In Brief
- Closure Announcement: The web3 card battle game, Captain Tsubasa Rivals on Polygon and Oasys blockchains, will cease operations on November 28 at 06:00 UTC.
- End of Services: Key game services including RIVALS Mode, PvP Mode, and the marketplace will stop on October 26 at 23:59 UTC.
- Continued Availability: Despite the shutdown, the Mini App version of Captain Tsubasa Rivals remains operational with its third season forthcoming.
Game Shutdown Explained
After approximately three years of service, the development team behind Captain Tsubasa Rivals has decided to shut down the game versions on the Polygon and Oasys blockchains. The decision comes as the challenges of sustaining the game’s ecosystem have proven too great to overcome. The announcement highlighted the difficulty in maintaining long-term operations, despite the initial support from the blockchain gaming community.
The official statement from the studio reflected a sense of appreciation for the backing they received: “Taking on the challenge of combining the historic IP ‘Captain Tsubasa’ with the new frontier of blockchain gaming was by no means an easy path, but thanks to our users, we were able to gain a wealth of experiences together. Although we had aimed for long-term game operation, it has become difficult to continue the game ecosystem. After much deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to terminate the service.”
Detailed Shutdown Schedule
The closure process for Captain Tsubasa Rivals will be phased, with initial service terminations starting on October 26. The first to be discontinued will be deposits, GEM purchases, RIVALS and PvP modes, and marketplace access. Following this, the Arena (Special Match) will end on November 7, leading up to the complete shutdown of the game’s app and website on November 28 at 06:00 UTC.
The developers advise players to withdraw any in-game tokens promptly as these will not be retrievable beyond the designated withdrawal amounts post-shutdown. Additionally, game-associated NFTs will no longer be viewable after the service ends.
Ongoing Operations and Future Prospects
Despite the shutdown of the specific blockchain versions, the Mini App version of Captain Tsubasa Rivals will continue to operate. The developers have already hinted at the imminent launch of Season 3, offering hope to fans of the series. This version operates via Telegram and LINE, allowing players to earn tokens and compete for rewards based on their Player Power and Team Power.
The continuation of this Mini App suggests that the Captain Tsubasa IP will still have a footprint in the blockchain gaming landscape, albeit in a different format from the original blockchain editions.
