Nintendo Is Shutting Down Another Mobile Game
Nintendo continues its shutdown spree by announcing that it will shutter another mobile game later this year — and not just any mobile game, but its first original free-to-play gacha title "Dragalia Lost."
Cygames, the development team most renowned for bringing us "Granblue Fantasy," revealed in a blog post on the official website for "Dragalia Lost" that the game's main story will reach its conclusion with part two of Chapter 26 in July 2022. The final set of new content will be added on March 31, but there will be no more updates other than the main campaign. Nintendo didn't give a specific end-of-service date for "Dragalia Lost," but players will still be able to summon new characters and enjoy event revivals until the game completely shuts down.
"The 'Dragalia Lost' team would like to thank each and every one of our players, past and present, for your love of and support for 'Dragalia Lost' since its launch," Cygames said. "It is our sincere hope that you have enjoyed your experience with the game from the moment you started playing it, and we will strive to ensure that you continue to do so for as long as time allows."
The rise and fall of "Dragalia Lost"
"Dragalia Lost" is a free-to-play fantasy gacha ARPG that launched on Android and iOS in 2018 following the success of "Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp" and "Fire Emblem Heroes," which Nintendo released the year before. Although it was never as popular as the latter game — which proved to be Nintendo's most lucrative title, garnering over $650 million in revenue as of 2020, according to Sensor Tower — it still managed to maintain a dedicated fanbase with consistent updates. Even so, it only raked in $123 million in revenue.
In "Dragalia Lost," players assume the role of a hero simply named the Dragonblood Prince as he sets out to form a pact with a dragon in a ritual known as the Dragon Choosing in order to protect the kingdom of Alberia, of which he is seventh in line to rule. Characters can sometimes take the form of their dragons in the heat of battle, borrowing their powers to wipe out their enemies.
"Dragalia Lost" is the second mobile game Nintendo has decided to shut down after taking "Dr. Mario World" offline in November 2021. To be fair, "Dr. Mario World" was the company's least successful mobile game, making even less money than "Dragalia Lost" and all the other "Mario" and Nintendo mobile games with just a minuscule $4.8 million.