Gran Saga’s global version is shutting down on April 30, 2025, just four months after its launch in November 2024. The official reason provided by the developers, NPIXEL, is “difficulties in providing a continuous and stable service for users.” However, several factors likely contributed to this decision based on available information and player sentiment.
The game faced challenges in retaining a stable player base, with reports indicating a steep decline in concurrent players shortly after its release. For instance, on Steam, it peaked at 547 concurrent players but struggled to maintain even 200 by February 2025—a low number for an MMORPG requiring a robust community to thrive. This drop suggests the game failed to hold player interest long-term.
Players have pointed to specific issues that may have driven this decline. The heavy reliance on automated gameplay, where battles and quests could be completed by AI with minimal player input, was a major complaint. This left little room for meaningful interaction, reducing the game’s appeal as an engaging experience. Additionally, poor balancing—such as overly difficult story bosses and progression stalling around level 50—frustrated players. Expensive microtransactions and technical issues further alienated the community, despite the game’s strengths like its Final Fantasy-inspired visuals and soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura.
Timing also played a major role. Gran Saga’s global launch came years after its initial 2021 release in Korea and Japan, by which point it was seen as outdated compared to newer titles like Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves and even Tower of Fantasy. Poor marketing and a lack of regional pricing adjustments may have compounded these issues, failing to generate the hype needed to compete in a crowded market.
While the global version is closing, the game continues in other regions like Japan and Korea, indicating that the shutdown is specific to the international service’s inability to sustain itself. Refunds are being offered for unused purchases, subject to app store policies, as a gesture to affected players. Ultimately, a mix of gameplay flaws, late global timing, and insufficient player retention likely sealed its fate.