MultiVersus Is Shutting Down Until 2024

So, in some of my previous posts, I’ve talked about a bunch of awesome fighting games, including this super cool one called MultiVersus. I’ll drop the links to those posts at the end, so you can check them out if you’re interested.

But today, I wanted to focus on MultiVersus again and share some juicy news. Apparently, the game is shutting down temporarily to get ready for its full release! Exciting stuff, right? Let’s dive in and see what’s going on.

What is MultiVersus?

MultiVersus is the new cool thing in the fighting game world ever since it launched its free-to-play open beta on July 26. It’s a mega-crossover game that brings together characters from various Warner Bros. properties. You’ll find iconic figures like Bugs Bunny, Arya Stark, and even LeBron James from Space Jam: A New Legacy.

MultiVersus clearly takes inspiration from the Super Smash Bros. series, but it also has its own unique mechanics and overall feels. While other Smash clones tend to mimic Super Smash Bros. Melee’s movement, MultiVersus focuses more on building a diverse roster with mechanics rarely seen in other fighting games.

What sets MultiVersus apart is its characters, each with distinct abilities and categorized into classes like Brawler, Mage, Assassin, Support, and Tank.

Brawlers deal massive damage, Tanks can take a beating, Mages unleash technical ranged attacks, Support characters provide buffs and debuffs, and Assassins are fast but fragile glass cannons. This RPG-like layer makes MultiVersus stand out beyond its famous roster.

Every character in MultiVersus has a unique move set that fits perfectly into the platform fighter genre. For example, Tom & Jerry’s attacks are based on their classic chase, LeBron James throws his ball and performs epic dunks, and the Iron Giant is a towering character with great resistance.

The game has so many distinctive mechanics that it requires a glossary to keep track of them all. While it may seem daunting, discovering and mastering each character’s intricacies over time is actually quite enjoyable.

One of the standout features of MultiVersus is its emphasis on cooperative play. Player First Games strongly encourages playing in 2v2 mode, as all the characters feel designed for it.

Some characters can enhance their allies’ attacks or protect them from being launched off-screen. Take the brand new character Reindog, for instance, who can tether to their partner and bring them back to the stage if they get knocked away.

MultiVersus is going dark?

So MultiVersus is officially offline after being in open beta for 11 months. The developers, Player First Games, announced the shutdown in March and removed the game from Steam’s store in April. They gradually reduced the content until it finally closed on June 25.

If you had the game and downloaded it before April 4, you can still play the training and local multiplayer modes. During this break, you’ll have access to all the characters and cosmetic items from the battle pass and store.

However, once the game is back online, it’ll go back to the characters and cosmetics you had unlocked before the break.

According to Player First Games, they plan to make a full launch in early 2024 with some changes, like new characters, maps, modes, improvements in net code and matchmaking, and updates to the progression system.

Unfortunately, they won’t offer refunds to players who spent money on upgraded versions, premium currency, store items, or battle passes. But don’t worry, anything you purchased, including unused currency, will still be available to use when the game returns for its full launch.

The way MultiVersus handled this temporary shutdown has been quite strange and not something I’m a big fan of. It seems a bit cheeky to suddenly take away the game from dedicated players, especially considering the expensive editions and battle passes they sold.

That being said, Player First Games did mention in their FAQ that MultiVersus was in open beta, but they weren’t very clear about it anywhere else. They never explicitly stated what would happen to the game after the beta.

The news about it going offline only came out in March. Many people assumed it would smoothly transition into a full release or at least have much less downtime than six months.

It was quite unexpected, especially considering how communicative the developer, especially game director Tony Huynh, had been throughout the game’s short life.

Final Words

MultiVersus will hopefully make a big comeback next year.

This whole situation feels like a bold move that could kill any momentum the game had, and its popularity has been decreasing over the past few months.

If you enjoy my posts and would like to stay updated on the latest gaming-related news, technology advancements, design trends, and social media insights, I invite you to follow my profile.

I will continue to share my thoughts and insights on a wide range of topics in the world of entertainment and technology.

With that being said, thank you for reading my post, and have a good one.

Here are a couple of my previous stories relating to fighting games I believe you will enjoy:

References

MultiVersus review: corporate-mandated fighting game fun.

That’s all folks! MultiVersus is officially dead but promises a 2024 comeback.

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