Project Spark is no more. Microsoft has just announced that its online game creator is no longer for sale as of today. Online services will end in August.
“For existing users of Project Spark, online services will be unavailable after 8/12/16,” community manager Thomas Gratz wrote on their website. “Without services, players will no longer be able to download user-generated content or upload their own creations. If you want to access user-generated content offline, you will need to download this content prior to 8/12/16. Be sure to download your favourite community creations and your own uploads if they are not saved locally.”
This news comes several months after Microsoft announced that they would no longer release DLC for Spark. It also comes in the wake of Microsoft shutting down Lionhead and killing their other “game as service”, Fable Legends.
Anyone who bought a retail copy of Project Spark will get a credit added to their Microsoft account, the company said.
Comments
19 responses to “Microsoft Kills Project Spark”
Games as a service, the gift that keeps on giving
This article reminded me project spark existed.
My exact thoughts. Completely forgot that it was even a thing.
Good, it was trash anyway haha
When will people remember that xbox is microsoft, they are not the heroes of IT and they are not the heroes of gaming, this is why I prioritise ANY platform over xbox. Microsoft are doing as much damage as the likes of EA with this sort of bullshit. I know all the other platforms are not guiltless of this sort of shitfuckeree, but this was a concept set up to fail.
What bullshit? They tried something different with Project Spark, it didn’t get the market appeal to survive and would be financially detrimental to continue support, so they’ve given everyone 6 months notice before they’ll be shutting it down, advised people that they can continue to play levels they download before that date, and giving people credit if they purchased the game.
Yea, because PSN is the only free to play system over XBL isn’t it? The PS4 is fantastic for media like the PS3 and not “only for the gamers”, Sony didn’t take away Linux availability after bragging about its uses for years, and they’re really good at keeping your personal information secure. Sony are super consistent and reliable….
All these companies are shitbags. All of them.
Wow congratulations for winning the I didn’t read the post I’m commenting on award, seriously dude it wasn’t that long and the last sentence says exactly that
Congrats for not getting the point. Taking some stupid hardline “I prioritise any platform over MS” stance when Sony are a bunch of shitbags themselves is pretty pointless. Why not go PC? Oh, then you have to deal with shitbags like Valve, EA and Ubisoft directly.
Finally the comment thread I’ve been waiting for /s
WII U MASTER RACE!
This is one of the concerning aspects of online dependent games, where core features are disabled within two years of the game’s release.
If you’re interested in playing these sort of games, make sure you do it not long after release, as you never know when they can the servers or stop supporting the game.
This reminds me that I need to play Mario Maker already, as the longer I wait, the less time I’ll get to utilise the online features since it will eventually cease to be supported.
Mario Maker has been revelatory for me. I had no inkling that endless 2D Mario courses (and occasionally maddeningly difficult ones) is what I craved, but here we are. I play it almost daily.
No matter when, I always find SMB on the NES and SMB3 on the SNES the two most playable games ever. Mario maker was the greatest idea.
Project what?
Microsoft killed Project Spark upon release.
Project Spark, was more complex to play with and harder to use then any other “game maker” ive ever seen, it was also extremity hard to understand how to make thing interact and work with other things, and the tutorials where so basic, they where useless.
I’ve made games with Game Maker, XNA, and Unity.
This was harder and required more work to get anything to function than any of them. Messing around with terrain deformation was kinda cool though…
Why do I get the feeling these games were not meant to be released anyway. What if MS just wanted to green-light a bunch of games in the very early stages just to show an impressive lineup, after they saw the initial sales figures for the XBO.
I wonder if someone can do a showcase of how many games announced for XBO and how many actually made it.
I remember reading about an XBO exclusive being cancelled long ago where the developer said it was never a working title.
Well, I’m glad I picked it up when JB were selling it for $1. Free Xbox credit, thank you!