Spectre Divide, the FPS Shroud Supported, Shuts Down After 6 Months Since Launch

After just six months, Spectre Divide, the FPS game backed by Shroud, is shutting down. Mountaintop Studios, the developer, announced the closure, citing the game's failure to meet financial expectations. Let's delve into the details of the CEO's statement and the reasons behind this unfortunate decision.

Spectre Divide to Go Offline in 30 Days

Season 1 and Console Launch Fall Short of Expectations

The tactical FPS, Spectre Divide, is ceasing operations six months post-release. The first season and console launch failed to generate the necessary success to sustain the game and the studio, Mountaintop Studios. In a message to fans on March 13th, via their official Twitter (X) account, Mountaintop Studios CEO Nate Mitchell explained the situation.

Mitchell stated, "It’s been two weeks since we launched Spectre Divide Season 1: Flashpoint. We’re incredibly grateful for the positivity and support you’ve shown. Unfortunately, the Season 1 launch hasn’t achieved the level of success we needed to sustain the game and keep Mountaintop afloat."

While the initial week showed promise, boasting over 400,000 players and a peak concurrent player count of around 10,000 across platforms, sustained player engagement and revenue proved insufficient to maintain daily operations.

As reported by The Verge in December 2024, Mountaintop Studios faced significant challenges. The console launch and Season 1 were considered a last-ditch effort to save the game. Spectre Divide Game Director Lee Horn attributed part of the failure to initial server issues that hampered launch momentum, despite marketing efforts. Mitchell further elaborated, hinting that the lack of player engagement with Season 1 ultimately sealed the game's fate.

The game is expected to go offline within 30 days. New purchases will be disabled, and refunds will be issued for purchases made since the Season 1 relaunch. Further details on this process are promised soon.

Spectre Divide's Demise Despite $30 Million in Funding

The closure comes as a surprise, given Mountaintop Studios secured $30 million in funding last year. A 2024 LinkedIn post highlighted the investment from prominent firms including Anthos Capital, RX3 Growth Partners, A16Z GAMES, and angel investors. However, this substantial funding proved insufficient to ensure the game's and company's long-term viability.

Mitchell explained, "We pursued every avenue to keep going, including finding a publisher, additional investment, and/or an acquisition. In the end, we weren’t able to make it work. The industry is in a tough spot right now."

He added, "We wanted to deliver something innovative and original…we shook up the format, created a fresh art style and universe…It was never a surefire bet. We did it anyway."

Spectre Divide joins a growing list of live-service games that have failed to thrive, highlighting the inherent risks of this business model. Games like Multiversus, Babylon’s Fall, and Concord, as well as cancelled projects like The Last of Us Online and a rumored God of War live-service game, underscore the challenges in the live-service space.

Mountaintop Studios to Close This Week

Mitchell announced that Mountaintop Studios will close by the end of the week due to depleted funds. Despite exhaustive efforts, the remaining capital is insufficient to sustain the studio's operations. Mitchell concluded, "Since the PC launch, we stretched our remaining capital as far as we could, but at this point, we’re out of funding to support the game. This means Mountaintop will be closing its doors at the end of this week."