Wargaming’s Steel Hunters to be Shut Down in October 2025

Steel Hunters: Early Shutdown Due to Low Player Adoption and High Maintenance Costs

Wargaming will shut down Steel Hunters on October 8, 2025, just over six months after its Early Access launch on Steam. The game, unveiled at The Game Awards 2024, began Early Access on April 2, 2025. During its announcement, Wargaming’s CEO, Victor Kislyi, shared that Steel Hunters aimed to offer something entirely fresh, moving beyond the company’s usual territory. However, Wargaming announced on July 8, 2025, that the free-to-play extraction shooter would cease operations on October 8, 2025. This early shutdown positions Steel Hunters alongside other live-service titles discontinued in recent months due to low player adoption and the difficulty of justifying maintenance costs. The project failed to reach expected popularity. According to SteamDB, Steel Hunters reached a peak of 4,479 concurrent players shortly after its Early Access debut. However, player engagement has since dropped significantly. The game registered a maximum of only 97 concurrent players in a recent 24-hour period, with around 76 players online at any given time. More broadly, recent player counts have hovered around 250. Reviews on Steam are “Mixed,” with players frequently complaining about the publisher’s actions and gameplay problems.

Steel Hunters Farewell Tournament and Free Access to All Mechs Before Shutdown (October 8)

Initially planned for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, those console versions were never released. Steel Hunters featured PvPvE mech combat, where players piloted massive mechs called Hunters. These Hunters ranged from humanoid designs to giant mechanical animals, reminiscent of the Zoids anime series. Players could customize and modify each mech with different weapons, mods, and abilities. The game operated with a non-monetized progression model. In a statement posted on Steam, Wargaming thanked the community for its support but acknowledged that continued development was not sustainable. Before the servers are switched off on October 8, Wargaming will provide players with free access to all Hunters, including those planned for future updates. The studio also plans to release custom match support and host a farewell tournament, though the date and format for this event have not yet been announced. This period allows players to explore all game content and bid farewell to Steel Hunters before its closure.