This is not a good sign for experimental, new types of games that are somehow an MMO, but are not called that. On April 9, Velev relaunched on Steam, but just 5 days later, the announcement came that the servers would be closed. Now disappointed buyers are waiting for their promised refunds.
What kind of game is this? Velev is one of those wild genre mixes that we have been seeing frequently lately. The game was intended as “PvPvE”: A game where you fight against mobs and the environment, but also against other players. It was promoted as a mix of a MOBA and an extraction game.
In simple terms: Velev mixes graphics from LoL, with looting and leveling, but with an inventory system like in Diablo 4. Players are meant to experience adventures in groups, find loot, and escape safely with it.
This “extraction” idea is a new formula that many studios are trying out – but it is met with skepticism from the player base, just recently Bungie’s new shooter Marathon received only lukewarm reactions.
The new game Velev launched on April 9 on Steam and was initially sold for €10, but in practice, there was a 10% discount, so the game cost about €8.80.
Game on Steam is heading towards server shutdown
How many players did it have? At launch, a peak of 191 players logged in on April 9, but as soon as the servers reached this peak, it was almost over.
The player numbers dropped daily, and by April 14, only 30 players were online at most, and then it was over.
Team closes the chapter after a disappointing course
This is what the developer says: On April 14, the developer announced:
They were unable to find investors for Velev, therefore they got into trouble and had to take action. They wanted to bring the game into Early Access on Steam and “hoped for the best.”
However, the game was not ready for a paid release, and they recognized that now, but the release was the only option.
Now they are shutting the game down and closing the chapter.
Reviews on Steam criticize: Game is not playable solo
What’s next? The developers say: Players will get their money back. The game is switching to a free-to-play model, the servers are shutting down, but they do not know exactly when.
In the comments, disappointed players write that they have been waiting for their money for a week now.
In reviews, it is noted that while the game showed potential, the requirement “to play in a party makes it a stillborn.” The game made wrong decisions from the very beginning.
Not a good sign for the hype genre
What’s behind it: Numerous studios are currently working on an extraction game. This genre has only a few successful representatives so far, and those are two shooters:
- Escape from Tarkov – a realistic military shooter
- Hunt: Showdown – an atmospheric horror shooter
Both games took a long time to build a good reputation and a player base. Whether their eventual success happened “because of” or “despite” the extraction formula is not so clear.
In any case, many new games in this direction are now being developed, just like previous battle royale games, where it is very unclear if there is even a market for these games and who exactly is waiting for them. Many extraction shooters bore me, but an innovative idea from Marathon even makes me curious
