The End of an Era for Crossfire: Legion
Crossfire: Legion was once seen as a promising addition to the tactical RPG genre, especially after its debut at the 2022 PC Gaming Show. Shortly after its early access release in May of that year, it generated some interest among gamers. However, despite its initial potential, the game never managed to capture the attention of a broader audience. It eventually reached full release in December 2022, but the lack of sustained player engagement led to its eventual shutdown.
The development team behind the game recently announced that they would be ending active development and support for Crossfire: Legion. This decision came after a long period of inactivity, with the last update being over a year ago. As part of this process, the game will be delisted from the Steam Store on August 18th at 6:00 PM PDT. While new purchases will no longer be available, players who already own the game will continue to have access through their Steam Library.
This outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected. For quite some time, the game had been struggling with low player numbers, often hovering around single digits in terms of concurrent users on Steam. Despite the game’s origins in the popular Crossfire FPS series, which is more well-known in regions like China and South Korea, it failed to gain traction in the Western market. Smilegate, the publisher, likely hoped for a stronger reception, but the game didn’t find its audience.
Blackbird Interactive, the studio responsible for creating Crossfire: Legion, has a strong track record in the gaming industry. They are known for developing outstanding real-time strategy games such as Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak and Homeworld 3. With such a talented team behind it, one might expect better results. Unfortunately, the game’s failure to attract players meant that even the best efforts couldn’t save it.
Despite the end of development, the game isn’t completely gone. Players who already own it can continue to play it as usual. However, the developers have warned that without future updates or support, multiplayer features may degrade over time or become unavailable altogether.
For those curious about what they missed, a demo version of Crossfire: Legion is still available on Steam. If you’re interested in experiencing the game but aren’t ready to commit to the full price of $20, there are alternative options. A Steam key for the game can be purchased for just $4.49 from platforms like Fanatical.
While the closure of Crossfire: Legion is a disappointing event for fans of the game, it serves as a reminder of how challenging it can be to build a sustainable player base in the competitive world of gaming. Even with strong development teams and a solid foundation, success is never guaranteed.
