PlatinumGames, renowned for titles like Bayonetta, NieR: Automata, and The Wonderful 101, is bidding farewell to its popular action-puzzler, ‘World of Demons.’ The game is set to be removed from Apple Arcade on January 18, rendering it unavailable for download on that date and ultimately unplayable from February 1.

The announcement came through a concise blog post, stating, “World of Demons will no longer be available to download on Apple Arcade as of January 18, 2024. Please see the schedule below for more details. We extend our gratitude to all players who have enjoyed the game since release.”

‘World of Demons’ took a circuitous route to market, initially released as a free-to-play game by publisher DeNA in 2018. Inspired by the visual style of Clover Studio’s console hit Okami, the game underwent a soft launch on iOS in the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia. However, it received no updates during this phase and was removed in September 2018, leading to speculations about behind-the-scenes issues, possibly linked to Platinum’s founders’ previous involvement with Clover Studios and Okami.

Resurrected in a surprising turn of events, ‘World of Demons’ underwent a complete rewrite for iOS, making a triumphant return as an Apple Arcade exclusive in April 2021, much to the delight of fans. Platinum studio head Atsushi Inaba explained the decision, stating, “We had the opportunity to release the game for Apple Arcade, and instead of just making a few small adjustments for the new platform, we decided to take this opportunity to rebuild the game from the ground up.”

Despite years of effort and a successful return, the journey of ‘World of Demons’ is now reaching its conclusion. With no alternative route to the market, the game will cease to exist effectively on February 1, marking the end of its presence in the gaming landscape.

Source: adapted from an article by Daniel Griffiths, Editor for PocketGamer.biz.