Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, the popular dungeon crawler game, is set to lose multiplayer functionality and developer support come September. Wolcen Studio, the developer behind the game, announced that they are facing ‘foundational hurdles’ that prevent them from further improving the game, leading them to shift their focus to new projects.

The game, which initially launched on PC in early 2020 and later expanded to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, will see its multiplayer feature discontinued on September 3. However, the single-player mode will still be available for players at a reduced price to compensate for the loss of multiplayer.

According to Wolcen Studio, the challenges they are encountering require a complete technology overhaul to implement desired enhancements to the action-RPG. As a result, the team will leverage the knowledge gained from Wolcen to drive their upcoming projects, aiming to set new industry standards.

The decision to cease development on Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem sheds light on the difficulties faced by newer online and live-service games, especially when they mark a studio’s debut project. This scenario is reminiscent of 1047 Games’ experience with Splitgate, where the studio opted to conclude development due to sustainability concerns, paving the way for a more refined iteration in their next venture within the same universe.

Another recent example is MultiVersus, the fighting game from Warner Bros., which relaunched after a temporary shutdown during its beta phase. Warner Bros. aims to position the game in the free-to-play market, acknowledging the challenges and uncertainties associated with this segment.

Wolcen Studio expressed gratitude for the support and feedback received from players during the development and maintenance of Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem. The team looks forward to the future with optimism, eager to embark on new creative endeavors and collaborate with the community to achieve remarkable milestones.