Video games keep dying, and that’s exactly what the Stop Killing Games initiative aims to prevent. Now a developer has done exactly that on Steam, proving that it is possible.
What kind of game is this? Sirocco is a free MOBA on Steam, inspired by the “Warcraft 3” mod “Battleships”. Unlike traditional MOBAs, there are no fixed roles.
All players can switch their abilities mid-match, equip automatic weapons, and adjust tactics. Instead of focusing solely on winning the battle, the emphasis here is much more on having fun.
However, Sirocco is not necessarily easy. Each ability is a skill shot, so you have to aim and hit yourself and cannot just rely on auto-hits. Yet the game’s success was limited.
Here you can watch a trailer for Sirocco:
A Revived MOBA
What happened to the MOBA? Although the free game was still in Early Access on Steam, players started leaving the title after just a few weeks. With a way too small player base, the developer had to shut down the servers and give up just 3 months after release.
But then something suddenly changed. After months of silence, the developer reached out to fans via Steam and announced: The game will be revived. To achieve this, the developer has completely transformed the title from servers to a lobby system that allows players to continue playing the title forever.
A peer-to-peer system was even added, allowing you to join your friends directly through Steam. But that’s not all.
What else has he done? Because the player numbers didn’t look particularly bright, the developer added bots that can fill the games and at least give players the opportunity to fill the lobbies again.
But the developer doesn’t stop there. He invites all players to gather on the game’s Discord to arrange matches. So he’s not only technically reviving the title but also the community, actively providing them with a home.
Development continues as well, with a new patch after months that fixes many bugs and delivers some balance changes.
The developer demonstrates that games can be revived if one desires to do so. While it requires work and effort, it is not impossible. The developer thus serves as a prime example for Stop Killing Games, who continue to fight for games to never be shut down: Gamers are putting heavy pressure on the EU, and now Ubisoft is bringing a dead game back
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