Jump Force shutting down, sales and services close in 2022

Stumble Force

Bandai Namco has announced that it is making moves to shut down support for its anime crossover fighter, Jump Force. Sales of the game, its DLC, and virtual currency will end across all platforms in all territories on February 7, 2022. The majority of online services for the fighter will be shutting down on August 24, 2022.

Developed by Spike Chunsoft, Jump Force seemed like a “can’t miss” prospect when announced: a one-on-one fighting title that would see heroes and villains from a variety of mega-popular anime series get-together for an almighty throwdown. Starring poster guys and gals from franchises such as Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, and Hunter x Hunter, Jump Force seemed like a title that would capture the hearts and wallets of even the most casual of anime fans.

Unfortunately, upon release in 2019, it quickly became apparent that Jump Force was no Dragon Ball FighterZ, receiving universal middle-of-the-road reviews from both critics and fans. Despite building upon its staggeringly good roster of recognizable faces, it just wasn’t a particularly engaging fighter, and swiftly vanished among the better anime-infused fighting games that were on the market. Bandai Namco has not offered a clear reason for the shutdown, so we do not know whether juggling all of the different character licenses plays a part in its decision.

As of February 7, Jump Force and all related DLC will be delisted from the store and will remain unpurchaseable, though players who hold licenses will still be able to redownload their chosen content. As of August 24, the multiplayer lobby, clan battle, leaderboards, online news, reward center, and in-game store will all be permanently closed down. In regards to online multiplayer, players will be able to play online Vs. matches, but will not be afforded access to lobbies or Ranked.