Unfortunately, yet another Final Fantasy game is on the verge of shutting down, so anyone interested in playing will need to make sure that they do so ASAP. The vast majority of the Final Fantasy games Square Enix has released over the years are single-player. However, the franchise has occasionally offered multiplayer and live-service experiences, with the most famous examples being its critically-acclaimed MMORPGs.
Both Final Fantasy 11 and Final Fantasy 14 are well-regarded by the community, and both remain online at the time of this writing. Even though Final Fantasy 11 is 24 years old at this point, it still has its fans. In fact, Final Fantasy 11 still gets new players all these years later. Of course, Square Enix’s main focus is on FF14 when it comes to live-service FF, with that game supported by substantial free updates and massive premium expansions. While FF11 and FF14 are still going strong, a different Square Enix live-service game is on the chopping block.
When is Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis Shutting Down?
As previously announced, Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis is shutting down on Tuesday, October 6. After that day, the game will be completely unplayable and effectively cease to exist. For those unfamiliar with the game, Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis is a gacha free-to-play reimagining of the FF7 story, including the original base game and its various spin-offs. Ever Crisis has amassed millions of downloads since it launched in 2023, but regardless, its servers are being shut down on October 6. The game has already been delisted, but those that already have it on their PC or Android/iOS mobile devices can still play until the end-of-service date rolls around.
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis isn’t the first FF7 live-service game to shut down. As some may recall, Square Enix released a Final Fantasy 7 battle royale game in 2021 called Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier. Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier failed to catch on in a market oversaturated with battle royale experiences, and ultimately shut down just two years later. So while Ever Crisis lasted longer than First Soldier, it marks yet another FF7 live-service failure.
Other live-service Final Fantasy games have also been shut down over the years. One of the most infamous examples is Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius shutting down in 2024 after a near-decade run, though remnants of that game will at least live on via Final Fantasy Resonance. More recently, Final Fantasy 14 Mobile permanently shut down, though luckily the PC and console versions of that game remain playable.
While these shutdowns are unfortunate, there are some positive Final Fantasy franchise developments for fans to look forward to this month. The previously mentioned Final Fantasy Resonance is launching on October 22, and it will feature an expansive roster of fan-favorite characters from throughout series history. Time will tell how Final Fantasy Resonance turns out, but what’s been shown of the game so far looks promising, and if nothing else, it should be a nostalgic trip down memory lane for longtime fans.
- Released
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September 7, 2023
- ESRB
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12+
- Developer(s)
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Applibot
- Engine
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Unity
