Friday the 13th: The Game, a popular asymmetrical-multiplayer horror game, will no longer be available on storefronts after 2023, according to its publisher Gun Interactive. Despite the initial hype surrounding its launch in 2017, the game failed to maintain a consistent playerbase unlike its competitor, Dead by Daylight. The game's association with the popular horror films and slasher villain Jason Voorhees helped boost its popularity but its gameplay lacked the necessary longevity. Despite occasional surges in player numbers after updates, excitement dwindled and players departed. Friday the 13th now faces a difficult decision as it approaches a licensing deadline related to the original horror film IP.
According to a recent post by Gun Interactive on Twitter, the licensing agreement for Friday the 13th is expiring soon and the company has decided not to renew it. This means that by December 31, 2023, the game will no longer be available for purchase and will be removed from all storefronts. However, for those who have already bought the game, it will still be owned by them. The real concern arises since Friday the 13th is a multiplayer online game, it doesn't make sense for the servers to be supported for a game that is no longer being sold. Therefore, Gun Interactive has decided to keep the game online for at least one more year, until December 31, 2024. After that, the company will either shut down the servers or reconsider keeping them online.
Despite the unfortunate news of Friday the 13th being delisted from storefronts and servers being shut down, Gun Interactive is providing fans with an opportunity to experience the game at a discounted price. The game will be available for just $4.99 on all platforms, with DLC content also being offered at a reduced price of $.99. While it's never easy to say goodbye to a beloved game, licensed online games are costly to maintain and require a steady stream of revenue to support servers and game developers. Despite the challenges faced by Friday the 13th, the fact that it has endured for six years and maintained a dedicated fanbase is a testament to its success and should be celebrated.
Friday the 13th: The Game is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.