Phoenix Labs Announces Closure of Free-to-Play RPG Dauntless in May 2025

Phoenix Labs has revealed that its free-to-play RPG, Dauntless, will cease operations on May 29, 2025, with no further content or updates planned beyond this date. The announcement was made via social media and a detailed statement on the game's Discord server. The decision to shut down Dauntless was described as difficult, with the company expressing appreciation for the dedication and passion of its players, partners, and development team. Since its release in September 2019 and subsequent launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2021, Dauntless has built a community that has made the game more than just a playing experience. The shutdown comes after a series of layoffs at Phoenix Labs, starting in 2023, which initially saw 9% of the workforce let go, followed by additional redundancies in December and a significant reduction of 140 employees in May 2024 after the studio's acquisition by blockchain platform Forte.