In a surprising move, Evil Dead: The Game, the asymmetric multiplayer title inspired by the iconic action horror franchise, has been removed from digital storefronts by its publisher. Launched in 2022 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, the game received a solid 8/10 in IGN's review, praised for its thrilling gameplay despite its rough edges, mirroring the essence of the horror/comedy films it was based on. A Game of the Year Edition was released a year later in an attempt to boost player engagement, but it seems this effort did not meet the desired success. The cancellation of the Nintendo Switch version and the halt in content development in September 2023 were clear indicators of the game's declining fortunes.
Three years after its initial launch, Evil Dead: The Game has now been completely delisted from sale, marking the end of its commercial availability. However, existing owners can breathe a sigh of relief as the game's servers will remain online, allowing them to continue their adventures in the Evil Dead universe.
Saber Interactive, the developer and publisher behind the game, confirmed this development on the game's Steam page:
We can confirm we've begun the process of removing the game from digital storefronts. Anyone who has purchased the game will still be able to play it as we plan to keep our servers online for everyone.
We want to extend a sincere thank you to our community, to those who have been part of the game from the very beginning, and those who have recently joined us. We appreciate all of your support.
The decision has been met with disappointment from the game's community, with numerous negative reviews on Steam expressing frustration over the game's removal, fearing it spells the end for the title. Despite this, the game maintains a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam. One positive review from a dedicated player with over 380 hours of playtime reflects a bittersweet sentiment: "The end is nigh. It was fun while it lasted, lads. I mean that."
Saber Interactive, known for last year's successful Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, continues to expand its portfolio with several licensed movie games in development. These include John Carpenter's Toxic Commando, Jurassic Park Survival, and an untitled Avatar: The Last Airbender game, alongside Turok: Origins and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3.
