It's rare for me to express true astonishment in writing, but I think I speak for most people when I say I was shocked to learn that Tribe Nine is set to be shuttered. According to a recent news post, the servers will be shut off on November 27th, with any upcoming updates now cancelled and the game reaching its End of Service (EOS).
This marks an acrimonious end for Tribe Nine, which only a couple of months ago celebrated over ten million downloads. Based on the popular anime series of the same name and featuring stunning art by Danganronpa veteran Rui Komatsuzaki, the game offered regular ARPG gameplay alongside the unique Xtreme Baseball boss battles that fans of the series will fondly recognize.
Tribe Nine's unceremonious cancellation continues a rather unpleasant trend over the last few years, where numerous games have been discontinued within less than a year of service. For many fans of these games, it can feel quite disheartening to invest in new releases, given the looming threat of EOS.
Considering that Rui Komatsuzaki's art has successfully graced other platforms with the well-received Hundred Line -Last Defence Academy-, the reasons behind Tribe Nine's cancellation remain unclear. However, being discontinued so soon after its launch may have repercussions for developer Akatsuki Games.
With another anime-based game, Kaiju No.8: The Game, on the horizon, Akatsuki Games is likely hoping to attract fans of the existing series. Yet, casual players might be hesitant to engage with their future releases, given Akatsuki's track record. Either way, for fans of Tribe Nine, this news certainly dampens the mood on this Friday.
However, there's still a plethora of fantastic games available to keep you entertained. Why not explore our latest feature on the top five new mobile games to try this week? It's a great way to discover some of our top picks in the mobile gaming world.
On a positive note, Akatsuki Games has announced that all paid Enigma Entities will be refunded, and in-game purchases will be halted to ensure a fair closure for all players.
