New Sci-Fi MMO Is Already Shutting Down Less Than a Month After Launch

In the era of live service, it’s inevitable that many games will eventually wind down. Just this last month, we’ve seen a few long-running live service games pull the plug, even from big franchises like The Elder Scrolls. But occasionally, games shut down not long after they release. In those cases, it’s usually down to tight budgets and not enough sales, or not enough in-game purchases for free-to-play titles. Today, a game that got massive attention during Steam Next Fest has confirmed it will be shutting down less than a month after its full release.

The Cube, Save Us is a post-apocalyptic extraction action game designed not around the typical shooter mechanics, but melee combat in a PvPvE environment. Its demo was among the most-played games during October 2025’s Steam Next Fest. But it seems that hype didn’t quite carry over to the game’s full release for PC on March 17th of this year. As of April 8th, the team behind The Cube, Save Us has confirmed that it is shutting down as of May 8th.

The Cube, Save Us Announces End of Service With Full Refunds for In-Game Purchases

In an April 8th post to the game’s Steam page, developer XLGames confirmed that The Cube, Save Us is shutting down on May 8th. The post thanks players for their support, but does not give a reason for the game’s shutdown. However, low player counts and a Mostly Negative review rating on Steam likely have at least something to do with why this new live-service game never got off the ground. To keep a multiplayer game running, you need a big enough active player base to keep the game feeling alive and worthwhile. And for a free-to-play model to work, those players need to be engaged and willing to pay for in-game purchases. From the looks of it, The Cube, Save Us unfortunately never hit the critical mass it needed to keep going.

When the game launched on March 17th, it achieved a solid concurrent player count of over 5,100 players. However, The Cube, Save Us saw a pretty steep drop off from there. At the time I’m writing this, the game sits at about 180 players, with a recent 24-hour peak of 295. But the bigger issue for any efforts to attract a wider player base is likely the game’s Mostly Negative review average on Steam.

Since launch, The Cube, Save Us has received a number of critical reviews. In particular, players have been frustrated by server issues and so-called “boring” combat. Others have claimed its monetization makes it “pay to win,” even going so far as to call it a cash grab. But it’s not all bad. Even the bad reviews note that the visuals are solid, and the game did have its fans. Quite a few reviews have come in since the shutdown announcement, saying they’re “sad to see it go.”

Read Next

A Long-Running Elder Scrolls Game Is Quietly Shutting Down

For those who did invest in The Cube, Save Us, there is a silver lining to the shutdown. XL Games has confirmed that “full refunds will be issued for all items legitimately purchased through Steam.” In fact, an April 9th update confirms that refunds have already been processed for most players. So though it’s sad to see a game shut down before it found its audience, at least those who did invest in it will get their money back.

The Cube, Save Us will officially shut down on Friday, May 8th. The game’s official Discord will also close at that time. Until then, it looks like the game will remain available to download from Steam if you want to check it out before it shuts down for good.

Did you play The Cube, Save Us during its demo period or after launch? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!