For PC gamers, Steam is a treasure trove of gaming potential. In particular, the platform hosts many popular free-to-play titles from Infinity Nikki to Path of Exile and beyond. However, one formerly popular free game is about to be removed from the platform. While the removal won’t necessarily be permanent, it is a step forward for a game that’s met with a good bit of controversy since launch.
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The game in question is the multiplayer mystery RPG Traitors in Salem. This social deduction game debuted in 2022 and was initially well-received by fans. Players praised its enjoyable gameplay loop, which is a sort of Town of Salem version of Among Us. However, the game has seen an influx of negative reviews due to one major issue: you can’t actually play it. The game’s servers have been broken for well over a year, yet in-game purchases were never disabled. Now, the game has a new publisher that looks poised to address these complaints.
New Traitors in Salem Publisher Lays Out Plan to Address Controversy
Though the servers for Traitors in Salem have been down for quite some time, the game remained available to download. But more frustrating still, the in-game shop full of monetization options was still active. This includes the game key required to host a game. So players can theoretically spend real money on the free game before realizing it’s actually impossible to play in its current state.
Many recent reviews go so far as to accuse the devs of being scammers due to the lack of communication and ongoing ability to make in-game purchases for a broken game. Traitors in Salem‘s last patch was released in September 2022, shortly after its full release. And then, radio silence, leaving many players frustrated by the lack of information from the developer. But now, the game’s new publisher, Digital Bandidos, is making some big changes.
On September 30th, Digital Bandidos revealed that it will delist Traitors in Salem from the Steam store. The decision comes as a result of the game’s broken servers and lack of a player base for a multiplayer-focused game, which have made it impossible to play for years. However, the game could still make a return at some point.
As outlined in the post from Digital Bandidos, the team has been looking into options for revitalizing the controversial game. Nothing is set in stone, but several options are on the table. These include bringing the game back online once it has been fixed and updated, or adding it as a free update to the game Town of Salem 2. It’s also possible that Digital Bandidos will start from scratch, bringing the best elements of Traitors in Salem to a brand-new game. One that, presumably, would actually be playable.
For the time being, the listing for Traitors in Salem is still live. However, it should be delisted in the coming days, with an unclear timeline for when and if it might return. The statement from Digital Bandidos doesn’t include any information on whether refunds for in-game purchases or premium access are being considered.
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