Bandai Namco announced Sword Art Online: Unleash Blading ends service on January 16, 2023, which is roughly 3 years after the game’s launch.
In-game purchases such as Diamond Cubes have been disabled as of November 14, 2022 in Sword Art Online: Unleash Blading. Although updates and events will cease, Bandai Namco hopes fans enjoy the mobile game until the very end.
SAO: Unleash Blading first launched in November 2019 for Android and iOS in Japan. The Japanese version was titled Sword Art Online: Alicization Blading whereas the global version was titled Sword Art Online: Alicization Rising Steel. The game was ultimately rebranded in October 2021 to its current title, however.
The shutdown of SAO: Unleash Blading is just one of several in recent times. Bandai Namco shut down many of its mobile games in 2022 including:
- Tales of Crestoria
- One Piece Bon! Bon! Journey!!
- The Idolmaster: Pop Links
- Tales of Luminaria
- Digimon ReArise
Further, in-game purchases in The Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls will be disabled this December ahead of its March 2023 shutdown.
Sword Art Online: Last Recollection, the next major action RPG in the Sword Art Online series, launches in 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
