Sword Art Online Variant Showdown Shuts Down October 30 After Re-Release
Bandai Namco has officially announced that its mobile MMORPG Sword Art Online Variant Showdown (SAO VS) will permanently shut down on October 30, 2025, on both Android and iOS platforms.
Originally launched in November 2022, the game faced several challenges early on, including in-game bugs, system issues, and criticism of its gacha mechanics. The developers placed the game on an extended maintenance break in September 2023, later confirming a major re-release in December 2024 after significant redevelopment efforts.
Unfortunately, the revival was short-lived. In an announcement via X, the development team stated:
“We ultimately decided to discontinue the service after concluding that it would be difficult to continue providing a satisfying player experience.”
[Important] End of Service Announcement
— Sword Art Online Variant Showdown (@SAOVS_WW) August 29, 2025
Thank you for your continued support of Sword Art Online Variant Showdown.
We're sorry to announce that the game's service will be ending on Oct 30, 2025.
For more details, please refer to the link below.https://t.co/DvuibCMx9s
Online Services End in August, Final Shutdown in October
Sales of Variant Crystals, the game’s premium currency, have already been discontinued. Online features will officially end on August 30, 2025, while full service termination is set for October 30, 2025. Until then, players can enjoy a finale campaign featuring Events, Scouts, Main Story, Ultimate Battle, and more.
Offline Edition Will Remain Available
Despite the shutdown, Bandai Namco confirmed that an Offline Edition will be available after the End of Service (EOS). Players can migrate their data by updating to Ver. 3.0.0 before the transfer deadline on January 29, 2026.
The offline version will feature:
- All quests from the re-release
- Selected floors from the Unlimited Dungeon
- Various story modes including Main, Side, and Extra stories
This ensures fans can still experience parts of the game’s content even after servers go offline.
A Short-Lived Revival
The shutdown is particularly disappointing given the hopeful re-launch in 2024. Despite the team’s redevelopment efforts, persistent issues such as bugs, gameplay systems, and balance problems couldn’t be fully resolved.
For fans of the Sword Art Online franchise, this marks yet another chapter of an ambitious project ending too soon, though the Offline Edition will serve as a final farewell for those who wish to revisit the world of SAO VS.
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