Crash Bandicoot mobile game is 'on the run' to an early grave

The freemium auto-runner was launched in March last year.

Game developer King announced today that it is shutting down Crash Bandicoot: On the Run. The Android and iOS title didn't last long, as it had just launched in March 2021.

King has announced on his Facebook page (via Eurogamer) that he will be shutting down the game's servers on February 16, 2023, after which you will no longer be able to play. All in-app purchases are already disabled and players will have until the last day of the game to spend purchased purple crystals.

The game was an auto-runner in the vein of Temple Run. Holding their phones in portrait orientation, players used touch controls to move the furry marsupial from lane to lane, dodging obstacles, smashing boxes and firing projectiles.

King left a lot of room for confusion ahead of today's announcement. Some fans noticed last week that it was removed from Google Play and the App Store without explanation. Twitter user Festive Charlie reached out (via Crashy News) to King's customer service to ask about the removal, and a rep replied, "Rest assured Adventure is far from over. Our Studio tech assistants are already busy putting the finishing touches on more exciting features and islands that will be available very soon. Although it's no surprise that the customer support team at 'a (possibly outsourced) developer is left in the dark about an unannounced cancellation, it's harder to excuse suggesting to a fan that the game is about to receive some exciting new content while it was in done on his deathbed.

Crash Bandicoot fans still have adventures to enjoy on bigger screens. Next year, Crash Team Rumble multiplayer will feature 4v4 arena matches on PS5/4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.

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