Shelf-Life Beta
Shutdown Watch / Issue 2
Ever Crisis goes dark, and Playdate owners have until 15 October to update
Shutdown Watch · 12 October 2026
A quieter week for shutdowns, with one mobile game switching off and one more date before Christmas. Plus new US sales figures for Switch 2 Game-Key Cards, and a deadline for Playdate owners.
Switched off
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis
Square Enix closed its free-to-play mobile game on 6 October (early on the 7th in the UK). Only players in Taiwan were offered refunds for unused paid crystals.
Details · Source: Square Enix
Coming up
The New Denpa Men: 7 December
Genius Sonority switches off the free-to-play Switch and mobile game on 7 December. Paid item sales have already stopped, and unused paid Jewels will be refunded.
Details · Source: Genius Sonority
Physical copies and ownership
Game-Key Card sales jump in the US
Circana's figures show US spending on Switch 2 Game-Key Cards, boxed games that hold a download licence rather than the full game, is up 631% so far this year. Other new physical game sales are down 3%.
Source: Nintendo Life
Playdate owners asked to update by 15 October
Panic has emailed owners of its Playdate handheld: security certificates on older system software expire on 15 October, which will make connecting to its servers and updating harder. Updating to OS 3.0.5 or later avoids this.
Source: Siliconera