was revealed Credit: Ubisoft Publisher Ubisoft - known for making The game in question is XDefiant, which was set in the Ubisoft universe with map locations based on several of the firm's biggest titles. It appears the decision to axe the title was because it failed to become profitable. "Many free-to-play games take a long time to find their footing and become profitable," Mark Rubin, the game's executive producer said. Advertisement Read more on gaming closures "It's a long journey that Ubisoft and the teams working on the game were prepared to make until very recently. "But unfortunately, the journey became too much to sensibly continue." He also tweeted in April that the whole team behind it were laid off. New downloads and purchases were already blocked in December when news of XDefiant's closure was first announced. Advertisement Most read in Gaming Existing users have been able to continue playing on PlayStation, Xbox and PC but now the final nail in the coffin is here. Ubisoft is switching off the servers on Tuesday ending the game forever. PS5 owners can slash gaming bills with a two-tap trick that takes seconds – but two other hacks also save you money Fans have shared their sadness on social media. "Man this game was so fun, its sad to see it go so early, already have nostalgic feelings," one person wrote on Reddit. Advertisement Another commented: "Thank you xDefiant for bringing me back to fps-arcade shooters and actually having a fun game." Ubisoft is offering a full refund to anyone who bought a Ultimate Founders Pack. OTHER GAME CLOSURES COMING UP Here's what to watch out for... The First Descendant - June 19 Black Desert - June 26 Resident Evil ReVerse - June 29 Madden NFL 21 - June 30 Arizona Sunshine - July 1 Skyworld - July 1 Danmachi Battle Chronicle - September 29 WWE 2K24 - September 30 Madden NFL 22 - October 20 PGA Tour 2K21 - October 30 NBA 2K24 - December 31 Image credit: Alamy Those who bought a VC or DLC since November 3, 2024, will also be fully refunded. These refunds should have already been automatically processed. Advertisement See the full list of purchases eligible for refund below: XDefiant Gold Pack XDefiant Starter Pack DLC XDefiant Combat Pack DLC XDefiant VC Pack - 500 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 1000 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 2100 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 5750 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 12000 XCoins WHY ARE GAMES CLOSING DOWN? By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun With most games online these days, tech companies need to maintain quite hefty servers to manage everything. It's no cheap business to operate with millions of gamers across the world. Naturally, people move on, leaving older games behind in the process. There comes a point where it's no longer viable to continue offering server access so studios shut them down. For some games that are entirely online this can render it completely useless. But others may have a way for you to continue playing solo still. You should usually see a prominent notification in the game warning you with instructions on what to do - provided you're still playing the game of course.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Secret Xbox ‘put on hold' in launch cancellation for console that would've rivalled new Nintendo & PlayStation machines
A TOP-SECRET Xbox console that was potentially due out in just two years has been shelved. New reports suggest the unannounced Microsoft machine has been paused indefinitely – with its planned launch cancelled entirely. Advertisement 5 The rumoured Xbox console would've been a rival to Sony's PlayStation Portal Credit: Sony PlayStation 5 Microsoft's most recent console was the Xbox Series X, which came out in 2020 Credit: Microsoft Xbox 5 A future Microsoft handheld device would've allowed Xbox fans to easily play games on the go Credit: Microsoft Xbox Rumours of a handheld Xbox console have been circulating for years.. And in 2024, Microsoft's Xbox gaming boss Phil Spencer confirmed that the company was prototyping the machine. It would've lived alongside the plug-in-to-your-telly Xbox Series X as a more portable option for gamers. But a new report from Advertisement Read more on PlayStation Instead, the report notes, Microsoft will pour its efforts into boosting Windows 11 gaming performance. That will help Microsoft boost the Asus partner gadget Project Kennan, which is a handheld gaming machine instead built by the Taiwanese tech giant. It notes that Microsoft would still like to produce a gaming handheld in the future , but is going to spend its time RIVAL MACHINES Microsoft will be feeling the pressure from gamers to compete with its industry rivals. Advertisement Most read in Gaming Back in November 2023, Sony released the handheld PlayStation Portal. This portable gadget device streams video games from your PS5 over the internet – and has a built-in controller. Hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2 Japanese gaming giant Nintendo is also nearly ready to debut The new Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to land in stores on June 5. Advertisement It'll plug into televisions – but can also work undocked as a And Nintendo saw runaway success with its 5 This year marks the launch of the new Nintendo Switch 2 Credit: Nintendo Also worrying Microsoft will be the Steam Deck, which is a handheld gaming device built by Valve. Advertisement The gaming giant is responsible for the virtual Steam store, which is one of the main ways PC gamers buy and play titles on their computers. Valve's Steam Deck lets players enjoy PC games on the go, and has been available since 2022. To fend off these rivals, Microsoft has partnered with Asus to help with its upcoming Project Kennan portable device. 