Players who grew up in the 80s and 90s know the good and bad of licensed games. For every goodTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesgamemade by Konami or a Disney game made by Capcom, there was something absurdly bad and uninteresting, like anything based onThe TerminatororJurassic Park.
Licensed games have almost gone away, or at least they’re not as common as they used to be, besides some legacy sports games or anime adaptations. The tricky thing about them nowadays is that publishers can randomly remove them from digital storefronts or remove functionality and online support. For fans of these games or properties, players may want to get on board before they are gone.
The first game worth mentioning on the chopping block isBeat Saber, which is technically not a licensed-based game. However, as the whole point of the game is based around licensed music from Lady Gaga to Imagine Dragons, the upcoming change is something fans will want to know. For clarity,Beat Saberis a VR-based game that became popular on the PS4 and PC-back VR headsets, wherein players timed their saber attacks to the beat of music similar torhythm-based games likeGuitar Hero. It was released in 2019.
As of July 23, 2025,Beat Saberwill no longer be getting new content on PlayStation platforms. It’s not getting delisted, and the music can still be purchased, but comeJanuary 21, 2026, players can no longer enjoyBeat Saberwith friends on PlayStation consoles. That’s when the multiplayer features are going to disappear. It’s only a matter of time after that, when the game and its content could disappear too. For now, let’s hope for the best for PlayStation fans and for PC fans as well.
5Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Battle Chronicle
The Dungeons Are Closing Up
Is It Wrong to attempt to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?is a Light Novel series that began in 2013, which later got an anime adaptation in 2015. It’s fairly popular enough to get several games, includingIs It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Battle Chronicle, which is also referred to asDanMachi: Battle Chronicle.
DanMachi: Battle Chronicle isa free-to-play gamethat hit a plethora of platforms from mobile to PC to PlayStation. The service began in 2023, and as of the end of July, players will no longer be able to purchase anything,and then Septemberspells the end for all services. Fans of the series better download this action RPG quickly because they are running out of time.
PGA TOUR 2K21was launched in 2020 and found mild success in sales and in reviews. It’s not as whimsical asgolf games likeMario GolforHot Shots Golf, butPGA TOUR 2K21was aimed at a crowd who wanted to experience a more immersive sim-like golf game. Unfortunately, for anyone looking for this game digitally now, they cannot buy it as it was delisted in January. The Switch version’s storefront is strangely still up compared to other platforms, but that may change any day now.
Physical copies and pre-purchased digital copies are in trouble, too. As of August 30, the game will no longer accept payments for in-game transactions.In October, all online functionalitywill cease, but the game can still be played offline in certain modes. Sports games are meant to be played competitively, soPGA TOUR 2K21will definitely be losing a part of its identity come October.
Star Wars: Hunterswas delayed several times, but it was finally released in 2024 on Switch and mobile platforms. It’s best to think of the game as anOverwatchclone, as players can pick some generic characters based onStar Warsclasses, from bounty hunters to Jedi.
Unfortunately for fans who really got into the game in 2024, it isshutting down in October, and there will be no way to play online after that. There are a plethora ofonline-supportedStar Warsgamesout there, though, likeStar Wars Battlefront 2, that players are still engaging with despite it launching in 2017. At least there are other options like that out there, and players do at least have a few months of fun left withStar Wars: Hunters.
Tribe Ninewas released on June 05, 2025, and now it’sgetting delisted on July 03, 2025, which is wild. The game is based on an anime that launched in 2022 about a post-apocalyptic society that plays games of extreme baseball to settle disputes. It was a zany idea fora sports-based anime, but fun at the same time.
It’s unreal that the game, after being delayed and teased to fans of the anime for years, is shutting down after less than a year of service. It was made in collaboration by the creator ofDanganronpa, Kazutaka Kodaka. He started his own company, Too Kyo Games, to make projects like this andThe Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, which is secretly one of 2025’s best tactical RPGs. For players who don’t like playing games on mobile devices,Tribe Nineruns decently on Steam Deck, and it’s worth looking into.
WWE fans are used to their favorite gameslosing support after a year or two. The online serversshutting down in SeptemberforWWE 2K24shouldn’t be that big of a surprise. With positive reviews and players laying the smack down on friends for months now, it is still a shame.
It’s wild thatPGA TOUR 2K21, as a licensed-based sports game, had more of a legacy thanWWE 2K24. At least fans can still play the game offline, but it’s just not the same thing. Imagine if Capcom shut downStreet Fighter 6’sservers after just a year. That would have truly been unprecedented, but either way, this is a blow for wrestling fans everywhere, even if the newest game,WWE 2K25, is still around.
