Killzone 2 and 3’s multiplayer modes will be shutting down come the new year, according to Guerilla Games. Originally teased in a CG trailer in 2005, Killzone 2 was supposed to be a launch title for the PlayStation 3, but was delayed to 2009. When it finally launched, it looked nothing like its glorious first teaser trailer, but still found a healthy store of fans. Two years later, the Dutch developer followed it up with Killzone 3.
In the eight years that passed since the sequel (and six since Killzone 3), these games have gained something of a cult following around their multiplayer modes. Players hailed the heavy movement controls and slow-paced combat, at least compared to more popular fare like Call of Duty. But after all these years, Guerilla today announced they are shutting down the servers for both games.
“On March 29th, 2018, after more than six years of operation and countless battles between the ISA and the Helghast, the online servers for Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 will be decommissioned. The single player campaign for both games will remain accessible, but online play and related functionality will no longer work.”
It’s hardly surprising that games this old, and for a console from a previous generation, would have the lights shut off. If anything, it’s more surprising the servers have been up for this long. But the move does highlight one flaw with console game: fans can’t create and host their own servers for online play like they can with PC games. At least you’ll still be able to play single player, but that probably won’t be much consolation for fans who have already beaten it, or don’t care for the campaign.
There is at least one thing to be thankful for. Online multiplayer games today are full of microtransactions, loot boxes, and DRM of some form or another. Back when the PS3 Killzone games came out, that was less of a problem. Most of us dread to think what a modern online Killzone would be like. Let’s all hope this classic franchise doesn’t go the way of Star Wars Battlefront II’s infamous progression system.
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This post was originally authored by Josh Griffiths.
