Dauntless no longer receiving support, will go offline later this year

Posted on February 25, 2025

Dauntless, Phoenix Labs’ free-to-play Monster Hunter-esque multiplayer title, is on its last legs. Following the acquisition of Phoenix Labs by blockchain technology company Forte in 2023, the studio has undergone mass layoffs and has had projects cancelled mid-development. Dauntless is still currently playable, but will no longer receive new content or updates. The game’s servers will be turned off later this year, and Dauntless will consequently no longer be able to be played.

“Dauntless is shutting down on May 29, 2025. Dauntless will receive no additional content or updates. The game will no longer be available to play on May 29, 2025,” reads a curt announcement on Dauntless’ Steam page. It has also been confirmed via a post on the game’s official X account that, by virtue of being a free-to-play online-only title, Dauntless “will no longer be available to play” after the game is shut down.

Dauntless originally launched back in 2019, where players would team up on hunts to take down massive monsters known as Behemoths. The game boasted the distinction of being the first game to allow full cross-play and cross-progression between PC, PS4 and Xbox One; even Borderlands 3 didn’t have that at the time! However, despite a strong initial playerbase, the game’s fortunes would decline following the oddly secretive acquisition of developer Phoenix Labs by Forte in 2023, resulting in the cancellation of all projects other than Dauntless and Fae Farm and multiple rounds of mass layoffs.

For fans of Dauntless, the game will remain on life support for another three months or so. It is a shame that the game couldn’t last longer, however most online-only live service game have an expiration date at some point. It is unclear what the overhauls at Phoenix Labs might mean for Fae Farm. However, as a premium farming sim with optional online functionality, the game will at least remain playable even if its servers’ days might be numbered. Hopefully the developers at Phoenix Labs impacted by layoffs are able to find new roles soon. For those who want to try out Dauntless before it becomes unplayable for good, you have until the servers are shut down on May 30th at 4pm AEST.