Game on the brink of collapse: Sony shutting down servers for “Firewall Ultra”

The tactical VR shooter “Firewall Ultra” for Playstation VR2 will disappear from the network this year – after that, the game can no longer be started in any form. This is according to an update on the official PlayStation Blog. Sony states that the online functions will be terminated on September 17, 2026, at 6 p.m.

Since a server connection is required for every match, the title will be unplayable in its entirety from this point on. Although a limited PvE mode exists, i.e. battles against computer-controlled opponents, this is also tied to the online infrastructure. “Firewall Ultra” is currently no longer regularly available in the Playstation Store. The predecessor “Zero Hour”, on the other hand, remains available for the time being.

Not the hoped-for hit for the PSVR 2

“Firewall Ultra” was released in August 2023 exclusively for PSVR 2. The multiplayer shooter was intended to build on the success of “Firewall Zero Hour” from 2018, which had built a loyal community on the first Playstation VR. At the launch of the Playstation VR2, the title from First Contact Entertainment was considered one of the most promising games for Sony's new VR platform. However, numerous bugs and questionable design decisions led to a bumpy start for the prestige object.

Just four months after its release, the responsible studio First Contact Entertainment announced its closure. The company cited a general lack of market support for VR as one of the reasons. This effectively left “Firewall Ultra” without long-term support. Only at the beginning of 2025 did Sony surprisingly release an update that was intended to provide incentives for new players. This last attempt to increase activity now also seems to have failed.

The great game death continues

“Firewall Ultra” thus joins a growing number of online titles that are completely discontinued if they do not reach the planned player numbers. Sony's „Concord“ only lasted a mere two weeks in 2024, while „Highguard“, released in January 2026, only ran for six weeks. In the VR sector, the hitherto oldest VR MMORPG „OrbusVR“ ended last year, while the actually discontinued cult VR game “Echo VR” is only kept alive by the efforts of an active community.

In the fight against the disappearance of games, the initiative “Stop Killing Games”, now organized as an NGO, has formed in recent years. It aims to ensure that games remain usable offline at least after server shutdowns. In the case of Ubisoft's “The Crew 2”, this goal was achieved, and Ubisoft implemented an offline mode. For “Firewall Ultra”, the signs are worse. With the shutdown of the servers, access to the game itself also ends.

(joe)