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

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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 shared that they are ending the service for their mobile MMORPG, Sword Art Online Variant Showdown, which was scheduled to end on October 30, 20XX (for both Android and iOS devices). This game initially debuted in November 2022 but underwent an extended maintenance period starting from September 2023. A re-release of the game was announced in December 2024.

Despite redevelopment, Sword Art Online VS will shut down just months after its re-release

The Sword Art Online Variant Showdown is a dynamic role-playing game inspired by the renowned anime series, Sword Art Online. In this game, you engage in real-time player versus player combat using ability cards, delve into story quests categorized as Main Quests, Side Quests, and Extra Quests, and have the freedom to personalize your character according to your preferences.

Important Notice: Closure of Sword Art Online Variant Showdown Service

Dear valued players, your ongoing loyalty to Sword Art Online Variant Showdown has not gone unnoticed. With a heavy heart, we are compelled to share some unfortunate news. The game’s service will be discontinued as of October 30, 2025. For more comprehensive details, please visit the link provided below.

(Original text: [Important] End of Service Announcement

Thank you for your continued support of Sword Art Online Variant Showdown.
We’re sorry to announce that the game’s service will be ending on Oct 30, 2025.

For more details, please refer to the link below.)

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

Unfortunately, the team announced through X that the game will cease operation on October 30th, explaining that they found it challenging to maintain a enjoyable player experience and as a result, have decided to discontinue the service. Despite their efforts to enhance the service quality since its launch daily, they find it necessary to make this decision.

Players can still experience the game in the Offline Edition

After the recent announcement, they’ve stopped selling their premium currency, Variant Crystals, and have set August 30th as the official end date for their online services. However, you can continue playing the game up until the End of Service (EOS) date. The finale campaign includes Events, Scouts, Main Story, Ultimate Battle, and other exciting features.

After the End of Service (EOS), you’ll have access to an Offline Version, which you can obtain by upgrading to Version 3.0.0. Just remember that the deadline for data transfer is on January 29, 2026. The offline edition will comprise all quests from the re-release, select floors of the Unlimited Dungeon, and additional features. For further information, please refer to the official announcement.

It’s unfortunate that the game has come to a close despite a promising resurgence last year. To begin with, the game was fraught with various challenges such as in-game glitches, underlying system issues, and the Gacha system, among others. Despite developers making significant efforts to redevelop, it appears that all problems haven’t been fully addressed yet.

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2025-08-29 13:41