Dauntless is dead: After a blockchain company buyout, a disastrous update, and brutal layoffs, the Monster Hunter-like action RPG is shutting down this May

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The free-to-play action RPG resembling Monster Hunter, Dauntless, is ceasing operations on May 29 following a series of mishaps experienced by its developer, Phoenix Labs.

Today, the studio officially declared that Dauntless will cease operation. In other words, there won’t be any new content or updates for the game. As clearly stated in a tweet, starting from May 29, 2025 at 11:45 PM Pacific Standard Time, it will no longer be possible to play Dauntless.

In the game’s main forum, a message was posted that goes as follows: “Making this choice wasn’t simple, but we feel compelled to acknowledge the tremendous support we’ve received from our gaming community, collaborators, and the skilled creators who breathed life into Dauntless.

Hey fellow gamers! You guys have truly transformed Dauntless from a simple game into a living, breathing world where friendships have been born and thrived. There were moments when we may not have hit the mark, but rest assured, our aim was always to deliver an unparalleled gaming experience for you. We’re incredibly grateful for your invaluable feedback, patience, and support throughout our journey together. Here’s to more epic adventures ahead!

Given the mass layoffs at Phoenix Labs a month ago, this shutdown comes as no surprise to many fans, who have since braced themselves for the potential worst. The news, shared on Discord, has elicited a fitting response with plenty of skull and salute emojis.

It’s important to keep in mind that Dauntless, at one point, was quite enjoyable to play. However, since Phoenix Labs was taken over by blockchain company Forte Labs in 2023, the game has encountered challenge after challenge.

In May 2024, a series of job cuts occurred at the studio due to a game under development for several years being canceled. Later in December 2024, an unsuccessful update was released for Dauntless, which significantly altered its fundamental systems. This led one of Phoenix Labs’ original employees to publicly criticize the update, causing the highly anticipated Steam launch of Dauntless to be met with a flood of negative reviews instead.

Previously, Forte Labs urged game developers to incorporate blockchain technology into their projects, a move which so far hasn’t resulted in a single successful game after numerous failed attempts. This requirement did not influence Dauntless in terms of mechanics or monetization, but the sudden decline and subsequent overhaul of the game suggests that its creators may have received unfavorable instructions from upper management.

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2025-02-24 23:09