Zynga launched Star Wars: Hunters on May 14, 2024, on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android as a free-to-play player-vs-player competitive arena combat game. While it has pulled in thousands of players, Zynga’s decision to shut it down in October 2025 shows the numbers are not enough incentive for the developer to keep supporting the game.
“Thank you for your incredible support and for being part of the world of Vespaara,” read a message posted on the game’s official website. “After careful considerations, we want to let you know that the final content update for Star Wars: Hunters on all platforms will be on April 15th. The game will remain playable until October 1st, 2025 when the game’s online servers will be shut down.”
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Season 5 update to the game is coming on March 25, 2025, and will be extended by three weeks. Fans who have seen the game grow on them were disappointed by the decision, although they hope the upcoming slate of Star Wars games will fill the vacuum.
“We understand this news may be disappointing and want to assure you that this decision was not made lightly. Your passion and dedication to the game and its community have meant the world to us, and we are committed to providing visibility and updates throughout the transition process.”
Star Wars: Hunters was first announced in 2021. However, it suffered several delays as the developer worked on enhancing the title’s quality. It was promoted as a game that would “entertain for years to come,” but that dream has now been cut short.
Message from Star Wars Hunters developer
While the game lasted, it offered players a hero-based arena combat experience similar to Overwatch. Although Star Wars: Hunters launched to mixed reviews, the team behind the title appeared enthusiastic, offering lots of growth potential.
Star Wars: Hunters mirrors the challenges of free-to-play titles
When a free-to-play title suddenly shuts down, it is not necessarily because it was a bad game. The free-to-play model is a risky business model that relies on players loving the game so much that they will be willing to invest in skins and season passes.
However, statistics has shown that lots of players who binge on free-to-play titles never spend a dime on the games. However, a recent report showed significant progress with 82% of US gamers purchasing in-game content in 2023.
So, when it gets to the point where the developer is investing more in sustaining the game than they are making from in-game sales, there will be no more incentive to keep the game alive since they’ll be doing so at a loss—and no developer wants to be in that boat.
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Before Star Wars: Hunters’ final goodbye, Zynga is offering players a chance to rank up. For example, the Season 5 launch will also include a re-run of events and shop bundles and the Ranked Season will be extended so that more players can hit the Kyber 1 rank
However, when the final content update is released on April 15, 2025, in-game purchases will be disabled across all platforms. The final content update will see Tuya, a new support hunter, join the battle. The character will be playable at no cost.
How do you feel learning about the shuttering of Star Wars: Hunters? Share your thoughts with us in the comment box below.
