Phoenix Labs has announced that Dauntless, the free-to-play co-op action RPG, will be permanently shutting down on May 29, 2025. After this date, the game will no longer be playable, marking the end of its six-year run since its full release in 2019.
Why Is Dauntless Shutting Down?
Despite its initial success, Dauntless struggled to maintain long-term player engagement. The game saw several major updates over the years, but a controversial December 2024 update, which introduced a full progression reset, was met with backlash from the community. Many players felt that their efforts had been undone, leading to a sharp decline in active users.
Phoenix Labs has not provided a specific reason for the shutdown, but industry analysts suggest that declining player numbers, alongside financial struggles, contributed to the decision. The studio had previously been acquired by blockchain-focused company Forte Labs, which resulted in multiple layoffs and project cancellations throughout 2023 and 2024.
What Happens to Players?
With no further updates planned, the development team has confirmed that Dauntless will continue running until the May shutdown date, giving players a few more months to experience the Shattered Isles one last time. However, all progression and in-game purchases will become inaccessible once the servers go offline.
This marks yet another live-service game shutting down in recent months, reinforcing the increasing volatility of the free-to-play model.
Final Thoughts
For long-time fans of Dauntless, this news comes as a disappointment. While the game provided an engaging alternative to Monster Hunter, it struggled to evolve in a way that kept players invested for the long haul. The closure of Dauntless is a reminder that even well-received live-service games are at risk if they fail to sustain their player base.
Players interested in revisiting Dauntless before its final days should log in soon, as the game will officially be gone by the end of May 2025.
