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[Enter the Dragon Punch]

http://gematsu.com/2016/01/rise-mana-end-service-march

Square Enix investigating other distribution method.

Rise of Mana, Square Enix’s free-to-play RPG for smartphones and PS Vita, will end service on March 31 in Japan, the company announced.

Square Enix cites a lack of balance between development and capital during the game’s prolonged management, adding that after consultation within the company, it decided that it would not be able to deliver satisfactory content to users in the future.

While service is ending as a free-to-play title, Square Enix said it is investigating whether it can deliver the game in a different form.

tl;dr shutting it down as a f2p title and looking for ways to re-launch it as a (assumedly) buy to play title

also apparently this game is incredible

do it, square. i'll be there day one on vita if you localize this thing and release it as a a standalone thing. bring it to ps4/android/pc/etc, too.

lock if old

 

[KeyChainDude]

That was quick. Hoping for an actual western release without all the f2p bullshit.

 

[entremet]

I hope it comes out in the US.

 

[Jawmuncher]

But to Play would be a good way to probably get some more sales without having to just scrap it all. I'm surprised more games don't try to do a offline version. Then again if the game is too big, that's a lot of work.

 

[Shouta]

It's a surprisingly good game for a F2P and if they made alterations to it for to be a fuller single player title, it'd be pretty fun, I think.

 

[vareon]

I'm kinda surprised that they are looking for other ways to release the game. It'll probably be Japan only still but I hope more publishers does this. I'm really interested in this and Final Fantasy Legends.

 

[BasilZero]

As an non-F2P game with a release in the west would be nice.

 

[RayearthRob]

So... 3DS version? I would love a new mana game.

 

[Shinriji]

The game was OK, nothing special. It took forever on vita to reach a playable state, though.

The good thing is that it is a full fledged game already, and surprising light on P2W hooks that others F2P games has. So it can be adapted to a consumer game without too many issues, I think.

 

[entremet]

So... 3DS version? I would love a new mana game.

Probably won't happen.