Hero shooter Last Flag halts production just 2 weeks after launch, but vows to make sure that the game doesn't disappear
The End of an Era for Last Flag
Last Flag, a third-person hero shooter that launched just two weeks ago, is halting production. This decision comes as a shock to many players who were excited about the game's unique approach to the genre.
In a lengthy statement posted to Discord, the team at Knight Street Games shared their reasons for this difficult decision. They acknowledged that they "knew that we couldn't possibly match the pace and scale of the AAA competition" and intentionally avoided the "live service free-to-play game." However, despite these efforts, Last Flag "has been unable to find the audience it needs to give all of you the experience you deserve."
Despite this setback, the team emphasized that "Last Flag isn't going anywhere." While they are unable to "support additional development beyond some upcoming patches," Knight Street Games is working with backend partners and Steam to enable custom lobbies and ensure that the game doesn't disappear.
A Dream Fueled by Passion
"Five years ago, we set out to build a game that captured the fun of playing real-life capture the flag," the statement began. "As an indie studio, we knew that we couldn't possibly match the pace and scale of the AAA competition, so we didn't build a 'live service' free-to-play game. Our hope was that we could find a sustainable audience by offering a complete game experience at an affordable price – one with no battle passes or microtransactions – and to win over players by making it with heart and doing it our way."
The statement went on to explain that while the game has not found the audience it needed, the team is not giving up. "If you've been following the Steam charts, you already know that Last Flag has been unable to find the audience it needs to give all of you the experience you deserve. But that doesn't mean we're about to throw in the towel."
What's Next for Last Flag?
The financial reality of their situation means that the team is unlikely to be able to support additional development (including console, for now) beyond some upcoming patches. However, the game will not be shutting down, and the team hopes that these updates bring more value and control to players.
Some of the things you can look forward to in the next few months include:
- The tenth character
- A new map
- A brand-new game mode
- Cosmetics
- Leaderboards
- And much more
"Last Flag isn't going anywhere," the statement continued. "The faith that the community put into our shared dream means everything to us, so we're going to make sure that the game doesn't disappear. In addition to working with our backend partners and Steam to ensure that players can continue to play the game they've purchased, we'll be adding the ability for the community to set up custom lobbies with alternate game rules and find their own best version of Last Flag."
A Grateful Farewell
The statement closed on thanking players for "the awesome matches, the feedback, and the many words of support." It concluded with a heartfelt message: "Being able to build Last Flag for you has been a dream come true. Our game belongs to you, and we hope to continue capturing flags with you for years to come. In the meantime, we'll see you on the battlefield – and we hope you'll tune in for what comes next from Knight Street Games."
A Familiar Story
If this all sounds grimly familiar, that's because it is. Live-service hero shooter Highguard launched in January and quickly amassed a large influx of players on its release. Player numbers dwindled, though, as complaints about map size and the 3v3 game format grew, and though the studio sought to address these issues with a number of content updates and making its once-limited-time 5v5 mode a permanent feature, it was not enough.
Developer Wildlight ultimately decided to cut its losses and pull the plug on Highguard in early March. This serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by indie studios in the competitive world of gaming.
