Pac-Man 99 for Nintendo Switch Online shutting down

Pac-Man 99, the battle royale spin on classic Pac-Man gameplay that’s available through Nintendo Switch Online, will shut down this October, publisher Bandai Namco announced Tuesday. That’s when online services for the 99-player game will go offline, but Switch owners who paid for the game’s DLC (Pac-Man 99 Deluxe Pack or Pac-Man 99You can still play the game offline, against the computer and other modes.

News of Pac-Man 99’s closure comes two years after the battle royale game was released on Switch as an incentive to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online. Pac-Man 99Arika developed the game. The same studio that created another Battle Royale version of a classic, Tetris 98. Publisher Bandai Namco did not provide a reason for the game’s closure.

Here’s how the closure of Pac-Man 99Roll out will take place:

• Aug. 8 — Paid custom theme sales will be discontinued
• Sept. 8 — Sales of Pac-Man 99The Deluxe Pack Pac-Man 99The Mode Unlock feature will no longer be available
• Oct. 8 — Discontinuation of online services for the main game, and distribution of the main game and free custom themes

After the 8th of October Pac-Man 99The Deluxe Pack and Mode Unlock allows players to only play the CPU Battle, Blind Time Attack and Score Attack modes in an offline mode.