 | Digital Release | PC September 03, 2020 – Epic Games December 15, 2020 – Steam Nintendo Switch September 03, 2020 (EU, JP, NA) PlayStation 4 September 03, 2020 (AU, EU, JP, NA) Xbox One September 03, 2020 (NA) December 15, 2020 (AU, EU, JP) |
| Delisting | January 10, 2023 – Server Shutdown | |
| Developer | Proletariat Inc | |
| Publisher | Proletariat Inc | |
| Available On | None (See Below) | |
| Links | Spellbreak homepage |
Delisting
Proletariat announced on June 28th, 2022 that development work had ended on Spellbreak and that the game would be shut down at some point in “early 2023” which would turn out to be January 10th. Although the free-to-play game can still be downloaded on all platforms as of February 14th, launching it results in an error on the title screen that directs players to the Spellbreak status page which reports that “Spellbreak servers have shut down”.
Below is the official statement made on the game’s homepage on June 28th followed by a post from Seth Sivak, CEO of Proletariat on the game’s subreddit later that same day.
After more than four years of elemental magic and spell combinations, we’ve made the decision to end development of Spellbreak. The servers will be shut down as of early 2023. Thank you to the millions of players who have joined us in the Hollow Lands since 2018; it’s been an amazing journey.
Our vision was to create a fresh, multiplayer action-spellcasting game with exceptional movement and class customization that would give players the chance to unleash their inner battlemage. We are grateful to everyone in the game’s community for exploring the magical worlds and experiences we created together. Spellbreak was an ambitious project that saw our team push new boundaries in design and development and we are excited to continue to innovate as we create new titles in the future.
To all Spellbreak fans around the world, thank you for the support and dedication that made the game and community so special.
Spellbreak Announcement – June 28th, 2022
Spellbreak started as an idea to create a revolutionary multiplayer fantasy experience. I feel we achieved that—in combat, art style, storytelling and more.
When we started development on Spellbreak, we thought we would be lucky if we got an early-access, PC-only release. The excitement and engagement from the community allowed us to push the boundaries on quality, gameplay, platforms, and more. Spellbreak was the first game ever released fully cross-platform with cross-play on day one across PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. Over 10 million players have dropped into the Hollow Lands, which is an incredible milestone for any new IP launching from any developer.
It is challenging to sum up the experience of both building Spellbreak and launching it to the world with the help of every single one of you. It is even more difficult to tell you that we will be shutting down Spellbreak early next year.
Unfortunately, the game industry is a difficult business. Spellbreak was not able to break through and reach a sustainable place where we could continue to invest in it in the way we had dreamed of. We picked a hard path as an independent studio and decided to compete with some of the biggest games in the world. While we could not get the escape velocity needed, I do not regret the bold decisions we made in bringing Spellbreak to life.
While this is goodbye for Spellbreak, I cannot thank this community enough for the support and help along the way. Spellbreak transformed our studio and touched the lives of so many. So again, thank you.
Seth Sivak, CEO of Proletariat Inc. – June 28th, 2022
On the following day, June 29th, VentureBeat and other outlets reported that Blizzard had expressed interest in acquiring Proletariat and incorporating their workforce to support World of Warcraft. On July 1st, 2022 Proletariat published an announcement confirming the acquisition which likely added to their decision to shut down Spellbreak. Then on January 10th, 2023 the Spellbreak homepage was updated with the following message:
Spellbreak servers have shut down. Thank you all for supporting Spellbreak’s development and being a part of this amazing community. If you’d like to continue interacting with your fellow Breakers, you can find them on the Spellbreak Discord or Reddit page. We wish you all the best.
Spellbreak Homepage – January 10th, 2023
Shortly after the January 10th shutdown the Spellbreak Dev Team released ‘Spellbreak – Community Version‘ on itch.io to allow players to host private servers and continue playing the game in limited capacity. The Community Version’s description on itch.io follows:
Like many of you, we were sad to see the development of Spellbreak come to a close. In order to help memorialize Spellbreak and allow players to continue to enjoy the Hollow Lands, we created a standalone version where players can host their own servers, play with their friends, and explore the game-space at their own pace.
Thank you for playing and being a part of the wonderful and passionate community that allowed us to bring Spellbreak to life. We wish you all the best!
Spellbreak – Community Version Description
It is unclear at this point if or when the ability to download Spellbreak will be removed from digital storefronts.
About the Game
Unleash your inner battlemage in Spellbreak.
When magic is forbidden, locked in the iron grip of the Vowkeepers, it’s up to you to resist and reclaim what’s yours. Harness the raw power of your gauntlets and tap into the unimaginable forces of the elemental planes . Soar into fierce battles, through floating islands and impossible terrain, to unleash the Breaker within.
BUILD YOUR BATTLEMAGE
Choose a class: Frostborn, Conduit, Pyromancer, Toxicologist, Stoneshaper, or Tempest. Each has its own playstyle, which you can customize with talents as you grow in power. Which will you master?
COMBINE THE ELEMENTS
A mighty battlemage isn’t limited to just one ability. Seize hold of two powerful magic gauntlets and blend devastating spell combinations to control the battlefield with fiery tornadoes, electrified gas clouds, and more!
BATTLE ACROSS THE HOLLOW LANDS
Explore the map and find tactical advantages to outplay your opponents. Discover hidden chests that contain magical runes and game-changing equipment. These items give you the ability to fly, teleport, control time, become invisible, and more.
Thanks to HandMaskTar for submitting this game to the site