Crash Bandicoot mobile game shutting down after less than two years
Cash, bang, wallop.
Candy Crush developer King is closing down its Crash Bandicoot mobile game, On the Run.
The game's servers will be taken down on 16th February 2023, the mobile giant said earlier today. After this time, the game will no longer be playable.
Meanwhile, as of today (19th December), all in-app purchases will be turned off. "You will have until 16th February 2023 to make use of associated purple crystals in-game," King shared.
Reflecting on this decision, King had the following to say:
"It has meant so much to bring your favourite Crash characters to life and we've sincerely loved making this game. Thank you for spending your time with us and we hope you will join us in one of our many other games."
This news has come as a bit of a surprise for many, especially given that as recently as the 16th, On the Run players were hoping that a relaunch for the title was on the cards.
This speculation came following reports that the game was silently delisted from both the Google Play and App stores earlier in the month. At this time, On the Run's customer support team said this was just a tempory issue and not a sign of things to come.
In fact, it said it was "busy putting their finishing touches to more exciting features and islands which will be available very soon" (thanks, Crashy News). This, however, was ultimately not the case.
Understandably, this has left a bitter taste for many. "[You're] kidding me??! I've finished the game and have been waiting for new levels for ages!" wrote one player on hearing this news.
Another called King's decision to close down the game "a slap in the face to every Crash fan who gave this mobile cash grab a chance."
"Ouch already? That was short lived," another mused (On the Run only launched in March last year), while one stated "this game had a lot to offer and you guys let it die".
Meanwhile, numerous players are now left lamenting the money they spent on the game, with some calling this move by King an "incredibly greasy" one.