In a bizarre twist, the official Twitter for the upcoming mobile gacha game Love Live! School Idol Festival 2 Miracle Live simultaneously announced its February 2024 launch date alongside plans to cease operations just three months later on May 31st.
The confusing tweet immediately drew fan frustration. “Never have I seen someone announce a launch and closing in the same tweet,” one reply noted. “Was there a Persona 5 collaboration planned?” joked another, referencing the ill fate awaiting gachas featuring the popular JRPG series.
Indeed, Love Live! School Idol Festival 2’s premature demise announcement feels almost parody-esque given the recent string of high-profile mobile gacha closures, like Nier Reincarnation ending this April. Understandably, the typically short lifespans of these games has left fans feeling burnt out and hesitant to invest time or money into new releases.
But to directly confirm a game’s termination the same post revealing its launch? Such pre-emptive closure notice is basically unprecedented and may further shake confidence in the embattled gacha genre. Love Live!’s producers framed the three-month run as “making these last few months an unforgettable moment” for fans. But that seems small consolation given players will barely have time to settle in before the doors close for good.
While the reasons for Love Live! School Idol Festival 2’s abrupt launch and closure remain unclear, its premature demise echoes recent troubles facing the overall mobile gacha ecosystem. Franchise devotion may still attract fans for the game’s short-lived run. But such a severely truncated lifespan out the gate may only affirm worries that gachas’ heyday has passed.
At this rate, producers may need to explore more player-friendly models to restore faith. Otherwise, the jig looks to be up for gachas relying on fan loyalty to excuse brief existences and abrupt shutdowns.
