Epic Games and Iron Galaxy have officially announced that their brawler battle-royale Rumbleverse will be shutting down in February.
And another one bites the dust. Amidst all these sunset announcements, this one really hurts. After only six months since its release, Rumbleverse will officially be shutting down on Feb. 28. The unique brawler battle-royale game, developed by Iron Galaxy and published by Epic Games, had a small but loyal fanbase. Many players enjoyed it and considered it a great multiplayer title. Unfortunately, it never really brought in the numbers that were expected from it.
It looks like February is quickly turning into "Sunset Month", with all these shutdown announcements. Between Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield Mobile also seeing shutdown announcements, Rumbleverse is another brick in the wall. As ambitious as it was enjoyable, it's sad to see a game as good as Rumbleverse not get the chance it deserved.
Rumbleverse shuts down on February 28
The sun officially sets on Grapital City on Feb. 28 at 10am CST. Season Two will be the final season of Rumbleverse as per Iron Galaxy's blog on the subject. An FAQ page with additional information on refunds and the shutdown process will go live soon. Even though the game is shutting down, Iron Galaxy appears to remain hopeful of a future for it.
Only six months of Rumbleverse
Epic Games is shutting down Rumbleverse after only six months of release. Many players are infuriated or baffled by this decision. While it didn't attract the kind of popularity it promised at launch, it still had a loyal community that appreciated the game. It's quite likely that the game will go down as a cult sensation that never got the chance it deserved. Nevertheless, it goes to show that the live-service market is truly ruthless.
Everyone is eligible for refunds
Unlike EA with Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield, Iron Galaxy games were quite reasonable with their paying customers. Anyone who payed for any Rumbleverse product, be it in-game currency or cosmetics is eligible for a refund. Additionally, the store will be shutting down and the entire game will be open up to all players.
Everyone gets the Season 2 Battle Pass
The final update for Rumbleverse rolled out and it's quite the deal for players to enjoy one final bout of brawling! Anyone who logs into the game between now and Feb. 28 will receive the Season 2 battle pass for free. In addition to this, XP gain will be doubled for all players so that they can unlock content faster. Additional accessories and emotes will also be provided to all players. This is quite generous and makes for a great farewell to the Rumbleverse community.
Iron Galaxy is hopeful Rumbleverse has a future
Iron Galaxy published an Open Letter to the Rumbleverse Community on its website where the game's future is discussed at length. It's good to see that the developers remain hopeful for the future.
"It is our sincerest hope that this news does not mark the end of Rumbleverse. You may not yet have seen the Rumble in its final form. If we can welcome people back onto the deck of the battle barge again, we hope you’ll be there, laced up and ready to take your rightful place in the cannon."
As of now, it looks like Rumbleverse is bidding farewell to its community. Iron Galaxy has conducted itself quite honorably with transparency and respect throughout this announcement. Yet, it's sad to see mega-publishers like Epic Games pull the shutter on projects this early, when they've garnered such loyal communities.