A FANTASY massively multiplayer online role-playing game is set to wind down on two consoles next week.
At its peak, the title reached some 40million players.
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But it’s the end of the road for anyone still playing on a PS4 or Xbox One.
From June 26, Black Desert Online will be exclusive to Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
Other game studios are gradually doing the same, as they put all their energy into the latest devices and shift away from the old.
A couple of days ago, online shooter The First Descendant went dark on PS4 and Xbox One.
Read more about game closures
In Black Desert Online’s case, developers apparently made the decision due to hardware limitations that make it difficult to introduce new content smoothly.
“We understand that this news may be disappointing for our longtime Adventurers on these platforms,” makers Pearl Abyss said.
“Please know that this decision was made after careful consideration, with the goal of ensuring the future growth and evolution of Black Desert Console.
“We remain fully committed to delivering you the best possible adventures in Black Desert.”
So, if you don’t currently own a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S you’ll have to dig deep and buy a brand new console if you want to keep playing the game.
However, for those who do own one, the upgraded game will be available at no extra cost.
OTHER GAME CLOSURES COMING UP
Here’s what to watch out for…
- Resident Evil ReVerse – June 29
- Madden NFL 21 – June 30
- Arizona Sunshine – July 1
- Skyworld – July 1
- Danmachi Battle Chronicle – September 29
- WWE 2K24 – September 30
- Madden NFL 22 – October 20
- PGA Tour 2K21 – October 30
- NBA 2K24 – December 31
Image credit: Alamy
Fortunately data won’t be lost either, as you can transfer your account and carry on where you left off.
Even your purchased items and Pearls will be switched across, so all is not lost.
WHY DO GAMES NEED TO CLOSE DOWN?
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
With most games online these days, tech companies need to maintain quite hefty servers to manage everything.
It’s no cheap business to operate with millions of gamers across the world.
Naturally, people move on, leaving older games behind in the process.
There comes a point where it’s no longer viable to continue offering server access so studios shut them down.
For some games that are entirely online this can render it completely useless.
But others may have a way for you to continue playing solo still.
You should usually see a prominent notification in the game warning you with instructions on what to do – provided you’re still playing the game of course.
