Dungeon Stalkers' end-of-service has been scheduled for June 9, 2026. Here's what the developers have to say and what players point to as the causes of the game’s closure.
Dungeon Stalkers Ceases Live Service This Summer
Service Termination and Payment Suspension Announced
Dungeon Stalkers developer ONEUNIVERSE posted an advance notice of service termination for the PvEvP dungeon crawler on Steam, set for June 9 at 12:00 AM ET / June 8 at 9:00 PM PT.
The developers offered both an apology and heartfelt gratitude to the players. "Our team has done its best to provide a better environment and enjoyable experience," the post said. "However, due to internal circumstances, we have reached the difficult conclusion that we can no longer maintain satisfactory service."
Included in the announcement is the suspension of Dungeon Stalkers' DLC and in-app purchases starting on March 9 at 12:00 AM ET / March 8 at 9:00 PM PT. Nonetheless, players can still access their owned currency and items until the service fully terminates in June.
The shutdown underscores the game's brief run, less than a year since its full release on August 13, 2025, and before the anticipated PlayStation 5 port.
Predatory Monetization Pushes Players Out
- [1] Image taken from SteamDB
The imminent end-of-service did not come as a surprise to many players who have tried Dungeon Stalkers, given that the dungeon crawler extraction has consistently exhibited low player retention on Steam. Concurrent users dropped from its all-time peak of 5,194 during its Early Access launch on August 13, 2025, to a 24-hour peak of only 79 as of writing. Its Steam page also showed "Mixed" reviews that called out its clunky animation, aggressive "macro"-transactions, and inability to deliver a satisfactory PvEvP experience.
Here at Game8, our review observed that the game's visuals do not save it from poor design, sluggish gameplay, and exploitative monetization (e.g., $50 for a single skin and emote) in the guise of a free-to-play title. These factors leave it unable to stand out or truly entice players in the extraction subgenre, paling in comparison to the likes of Sea of Thieves, Hunt: Showdown, and Dark and Darker.
For our full review, check out the article below:
Several players are extending their refund requests for in-game purchases, though the developers have yet to address these concerns. They also expressed frustration with ignored feedback and the oversaturation of live-service games, which risk disappearing along with player purchases at any time.
Dungeon Stalkers joins the growing list of live service titles facing closure, including the controversial raid-shooter Highguard, which will shut down on March 12, and the looter-shooter RPG Anthem sunsetting on July 3.
Sources:
*[1] SteamDB | Dungeon Stalkers
Steam | Advance Notice of Service Termination
Steam | Dungeon Stalkers
