Summary
- The servers for Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance will go offline on February 25, 2025.
- Additionally, the game won't be available for purchase after this date.
- Upon its release in 2021, the title was poorly received due to its bugs and lackluster story.
Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance is coming to an end in February 2025. The D&D title struggled to gain solid footing after its 2021 release, even after a series of updates fixed some of the game's most pressing issues. It seems these fixes were not enough, as the devs behind Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance have announced they're shutting down its servers early next year.
While D&D as a franchise has seen remarkable success over the years, that popularity has not always translated well into new ventures. A buggy release and dull gameplay made Dark Alliance one of 2021's most disappointing games, though developer Tuque Games was quick to respond to feedback. Still, while other D&D titles like Baldur's Gate 3 captivated players, Dark Alliance never made a full recovery from its lackluster launch, ultimately leading to the recent news of the game losing ongoing support.
On December 17, the Steam listing for Dark Alliance changed its description of the game to announce the shutdown of its servers. According to the page, the servers will go offline on February 25, 2025. The game won't be available for purchase anymore after that date, either, so players only have until then to download the title if they hope to play it later. Anyone who already bought it will still be able to play it offline, but because Dark Alliance's co-op mode was online-only, they'll only be able to do so in single-player mode.
Dungeons and Dragons Video Games Face an Uncertain Future
The shutdown of Dark Alliance is not the only blow D&D's video game adaptations have suffered recently. In 2023, Wizards of the Coast canceled five unannounced games, presumably including at least a few D&D titles, as the company had previously stated it had as many as eight Dungeons and Dragons games in development. Closing the door on Dark Alliance could be a way to free resources for upcoming projects, but the news paints an uncertain picture of the future of D&D video games going forward.
Many D&D titles have failed to live up to the popularity of their source material. However, Baldur's Gate 3 was a massive success, suggesting the franchise could still make a big impact in the gaming space. At the same time, Larian Studios said it would not make Baldur's Gate 4, which doesn't mean BG4 will never happen, but does mean that Wizards of the Coast will have to find a new developer, which could make a sequel challenging. These considerable highs and lows make it difficult to guess what the future of D&D video games will look like.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 58 /100 Critics Rec: 10%
- Released
- June 22, 2021
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Tuque Games
- Publisher(s)
- Wizards of the Coast
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
WHERE TO PLAY
Dark Alliance brings to life the world of Dungeons & Dragons in an explosive action RPG filled with real-time combat and dynamic co-op. Frost giants and vengeful dragons roam unchecked through Icewind Dale as invading armies of evil grow stronger every day. Now four heroes must beat back the onslaught of creatures and defend against the dark. Choose your hero and join up to three other friends to battle legendary monsters. Explore the frigid world of Icewind Dale as you vanquish unstoppable bosses, earn powerful gear, and unlock new abilities to take on even bigger challenges.
Conquer Unstoppable Monsters - Dark Alliance pits players against some of the most legendary monsters from the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Frost giants, Beholders, White Dragons—muster the strength to defeat them all against insurmountable odds.
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Weak
