Akatsuki Games has made a surprising announcement regarding the end-of-service (EOS) for their latest game, Tribe Nine. Launched just a few months ago in February across Android, iOS, and PC (via Steam), the news of its impending shutdown has left many fans in disbelief. Let's delve into the details and explore the reasons behind this early termination.
When Is the Tribe Nine EOS?
The official shutdown date for Tribe Nine is set for November 27th, 2025. Alongside this announcement, Akatsuki Games has confirmed that Chapter 4 of the main story will not be released, a disappointing turn of events especially since the game had recently teased significant upcoming developments. As of May 15th, all future updates, including new features, bug fixes, and content releases, have been canceled. This means that any previously announced adjustments or new features are no longer in development.
Additionally, two anticipated characters, Ichinosuke Akiba and Saizo Akiba, who were slated to join the game's roster, will not be added. On the financial front, refunds will be issued for Paid Enigma Entities used on purchases like Armed Support, Advanced Support, and the Support Contract – Revenio, with refunds commencing after the Revenio contract concludes. Furthermore, the sale of Enigma Entities and Daily Passes has been halted across all platforms, though players can continue to use their existing Enigma Entities until the game's official shutdown.
Why Did It Fail So Soon?
Tribe Nine is a free-to-play extreme action RPG that boasts a distinctive style and rich worldbuilding. Despite its quality, the game faced challenges from the outset. A notably slow release schedule, featuring only one story chapter and one event over three months, failed to keep the player base engaged. Moreover, the game's monetization strategy did not encourage spending; players could build a strong team with just one pull and did not require duplicate characters, which, while beneficial for players, proved detrimental to the developers' revenue.
The decision to adopt a gacha model seems to have been a risky move for Tribe Nine, ultimately not yielding the desired financial success. Despite its early closure, the game remains playable until November 27th, 2025. If you haven't yet experienced Tribe Nine, you can still check it out on the Google Play Store.
For more on similar gaming news, be sure to read about Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link also facing cancellation.
