Hi-Rez Shutting Down Realm Royale Reforged and Divine Knockout Alongside Staff Layoffs

Image Credit: Hi-Rez Studios, Divine Knockout and Realm Royale Reforged Main Images

Hi-Rez Studios has announced that Realm Royale Reforged, a once-popular battle royale game, will be shutting down on February 17, 2025, alongside Divine Knockout, another of their titles. The closures come in the wake of layoffs at the company, with their focus turning toward focusing on fewer projects, more specifically Smite 2.

Realm Royale Reforged had gained a loyal player base after its initial release, with a silly and unique twist on the battle royale genre with some interesting fantasy elements and mechanics. However, as player numbers dwindled and the battle royale market became oversaturated, the game struggled to grow at an acceptable pace. The game had seen a little surge in interest after a major update that "reforged" its core mechanics, but this wasn't nearly enough to sustain any sort of long-term success.

In recent months, Hi-Rez has been concentrating more on its flagship games, with Smite and Paladins continuing to receive updates, albeit at reduced levels and Smite 2 just over the horizon. The company has also put significant effort into Smite 2, which is expected to be the primary focus moving forward.

Image Credit: Twitter User @schisam

Despite Rogue Company maintaining a very small player base, its future also appears uncertain as Hi-Rez looks inward and evaluates the viability of its other games. For players of Realm Royale Reforged and Divine Knockout, the company has made in-game items more accessible, offering discounts and free rewards in the lead-up to the games' closure. Both games will be removed from digital storefronts once the servers go offline.

Unfortunately, this comes at a time when there are record layoffs in the video game industry, and we can only hope that things turn around and that those directly affected by this decision are able to find another job soon.