Zynga Claims Star Wars: Hunters is Not a Failure Despite Imminent Delisting Challenges

Nintendo Switch and mobile multiplayer hero shooter, Star Wars: Hunters, is set to be permanently shut down on October 1. The announcement comes from Zynga, the game’s developer and publisher, which had previously revealed the final update and the disabling of microtransactions in April. While there was limited discussion on the reasons behind this closure, Zynga CEO Frank Gibeau recently clarified the situation in an interview with The Game Business. Gibeau framed the shutdown not as a failure, but rather as a learning experience for the studio.

He noted that the decision to discontinue Star Wars: Hunters stemmed from its inability to operate as a viable business, despite being tied to a blockbuster franchise. Gibeau mentioned that Zynga plans to shift its focus away from licensed games, suggesting that the experience gained from Hunters will contribute positively to future projects in the action-shooter genre on mobile platforms. In the interview, Gibeau provided insights into why Star Wars: Hunters struggled to succeed. He explained that despite having a strong technological foundation and being a fun game, it failed to generate organic player installs.

Essentially, the appeal of the Star Wars brand alone was not sufficient to drive player engagement and spending for this free-to-play title. Additionally, Gibeau admitted there were limitations in utilizing the Star Wars intellectual property, as iconic characters like Darth Vader were absent from the game. Despite these challenges, Gibeau emphasized that the experience was not a total loss. He highlighted the valuable insights gained about the market and the development team.

Moving forward, Zynga intends to leverage the technology and talent cultivated during the development of Star Wars: Hunters as they pursue new opportunities in the fast-growing mobile action shooter category, focusing more on original creations rather than licensed properties. This situation serves as a reminder of the difficulties faced by developers across the gaming landscape.