Konami has announced thatYu-Gi-Oh Cross Duel, the newest mobile game for the massively popular card game franchise, will be shutting down later this year. Konami first announced the mobile spinoff of the series in 2021, promising a unique gameplay style that vastly differs from the traditional card game. The game takesmore inspiration fromYu-Gi-Oh’s animeadaptations than the card game, heavily featuring characters from the series alongside iconic Monsters like “Elemental HERO Neos” and “Dark Magician.” Now, Konami has revealed the end is near for the unconventional spinoff.Yu-Gi-Oh Cross Duel’s debut in September 2022 brought with it a radical shift from the traditionalYu-Gi-Ohgameplay formula.Cross Duelfeatures chaotic four-player duels with each player sending their Monsters down different lanes to attack opponents, while setting Traps to disrupt other players.Cross Duelalso boasts a new mechanic where players can change the types of their Monster cards, adding special effects to power up their Decks. However,Cross Duel’s unique gameplay clearly didn’t catch on as Konami has announced its end-of-service plans for the game.RELATED:Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Leak Reveals Tier 0 Archetype Coming SoonKonami officially announced its plans to sunsetYu-Gi-Oh Cross Duelon Tuesday morning, setting a final date for the game’s closure.Yu-Gi-Oh Cross Duel’s service is planned to end later this year on September 4, just two days before the game’s one-year anniversary. Konami confirmed it would be ending the sale of crystals in the game following the announcement, with two new events set to run next month. The developer is also reportedly planningone final balance adjustment toCross Duelbefore the game is officially shelved.
WithCross Duelplanned to end its service later this year, Konami has confirmed rewards for players on its other active games. Konami would reveal thatplayers on bothYu-Gi-Oh Duel LinksandYu-Gi-Oh Master Duelwill receive gem rewards coinciding withCross Duel’s revealed closure. The game’s final balance update is currently planned for April 4 and is expected to affect several of the game’s popular boss Monsters including “Stardust Dragon” and “Black Rose Dragon.”
WhileCross Dueldid not achieve the level of success Konami had likely hoped for,Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duelhas proven to be a hit since its launch early last year.Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duelrecently celebrated its first anniversary with new cards, Structure Decks for anime archetypes, and plenty ofcosmetics based on classicYu-Gi-Ohcards.Master Duelalso passed 50 million downloads across its multiple versions last November.Yu-Gi-Oh Cross Duel’s impending shutdown will mark the end of a unique spinoff for the iconic card game.
