PlayStation Shuts Down Destruction AllStars Servers, Delists Game
▼ Summary
– PlayStation has unexpectedly removed Destruction AllStars from sale and shut down its servers, with no prior announcement.
– Owners can still play the game’s offline arcade mode against bots.
– The game received a mixed reception and was largely rejected by early PS5 adopters, despite free offers to PlayStation Plus subscribers.
– Lucid Games, a studio with a background in vehicle-based games, developed Destruction AllStars but has not released its own game since 2021.
– The shutdown follows recent reports of Bungie reducing support for Destiny 2, highlighting PlayStation’s broader struggles with live-service games.
PlayStation has abruptly removed Destruction AllStars from digital storefronts and shut down its online servers, catching players off guard. The live-service title, which launched during the PS5’s debut window, is no longer available for purchase, and its multiplayer functionality has been terminated. Owners who still have the game installed can access its arcade mode, but only against offline bots.
Typically, publishers give advance notice before sunsetting a game, allowing fans to grab a copy or organize final multiplayer sessions. In this case, however, Destruction AllStars was delisted and its servers went dark simultaneously. Players received the news through PlayStation notifications. The game’s official social media account has been inactive since 2022, when the platform was still known as Twitter.
Released in 2021, Destruction AllStars received a mixed reception. Even during a period when new PS5 games were scarce, early adopters largely ignored it. PlayStation Plus subscribers were offered two free months, but that didn’t change the game’s trajectory. In IGN’s review, the title earned a 6/10, with critics noting that while it had solid fundamentals, it ultimately failed to deliver a compelling overall package.
“Destruction AllStars can provide short bursts of action-packed chaos that are at their most fun when kept simple,” the review stated. “The driving and vehicle-to-vehicle combat are highly enjoyable when you’re slamming into other cars at high speed, but they wear thin quickly and offer very little else on closer inspection. The on-foot gameplay you’re forced into too often feels pointless. There’s the basis of a great party game here too, but at launch it’s far too shallow an experience for Destruction AllStars to be considered one right now.”
The game was developed by Lucid Games, a studio founded by former Bizarre Creations developers after Activision attempted to sell that studio without success. Lucid’s team has a strong background in vehicle-based titles, including Project Gotham Racing and Blur. Destruction AllStars took a different approach, focusing on destruction derby-style action mixed with on-foot segments. Since the game’s 2021 release, Lucid hasn’t launched its own project but has contributed to others, such as Sea of Thieves.
This shutdown follows recent news that Bungie is winding down support for Destiny 2 and reportedly facing significant layoffs. While the two events aren’t directly connected, they underscore broader difficulties for PlayStation’s live-service ambitions. To date, Helldivers 2 and Gran Turismo 7 stand as the platform’s only clear live-service successes. Meanwhile, speculation is growing that Fairgames may soon be re-revealed under a new name.
(Source: IGN)
