Bandai Namco's popular fortress strategy RPG, Naruto X Boruto Ninja Voltage, is officially shutting down on December 9th, 2024. This isn't entirely unexpected, mirroring the fate of its predecessor, Naruto Blazing.

The game, launched in 2017, enjoyed a nearly seven-year run. Before its end-of-service (EOS), players can look forward to several final events: the Village Leader World Championship (October 8th-18th), an All-Out Mission (October 18th-November 1st), and a concluding "Thanks For Everything" campaign (November 1st-December 1st). Players can continue collecting Ninja Cards, participating in summoning events, and using in-game items until the final shutdown. Any remaining Gold Coins should be spent before December 9th.

The game's decline appears to stem from a shift in game mechanics. While initially lauded for its balanced village-building and defense aspects, the introduction of powerful characters like Minato fueled a power creep, alienating players. This was compounded by increasingly overt pay-to-win elements, reduced free-to-play rewards, and the near-disappearance of multiplayer features. The writing was on the wall for many long-time fans. The game remains available on the Google Play Store for those interested in a final playthrough.