After just over a year in full global release, Star Wars: Hunters is officially set to shut down on October 1, 2025. The 4v4 class-based arena shooter, developed by Zynga in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, launched globally on June 4, 2024 for mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch, following a soft launch that began back in 2021. It later saw a limited early access launch on PC in January 2025, though the planned full release on Steam has since been scrapped.

The announcement comes as another blow to the live service gaming landscape, which has recently seen multiple titles shutter prematurely—such as Specter Divide and troubled launches like Concord and XDefiant. Star Wars: Hunters joins a growing list of multiplayer titles unable to maintain the long-term engagement or monetization levels expected by publishers in today’s competitive market.

Players looking to make the most of the remaining time can still enjoy their favorite Hunters and maximize their experience. Star Wars: Hunters Crystals Top Up services are available until April 15, giving fans a final chance to unlock in-game items before purchases are disabled.

Why Is Star Wars: Hunters Shutting Down?

While no exact reason has been provided beyond the official blog post from Zynga, several factors seem to have contributed to the shutdown. Despite a promising launch and decent reception within its niche, the game struggled to stand out in a crowded hero shooter genre dominated by titles like Overwatch 2 and Apex Legends.

Additionally, monetization decisions may have played a part. Players were able to unlock characters over time but only in a fixed order, and most in-app purchases offered basic cosmetic content that lacked appeal. Compounding the problem was the decision to avoid using iconic Star Wars characters. Instead, the game featured entirely original heroes, which may have been a missed opportunity or a result of licensing restrictions. The lack of fan-favorite faces likely alienated some of the franchise’s core fanbase.

What Happens Next?

Though the game’s lifespan was relatively short, Zynga is planning a respectful farewell for dedicated players. Here’s the shutdown roadmap:

Season 5 Extension: The current season will be extended by three weeks, lasting until April 14, 2025. During this time, players can revisit earlier events and shop bundles in a final opportunity to enjoy the game's offerings.

Final Content Update on April 15: The game’s last major update will introduce a brand-new Support Hunter named Tuya, who will be available for free to all players. Alongside Tuya, Zynga will add a “slate of additional in-game content” to close out the experience with a bang. Importantly, all in-app purchases will be disabled from April 15 onward.

Ranked Leaderboards Live Until Shutdown: Competitive players will still be able to climb the Ranked Mode ladder, which will remain operational until the final server shutdown on October 1.

No Offline Mode Post-Shutdown

One of the more disheartening aspects for fans is that there will be no offline version of the game. Once the servers go offline on October 1, Star Wars: Hunters will become completely unplayable—a reality that underscores the ephemeral nature of many live-service experiences today.

With no offline version planned, all in-game progress and purchases will be lost after October 1. Until then, players can still take advantage of Buy Cheap Star Wars: Hunters Crystals to enjoy the game’s final events and cosmetics.

What Made Star Wars: Hunters Unique?

Despite its struggles, Star Wars: Hunters had several strengths. The game’s smaller-scale 4v4 matches, simplified maps, and approachable abilities made it mobile-friendly and well-suited to casual play on the Nintendo Switch. It carved out a spot as a hero shooter-lite, with a fun, accessible vibe that appealed to some gamers looking for a less complex alternative to genre heavyweights.

While some players lamented the game’s lack of iconic Star Wars characters, others appreciated the introduction of new heroes and factions. It added a layer of freshness and allowed for new stories and perspectives within the expansive Star Wars universe—even if these characters never reached mainstream recognition.

The End of a Galaxy

The cancellation of the Steam release, the mixed reception to monetization, and the lack of recognizable IP characters all appear to have compounded the challenges that Star Wars: Hunters faced. Still, fans enjoyed what the game had to offer while it lasted, and its shutdown left a gap in the Star Wars multiplayer gaming scene.

For now, Star Wars: Hunters joins the growing list of promising live-service games that couldn’t quite make it, despite delivering moments of fun and community.