Steel Hunters, a live-service mech shooter from Wargaming, will be shutting down just three months after its early access launch. The decision follows mixed reviews and a peak player count of only 4,479. In an announcement via its Steam blog, the developer expressed disappointment and gratitude towards its community, noting that servers will remain operational until around October 8th. Players will have access to all Hunters and new custom game support in the meantime. A farewell tournament is planned to celebrate the game's journey, although Steel Hunters struggled to compete with more successful titles in the genre.

Why are so many live-service games shutting down recently?

The increasing difficulty of sustaining player engagement and competition against established titles has led many live-service games, like Steel Hunters, to face shutdowns shortly after launch. Developers often struggle to carve out a dedicated player base, which ultimately affects their sustainability in the crowded gaming market.

Steel Hunters was aimed at a niche audience with its futuristic mech combat but faced stiff competition from other games like Mecha Break, which achieved much higher player counts. This highlights the challenges new live-service titles encounter when trying to establish themselves in a saturated market where established franchises dominate.