Knockout City to Cease Operations in June

Sad news for Knockout City fans: the game will no longer be available after June 6, just two years after its release. Velan Studios, the creator of the sports game, has stated that the upcoming season will be the final one, and the game will shut down in June. Although the game was well-received when it first launched in 2021, it has struggled to maintain a substantial player base in the years since, and as a result, the studio has decided to shut it down. Velan Studios has also announced that Season 9, starting on February 28, will be the last season of the game. When Season 9 starts, players will no longer be able to make actual money transactions.

Velan Studios has guaranteed that Season 9 will offer substantial rewards, including XP, style chips, and holobux currency. Additionally, almost all cosmetic items previously sold will be available in future event sales, and the rewards for logging in, participating in league play, and other in-game activities will be increased.

Regarding the shutdown, Russo explained that despite having a large player base of over 12 million players and billions of knockouts, the game requires substantial modifications to maintain a sustainable player base. When Knockout City shuts down, it will no longer be accessible, meaning players cannot progress beyond the main menu. However, a private server version of the game will still be available on PC, enabling the game to persist in a limited capacity.

Therefore, it became evident to the studio that they needed to take a break and allow Velan to focus on their strength, innovation. By taking a step back from the game, Velan Studios can apply the knowledge gained from its successes and areas for improvement to create new and thrilling experiences for Knockout City and other future games and products.

As a solution, they decided to pause and enable Velan to concentrate on their strength, innovation.

Velan Studios has terminated its multiplayer dodgeball game, Knockout City. Electronic Arts initially published Knockout City under its EA Originals label. Still, Velan Studios decided to self-publish and switch to a free-to-play model in 2022, starting with the launch of Season 6 in June. But the studio has now stated that Knockout City will officially shut down on June 6, 2023.

Knockout City was first introduced as a title from EA Originals in 2021. However, when it became free-to-play, Velan Studios assumed the role of publisher. Despite its eventual conclusion, the game still needs to be finished.

Season 9, a 12-week event, will commence on February 28 with a new map, a custom Brawl Pass, and the concluding installment of the story of Knockout City through the Deep Space Dispatch podcast. The final farewell celebration, “Thanks For The KOs,” will begin on May 23 and allow players to choose the playlists they want to play. Velan Studios will host the final event of Knockout City, a two-week goodbye celebration, on May 23.

Jeremy Russo, the Game Director of Knockout City, describes the final event as a grand in-game celebration with TRIPLE XP, many rewards, and the comeback of the popular playlist, Superpowers: Power Grab. He also mentions that there will be additional celebrations outside the game.

During the farewell event, there will be a lot of giveaways, a big final tournament for competitive players, new merchandise that reflects Knockout City’s memorable years, the last season of the Deep Space Dispatches podcast to finish the story, and many other unexpected treats.

Velan Studios have officially announced the end of Knockout City.

According to Russo, the end of Knockout City has been officially announced by Velan Studios as a mix of happiness and sadness. Although it has only been a two-year journey for some players, Russo and a few others on the team have been immersed in the game for over six years.

Russo expressed appreciation for the support from the players and acknowledged that the end of Knockout City was a mixture of happiness and sadness for him. He wished everyone a wonderful time during the last season and is eager to see them in-game.

When Knockout City is no longer operational, it will not be playable, and players will not be able to progress beyond the first screen. Despite this, a private server version of the game will be available on PC, allowing the game to persist in some form. Although the game will no longer be available on its original platform, a private server version will exist on PC, preserving some of its essences.

The studio is considering options for what could come next within the Knockout City universe; however, Russo stated that he could not guarantee the return of Knockout City. The game was first released in May 2021, with EA handling its publication. It temporarily switched to a free-to-play model in June 2021 and attracted five million players.