5 Valve's Steam Deck is a hit with PC gamers looking to play titles on the move Credit: Valve / Steam Advertisement This will be an official Xbox partnership, but it's not an in-house Microsoft product like the paused handheld machine would've been. Microsoft is still expected to release a major new at-home console in the next few years. This will be a sequel to the Xbox Series X, and could land in 2027 or 2028 – as a direct rival to the rumoured Sony PlayStation 6. The Sun has asked Microsoft for comment and will update this story with any response. Advertisement A HISTORY OF XBOX CONSOLE RELEASES Here's when previous Xbox consoles came out... Xbox – November 2001 Xbox 360 – November 2005 Xbox One – November 2013 Xbox Series X / S – November 2020 Picture Credit: Microsoft Xbox
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Surprise batch of SIX freebies handed out to millions of PlayStation gamers in promotion – exact days to claim each
MILLIONS of PlayStation gamers are set for an early summer treat. This is a bonus on top of Sony's monthly games drop for console users around the world. Advertisement 8 These games are available to Playstation Plus users Credit: Getty 8 The games are bonuses in Sony's Days of Play promotion Credit: Getty A selection of bonus These are part of Sony's Days of Play PS Plus is the popular membership scheme for Plus has two tiers of benefits: Extra and Advertisement Read more Tech Both allow users access to a rolling In Extra, these include a catalogue of PS5 and PS4 games. But with Premium, this is extended to include games from The Days of Play promotion means PS Plus users will get these bonus games on top of a usual monthly offering of games included in their subscription. Advertisement Most read in Tech This means there will still be a normal drop of The Bonus games dropping for both subscription tiers are listed below, along with their Get an inside look at the new PS5 30th anniversary edition PS Plus Extra: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Another Crab's Treasure (PS5, PS4) — Available 29th May Skull and Bones (PS5) — Available 2nd June PS Plus Premium: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Advertisement Myst (PS1) — Available 5th June Riven (PS1) — Available 5th June Sadly, this comes as six games will be disappearing from the PS Plus library in June, in line with the subscription's monthly game rotation system. The games being removed are listed below: After Us Inscryption Kayak VR: Mirage Monster Hunter Rise Rogue Legacy 2 These six games are classified as "Last Chance to Play" titles, and will disappear on June 17, 2025. They are PS Plus library games – and not free Advertisement This means they are only available to play when on PS Plus. Once they're out of the PS Plus library, users are locked out from playing them, even if they've been downloaded. These games can only be owned permanently if they're bought at retail cost. PS PLUS PRICES – HOW MUCH IS IT? Here's how much you'll pay, and the perks you'll get with each tier... PlayStation Plus Essential Monthly: £6.99 / $9.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play PlayStation Plus Extra Monthly: £10.99 / $14.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play Game catalogue Ubisoft+ Classics PlayStation Plus Premium Monthly: £13.49 / $17.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play Game catalogue Ubisoft+ Classics Classics Catalogue Game trials PS5 Cloud Streaming Sony Pictures Catalogue Picture Credit: Sony PlayStation Fans on Reddit were quick to react to the news of the removals. Advertisement One wrote: "Highly recommend people dig into Inscryption if they haven't yet. "Very addictive and great fun. Don't read up about it before playing." Another said: "Inscryption is 10/10. Not really into roguelikes or "Vibes, loop, puzzles, endgame?! Whole game changes and evolves - don't miss out." Advertisement 8 Impatient for GTA VI? Take a trip back to GTA III included in the bonus games Credit: PlayStation 8 Riven PS1 is a retro comeback Credit: PlayStation 8 Family favourite Another Crab's Treasure will be available to play Credit: PlayStation 8 Myst came out on the PS1 32 years ago Credit: PlayStation Advertisement 8 Skull and Bones will be a bonus game available from June 2nd Credit: PlayStation 8 Sci Fi fans will love Destiny 2: Legacy Collection Credit: PlayStation
