Check out an abandoned game in No Players Online
Beeswax Games, the Belgian indie studio behind the recently expanded version of No Players Online, has reinstated the game on Steam after an unfounded DMCA claim led to the game being taken offline for nearly three weeks. The removal came at a crucial time, shortly after launch, and disrupted the momentum the team had been working towards.
There was a strange irony in the situation, since the game itself revolves around exploring an abandoned multiplayer server filled with secrets and a presence that refuses to go away. While this disappearance might seem appropriate for a creepy world, the consequences for the developers were serious. Sales stalled, attention waned, and the studio faced significant financial difficulties.
In a statement, Adam Pipe from the Beeswax team and Black Lantern Team described how the removal affected them after years of developing the project. He expressed the team's disappointment that a simple form was enough to remove their work from the showcase, and spoke about how important visibility is for a small studio trying to recover from failure. They also encouraged players to support the game by leaving reviews and spreading the word online.
No Players Online expands on the 2019 cult title, drawing players into a decaying digital landscape. Inside the old computer is a broken multiplayer shooter that has apparently been running for years. As you explore forgotten maps and hidden paths, the world gradually reveals its history. Your progress unlocks pieces of a deeper narrative that combines exploration and puzzle solving with pieces of story hidden throughout the system.
Each discovery provides another glimpse into the game's origins, the reasons why it was left behind, and the strange remnants that continue to inhabit it. The result is an experience that turns curiosity into an increasingly unsettling journey.
