The Final Hunt: Dauntless Shutting Down on May 29, 2025

After nearly six years of thrilling Behemoth hunts, sky-faring adventures, and vibrant community interactions, Dauntless will officially shut down on May 29, 2025, at 11:45 PM PT. Developer Phoenix Labs confirmed the news in a heartfelt announcement, marking the end of an era for one of the pioneering titles in cross-platform cooperative action RPGs.

For the millions of Slayers who traversed the Shattered Isles together, this shutdown represents more than just the end of a game—it’s the sunset of a beloved digital world that pushed boundaries in accessibility, community play, and online co-op experiences.

When Dauntless launched in open beta in 2018 and officially released in May 2019, it entered a genre largely dominated by Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise. But Dauntless carved its own path with unique traits that quickly gained attention:

• Free-to-play accessibility made it appealing to a wide audience.

• Stylized art and streamlined combat offered a more approachable alternative to complex gear-based systems.

• Cross-platform play from day one allowed friends on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch to hunt together—an industry-first at the time.

The game’s city of Ramsgate became a vibrant social hub, where players would gather, show off armor sets, and coordinate their next battle against elemental titans known as Behemoths. By mid-2019, Phoenix Labs reported over 15 million players had tried the game.

Until the shutdown, players can still log in and play the game. However:

• In-game purchases have been disabled since March 1, 2025.

• No new content or updates will be released.

• All player progress and cosmetic items will be lost once servers go offline.

Phoenix Labs has published a Sunset FAQ to help players navigate the final days, including technical support and community links.

They also encouraged fans to participate in “Legacy Hunts” — a temporary event where all Behemoths rotate more frequently to give players one last chance to face their favorites.

Though its story ends here, Dauntless leaves behind a meaningful legacy in the online gaming space:

• First truly cross-platform online co-op game

• An early success story in the Epic Games Store’s push against Steam

• A vibrant, inclusive player base that welcomed casual and hardcore players alike

• A model for free-to-play games that (initially) prioritized cosmetics over pay-to-win mechanics

Dauntless also contributed to broader conversations about accessibility in online RPGs, simplifying complex genre conventions and inviting a new generation of gamers into a world of crafting, co-op, and customization.