Before the HD era, video games rarely became inaccessible, because no matter what, someone had a physical copy that someone else could track down. As great as it is to download games on PSN, the eShop, Steam, and so on, it’s also sad that the age of physical games is coming to an end.
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This means it may be impossible to play some games today, especially if there is an online component. For example, The Matrix Online, Marvel Heroes Omega, Star Wars Galaxies, and City of Heroes are three great RPGs whose servers were shut down, but they survive via fan servers today. Those are the lucky cases, but the following Western-made RPG examples are not so fortunate, and none of them are playable anymore.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Anthem
The Latest Cut
Anthem is the latest RPG to hit the chopping block, but based on how well it performed at launch, it’s a miracle EA didn’t shut it down sooner. It was launched in 2019, development of any new content stopped around 2021, and the full game was axed in January 2026.
While it didn’t live up to fan expectations for a BioWare game, Anthem had a lot of good ideas, like its mech suit class system. These Javelins came in four classes — Ranger, Colossus, Interceptor, and Storm — and after some time, players could swap between all four. With four-player co-op, it was possible to make a balanced team in this high-flying action shooter.
Fable Legends
Almost Came Out
Fable Legends
- Developer(s)
- Lionhead Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Microsoft Studios
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Fable Legends actually never came out, but it got close. Initially revealed in 2014, it received two major beta phases for a select group between then and 2016. In the last build of the game, players could even pay cash to unlock bonuses, which were all refunded when the game was canceled, also in 2016. While it wasn’t a sprawling single-player RPG like the mainline Fable games, it was a good concept for a multiplayer RPG.
Four players would match up to explore a dungeon and fight monsters while a dungeon master, played by another player, tried to kill them. The most unfortunate thing about the game’s development getting canceled is that the franchise’s creators, Lionhead Studios, were also shut down in 2016, putting the Fable series on a long hiatus that only looks set to end in 2026..
Magic: Legends
Deck-Building Diablo
- Publisher(s)
- Perfect World Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Magic: Legends was based on Magic: The Gathering, and while cards were involved, gameplay was more akin to a Diablo RPG. Players could choose their hero and then go on solo or co-op adventures, slaying hordes of monsters in the process. Each character had a deck to customize, and these represented their cooldown abilities in battle.
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When one ability was used, another would shuffle in after the cooldown period. It was a novel way to incorporate the franchise’s iconic cards into an action RPG. The beta started in March 2021 and ended the following October, but the game was canceled before a full release like Fable Legends.
Legends Of Norrath
EverQuest With Cards
- Developer: Sony Online Entertainment
- Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
- Platforms: PC, Mac
- Released: 9/5/07
Legends of Norrath was a deck-building game that spun off into its own standalone title in 2007. It was based on EverQuest and EverQuest 2, which is how players could initially launch it. For those unaware, the EverQuest series is backed by Sony, and it’s one of the longest-running MMOs of all time.
In fact, both EverQuest and EverQuest 2 are still playable, which is wild considering EverQuest launched in 1999 and EverQuest 2 debuted in 2004. Unfortunately for this spinoff, Legends of Norrath was shut down in 2016, which was a decent enough run for a simplistic digital tabletop card game.
Skyforge
A Hidden Obsidian Gem
Skyforge was a free-to-play MMO action RPG released for PC systems in 2015. Thanks to its popularity, it was eventually ported to PS4 and Xbox One in 2017, and then to the Switch in 2021. It was co-developed by Allods Team and Obsidian Entertainment, with servers shutting down in 2025.
Allods Team was a Russia-based developer that had previously launched Allods Online before Skyforge, which is still online. For RPG fans, Obsidian Entertainment needs no introduction, having developed some of the best RPGs of all time, from Fallout: New Vegas to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. While it had an impressive backing and a decent run, Skyforge just couldn’t last forever.
WildStar
A Space Fantasy
WildStar was released with a paid model in 2014 for PC systems. The MMO then switched to a free-to-play model in 2015, which seemed to help grow its player base, but the game would still meet its end in 2018. It was developed by Carbine Studios, which comprised ex-Blizzard members, so there was some prestige there.
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This was the studio's only game, and after the servers were shut down, so was the developer. There has been an effort by fans to preserve WildStar online, and it’s technically in a playable state as a result. Players can create their character and run around some environments, but without the actual RPG elements, aka the combat and quest systems, it’s just a shell of its former self at the moment. With time, maybe this space fantasy can be fully revived by fans, just like so many other canceled RPGs and MMOs.
Darkspore
A Spiritual Spinoff
Spore was once the next big simulation game, developed by Will Wright, creator of games like SimCity and The Sims. It was developed by Maxis and released in 2008, and let’s just say it didn’t gain an immediate fanbase, unlike other games in The Sims universe. However, Maxis Emeryville took the creature creator model from within Spore to create an action RPG akin to Diablo, which they called Darkspore.
It was released for PC systems in 2011 and was then shut down in 2016, which is genuinely impressive since initial reviews weren’t exactly glowing. For those curious, Spore is still online and can be purchased, so there is that.
Tabula Rasa
Perfect Dark
Tabula Rasa had an astoundingly short run for an MMO with a ton of prestigious backing. It was launched in 2007 for PC players, and it was backed by Richard Garriott, who, among other things, is best known for the Ultima franchise. This was his next big endeavor, a vast sci-fi MMO with plenty of guns and cool gadgets. The box art was sleek, too, featuring a female heroine who looked a lot like Joanna Dark from the Perfect Dark franchise.
The initial model was a paid subscription service, which was unsurprising for an MMO at the time, but on January 10, 2009, Tabula Rosa went free-to-play. That exact date is important to note because just over a month later, on February 28, 2009, servers were shut down for good. There have been efforts by fans to preserve the experience, but those plans haven’t been finalized on a wide scale yet.
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