Summary
- Spellbreak's community edition allows fans to host their own servers for the magic-based battle royale.
- The game sets itself apart by using elemental gauntlets with unique attacks and abilities instead of the standard assortment of guns.
- Despite the official servers being shut down, the game remains alive thanks to the community's love and dedication.
The magic-based battle royale Spellbreak has spiked in notoriety lately thanks to the growing awareness of a "community edition" of the game. This version of Spellbreak has actually existed for a few years but is only being noticed more recently, leading to an unexpected growth in attention.
Developed by Proletariat, Spellbreak was a spell-slinging battle royale which had its servers shut down in early 2023 following the studio's buyout by Blizzard. Proletariat was bought out by Blizzard in 2022 and brought on to aid in World of Warcraft's development, resulting in development for Spellbreak ceasing and the servers dying not long after. With a lifespan of just over two years that saw Spellbreak become one of the hottest battle royales of the time, it ultimately lived fast and died young. Proletariat was not content to let it completely die, however, and released a build of the game for free that allowed the community to set up servers and explore the world of Spellbreak at their leisure, either alone or with friends.
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As reported by Aftermath, now that community is being discovered by former fans of the battle royale title, as well as other gamers who missed the opportunity to play the first time round. Available via itch.io, the community version of Spellbreak allows fans to relive the game even though the official servers are long dead. In the time since Proletariat stepped away from the game, Spellbreak's community has refused to say goodbye and kept it running with a Discord server called "Elemental Fracture" and the organization of frequent matches and events for fans of the arcane battle royale to enjoy.
Spellbreak Is Still Playable Via Community Servers
Spellbreak offers a more unique take on the battle royale genre, swapping out the familiar guns and other modern weaponry in favor of a robust magic system in a fantasy setting. Different elemental gauntlets can be found around the map in Spellbreak, and each element has its own attacks and abilities that foster various playstyles. Players can equip two gauntlets at once, and these elemental attacks can often be combined for devastating effect, giving them a lot of freedom in how they go about combat, as well as ensuring mayhem when a lot of volatile spells are fired off in an enclosed space towards the end of a game.
With various news outlets bringing light to this formerly dead game, the community version of Spellbreak has received a burst of life in the past few days. Sometimes, a community's love for a game is enough to keep it running long past its time, and the recent influx of new players in Spellbreak offers a heartwarming display of a community that's managed to keep a game alive and visible to new audiences through a labor of love.
Spellbreak
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 72%
- Released
- September 3, 2020
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Violence
- Developer(s)
- Proletariat
- Publisher(s)
- Proletariat
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
WHERE TO PLAY
Unleash your inner battlemage in Spellbreak. When magic is forbidden, locked in the iron grip of the Vowkeepers, it’s up to you to resist and reclaim what’s yours. Harness the raw power of your gauntlets and tap into the unimaginable forces of the elemental planes. Soar into fierce battles, through floating islands and impossible terrain, to unleash the Breaker within.
