TL;DR
- Two Web3 game studios, ChronoForge and Aether Games, shut down this week.
- ChronoForge cites financial strain, weak player interest, and failed acquisition talks.
- Aether Games blames token liquidity collapse, high security costs, and imminent exchange delistings.
Two more video game studios closed their projects this week. ChronoForge and Aether Games both announced they will terminate operations. These closures add to a series of shutdowns in the Web3 gaming sector this year.
ChronoForge plans to end all services on December 30, 2025. The studio communicated the decision to players on the social media platform X. Developers stated they operated the project through difficult conditions. They used personal funds from founders since July and worked with a team reduced by eighty percent.
The game launched in an Early Access phase on September 10. It held a 4.2 rating on the Epic Games Store. The team released updates and new features without a budget for promotion. ChronoForge cited weak overall interest in Web3 games and a lack of developer support as contributing factors.
The studio sought new investment or a company to acquire the project. These efforts did not succeed. Discussions with the Rift Foundation preceded the final choice to close. ChronoForge stated it could no longer maintain the game or the functionality of its token. A user replied to the announcement with a comment about losing a seed investment.
Aether Games Attributes Closure to Token Liquidity and Security Costs
Aether Games also published a shutdown confirmation on X. The studio wrote it officially ended operations after attempts to sustain the project. Its work centered on a digital card game and involved several changes in direction. The game never attracted enough players for continued operation.
It reported financial losses from agreements with promoters and partners that acted in bad faith. Marketing expenses and costs to maintain token liquidity drained resources. The value of the token continued to decline.
Major exchanges notified Aether Games about potential removal of its token. The studio named KuCoin and Gate specifically and referenced a prior notice from Bybit. The company stated the token cannot persist without stable exchange listings and a larger player base.
Operational expenses for security reviews, legal compliance, and software tools continued. The team reported several attempted system breaches in recent weeks, with one successful intrusion. The announcement advised users to avoid suspicious links. The studio will also close its Discord server to protect users from scams.
According to fundraising data, Aether Games gathered $12.62 million. A public sale accounted for $8.12 million of that total. The studio developed a licensed digital card game titled Cards of Eternity: The Wheel of Time.
These two closures extend a list of play-to-earn and crypto game shutdowns in 2025. Other titles like Tokyo Beast, Age of Dino, and Eldarune have already ceased operations or announced migration plans. Studios consistently point to high operational costs, insufficient player numbers, and challenging token economics as reasons for termination.
