Sword Art Online Variant Showdown is shutting down this October 30, after re-development effort and re-release

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Story Highlights

  • Sword Art Online Variant Showdown is an action MMORPG based on the popular anime.
  • An Offline Edition will be available after EOS, including all post-maintenance quests, takedown battles, Battle Royale, stories, and more.
  • You can play the game until EOS with a finale campaign including Events, Scouts, Main Story, Ultimate Battle, and more.

Bandai Namco has announced that they will be closing down their mobile MMORPG, Sword Art Online Variant Showdown, on October 30 for both Android and iOS devices. The game was initially released in November 2022, but underwent an extended maintenance break starting from September 2023. A re-release of the game had been planned for December 2024, however, it appears that those plans have now been cancelled.

Despite redevelopment, Sword Art Online Variant Showdown will shutdown just months after its re-release

The Variant Showdown is a dynamic multiplayer role-playing game inspired by the renowned anime series, Sword Art Online. In this game, you engage in real-time player versus player combat with the aid of ability cards, immerse yourself in story quests categorized as Main stories, Side Stories, and Extra Stories, and further personalize your character to suit your preferences.

Important Notice Regarding Sword Art Online Variant Showdown: We regret to inform you that we will be concluding our game services on October 30, 2025. For additional details, please check out the provided link.

— Sword Art Online Variant Showdown (@SAOVS_WW) August 29, 2025

Regrettably, the team revealed through X that the game will close on October 30. They stated, “We found it challenging to maintain a satisfying player experience over time, so we ultimately decided to stop offering the service.” Despite their efforts to enhance the service quality since its launch, they could not sustain it further.

You will still be able to experience most of the game’s content in the Offline Edition

After the announcement was made, the game has ceased sales of Variant Crystals – its premium currency, and it will officially shut down online services on August 30. However, you can continue playing the game up until that date as a finale campaign is underway with events, scouts, main storyline, ultimate battles, and more for your enjoyment.

After the End of Service (EOS), there will be an Offline Version available, which you can switch to by upgrading to Version 3.0.0. Just remember that the deadline for transferring your data is January 29, 2026.

By using more straightforward and conversational language, this paraphrase aims to make the information easier to understand for a wider audience.

As an eager enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that the standalone edition promises to encapsulate every quest from the remastered release, plus a selection of floors from the Unbounded Labyrinth, and even more exciting content! For comprehensive details, keep an eye on the official unveiling.

It’s disappointing that the game has come to an end following what appeared to be a promising resurgence last year. The game faced numerous challenges from the start, such as in-game glitches, faulty underlying systems, and the Gacha system among other things. Despite the developers’ attempts at redevelopment, it seems that all problems couldn’t be completely addressed.

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2025-08-29 11:41