NPIXEL, the South Korean game studio behind the highly anticipated MMORPG Chrono Odyssey, has announced the global shutdown of Gran Saga after just four months of service. The game's servers will officially go offline on April 30, 2025, as the company cites challenges in maintaining a stable global player base.
“After much deliberation, a decision has been made to terminate Gran Saga Global service on April 30th, as a result of difficulties in providing a continuous and stable service for users. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been part of our journey.”
Gran Saga’s Rise and Fall
Originally launched in South Korea in January 2021, Gran Saga was a massive hit, securing over 5 million pre-registrations and generating $100 million in revenue in its first month. With this success, NPIXEL expanded the game’s reach, bringing it to a global audience on November 8, 2024, including regions like the United States.
However, despite its strong start in Asia, Gran Saga struggled to keep international players engaged. Several factors contributed to its decline, including:
- Automated gameplay that limited player interaction
- Unbalanced difficulty, with overly strong story bosses
- Progression issues, with leveling stalling around level 50
- Expensive microtransactions that frustrated players
- Technical problems affecting performance
With the game peaking at just 547 concurrent players shortly after release, the numbers continued to decline rapidly, leading NPIXEL to make the tough call to end the game’s service.
"This journey wouldn’t have been the same without you. We sincerely appreciate the time and dedication you have given to Gran Saga and hope you have enjoyed the time spent in Ethprozen. We’ll do our best until the end of service."
Shutdown Timeline and What Players Need to Know
The shutdown will happen in stages:
March 6, 2025 – In-game purchases and downloads will be disabled permanently.
April 30, 2025 (06:00 UTC+0) – Final shutdown of Gran Saga’s global servers.
April 30, 2025 (08:00 UTC+0) – Closure of the official website and social media pages.
June 2, 2025 (06:00 UTC+0) – Official forums will shut down.
NPIXEL has assured players that they will maintain service quality until the final shutdown date and thanked the community for their support.
What’s Next for NPIXEL?
While Gran Saga is coming to an end, NPIXEL is now shifting its focus to Chrono Odyssey, their upcoming open-world MMORPG. Set to release later this year, Chrono Odyssey has been building hype with its stunning visuals, immersive gameplay, and dynamic combat system.
This shutdown may mark the end of an era for Gran Saga, but it also signals a new beginning for NPIXEL, as they put all their resources into making Chrono Odyssey a success.
Verdict
For fans of Gran Saga, this news may come as a disappointment, but it also highlights the challenges of launching an MMO globally. With Chrono Odyssey on the horizon, players can hope for a bigger and better experience from NPIXEL in the future.
What are your thoughts on Gran Saga shutting down? Will you be playing Chrono Odyssey when it launches? Let us know in the comments!
For more insights into the shutdown of Gran Saga, you can watch the following video:
