The live service purge continues — this time claiming Steel Hunters, the mech shooter from the creators behind World of Tanks.
Steel Hunters launched in early access on Steam on April 2. While some anticipated Titanfall-like energy from this free-to-play PvPvE shooter, it failed to gain traction. Just three months later, developer Wargaming has announced it will shut down the game.
In a message to the Steel Hunters community, Wargaming stated that servers will remain active for another three months before the game is permanently taken offline on October 8.
“Today we have difficult news: we've decided to sunset Steel Hunters,” Wargaming’s announcement began. “We’re incredibly grateful for your passion and support, but unfortunately continuing development is no longer sustainable. We understand this isn’t what anyone hoped for, and we share your disappointment.”
So what led to this outcome? Like many live service games struggling recently, Steel Hunters failed to build a player base. It debuted on Steam with a peak of 4,479 concurrent players and a ‘mixed’ review score—and only declined from there. As of this writing, the 24-hour peak was 97 players, with just 52 currently online—a devastating figure for any free-to-play title.
A top Steam review by a player with over 300 hours in Steel Hunters, including pre-release versions, expressed disappointment in the game’s unfulfilled potential. They praised its mech designs and map design but criticized Wargaming for lacking a roadmap, infrequent updates, and persistent bugs.
"Early access shouldn't have happened," they wrote. "We never should have left beta. Players repeatedly voiced needed changes and offered helpful solutions, only to be told ‘we’re moving forward,’ and then met with ‘why did things go wrong?’"
Live service games are facing a challenging period, with numerous titles being discontinued or canceled prior to launch. Sony’s Concord stands as one of the highest-profile examples—a PlayStation failure that cost the company hundreds of millions. Just last week, Microsoft canceled an unannounced MMORPG from the studio behind The Elder Scrolls Online, resulting in hundreds of job losses.
