King, the developer of the popular mobile game Candy Crush, announced that it will be shutting down Crash Bandicoot: On the Run, according to Eurogamer.
The shutdown of the game comes after less than two years since it was launched. The mobile game for both Android and iOS didn't last long. It was just launched by King in March 2021.
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run Will No Longer be Playable After February 16
King made the announcement of the shutdown through the game's Facebook page. The game will close down on February 16, 2023. It only means that players will not be able to access the platformer game after the said date.
Earlier on December 19, the developer said that once shut down, the game will no longer be playable.
Meanwhile, all in-app purchases for Crash Bandicoot: On the Run are already turned off. But players will have until the game's last day to use any purchased purple crystals, as per Engadget.
According to King, it meant so much to them to bring the players' favorite Crash characters to life. Moreover, the developer said that they sincerely loved making the game.
King also expressed their gratitude to the players for spending time with them playing Crash Bandicoot: On the Run. The developer also said that they hope the players will join them in their other games.
The news about the game's shutdown comes as a bit of a surprise for many, particularly since as recently as the 16th, players of the game were hoping that the developer was working on the relaunch of the title.
But speculations of the game's shutdown began circulating following reports that earlier this month the game was silently delisted from both Google Play and App stores.
However, Crash Bandicoot: On the Run's customer support team said that this was just a temporary issue.
According to the customer support team, the developer is just busy putting their finishing touches to more exciting features and islands of the game which are expected to be available very soon, as per Eurogamer.
Unfortunately, this was not the case because days after, King made the announcement that it is taking down the game.
Read Also: Crash Bandicoot 4: What Experts Have to Say
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run's Shutdown Left Many Players Disappointed
Many players were left disappointed with the news of the shutdown. One player even said that he has finished the game and had been waiting for levels.
There was another player who called the developer's decision "a slap in the face to every Crash fan who gave this mobile cash grab a chance."
Another player lamented that the game was short-lived. Still, one player said the game had a lot to offer yet the developer just let it die.
In addition, many players are lamenting that they spend money on the game. Some are even calling this move by King an "incredibly greasy" one.
According to The Gamer, poor support for the game seems to have been the reason for its downfall.
Likewise, it is somewhat surprising that King and Activision Blizzard didn't keep on top of updates for the game considering how strong it started.
On its first day, it has eight million downloads and it generated $700,000 within its first week. Shortly after the game was launched, Spyro was even added to the game.
Related Article: A New 'Crash Bandicoot' Game May be Heading Our Way
