Spectre Divide and Mountaintop Studio to shutdown soon: Everything we know

The free-to-play FPS Spectre Divide is set to shut down within the next 30 days, with its developers, Mountaintop Studios, officially shutting shop by the end of the week. Spectre Divide, which was released six months ago, received accolades for its novel gameplay and innovative take on tactical shooters. But even though it gained popularity at first, it was unable to sustain a player base.

This shutdown follows a trend of several live-service games failing to find long-term success in an increasingly competitive market.

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Mountaintop Studio and Spectre Divide will close shortly

When Spectre Divide debuted, it showed strong potential, attracting around 400,000 players in its first week and reaching a peak concurrent player count of 10,000. However, over time, the player base dwindled significantly, with SteamCharts recording a peak of just over 1,000 players in February and an average of 263.1 active users.

The decision to close down Mountaintop Studios was mostly influenced by the unsatisfactory reception of the Season 1 update for Spectre Divide, according to CEO Nate Mitchell and the team. In an open letter to players, the team acknowledged that the update did not bring in enough engagement or revenue to sustain the game and the studio.

Unlike traditional shooters, Spectre Divide introduced an innovative mechanic, where each player controlled two characters simultaneously in 3v3 battles. In the fiercely competitive first-person shooter industry, which is dominated by Call of Duty: Warzone, Counter-Strike, and Valorant, the game sought to establish a niche for itself. Despite its fresh approach and a dedicated team, the game struggled to maintain a stable player base.

The shutdown procedure will immediately disable all in-game purchases. Players who made any purchase after Season 1 began will also get their money back; more information on the procedure will be available soon.

This is another unfortunate example of how hard it is to make it in the live-service gaming industry. Although the creators took a chance by creating something fresh and original, the game's inability to maintain its player base serves as a stark reminder of how difficult it is to enter a market that is controlled by existing players.

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