Home Gaming Disney blows up Tiny Death Star without warning

Disney blows up Tiny Death Star without warning

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Death star explosion

Almost a year ago, I told you about Tiny Death Star, the first Star Wars game to be released since Disney took ownership of the IP. It was cute, fun and addictive, and I hope you played it while it was available because it has been pulled from the App Store and Google Play without warning, even to the developers.

Disney has removed Tiny Death Star and Star Wars Assault Team from mobile platforms, ostensibly to focus on other, higher priority titles like Star Wars Commander. Ian Marsh of Tiny Death Star developer Nimblebit says the studio wasn’t informed of the game’s removal beforehand and assumes that Disney simply didn’t feel it was worthwhile to maintain the game any longer. However, as a significant source of revenue for the studio, it hurts them more than it does Disney. Marsh told Game Informer:

We’re very disappointed to see Tiny Death Star shuttered less than a year after launch. We had no prior knowledge that the game would be removed and no longer even have a contact at Disney after the recent layoffs. Suffice to say if you’re a developer looking to partner with Disney this might not be the partnership you’re looking for.

Well, this certainly doesn’t bode well for anyone looking to partner with Disney. The media superpower doesn’t worry about its weaker partners, and the loss of income for the pulled games’ developers isn’t cool. Add to that, these games are all free to play – I feel bad for anyone who used real money, only to find that the game they were playing has disappeared. It’s very poor business practice and will make me (and most consumers) rather wary of buying other Star Wars games without guarantees of continuing support.

Oh, who am I kidding? Star Wars fans will continue supporting the IP, grabbing the games at launch just in case they disappear soon after.

Last Updated: October 6, 2014

17 Comments

  1. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 6, 2014 at 08:42

    I’m sure they’ll support the games made in conjunction with EA. There’s a match made in heaven.

    Reply

    • JJ of Meridian

      October 6, 2014 at 09:17

      Sounds like it so far.

      Reply

    • Mike

      October 6, 2014 at 09:52

      *There’s a match made in hell
      You might as well start growing udders now, because they will be milking the players for all they are worth.

      Reply

    • Jedi Consular Kromas

      October 6, 2014 at 10:13

      I will hold my tongue about EA till after DA. Right now my main hate is Ubisoft but if DA screws me over then EA will win my coveted “I will not support you even on a sale award.”

      -That’s right. I did not buy the Child of Light that was on special this weekend because of Ubisoft.

      Reply

  2. RinceThis

    October 6, 2014 at 08:46

    I don’t trust the mouse…

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      October 6, 2014 at 08:54

      I bet it was Goofys fault

      Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    October 6, 2014 at 08:54

    • Admiral Chief 0

      October 6, 2014 at 09:00

      Why does that looks like the start of some horrible barely clothed movie?

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        October 6, 2014 at 09:05

        I was thinking they are planning a Star Wars game starring Mickey.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief 0

          October 6, 2014 at 09:31

          …most deaths by Player Character, since, ever

          Reply

      • JJ of Meridian

        October 6, 2014 at 09:17

        Don’t worry, I’m sure they keep the masks on.

        Reply

  4. Admiral Chief 0

    October 6, 2014 at 08:58

    This is bad, very bad.

    Luckily I kicked my TDS addiction a few months back. I had invested a significant amount of hours into that (kept me sane in traffic and in queues)

    Reply

  5. Admiral Chief 0

    October 6, 2014 at 08:59

    “this might not be the partnership you’re looking for”

    Ow

    Reply

  6. JJ of Meridian

    October 6, 2014 at 09:16

    Haven’t played this since July, still feels like a loss though.

    Reply

  7. Ryanza

    October 6, 2014 at 09:59

    These are not the droids you looking for. Droids who milk every penny out of a game, EA is who you looking for.

    Reply

  8. Kensei Seraph - Staff

    October 6, 2014 at 11:50

    And of course there’s a SWtOR banner at the bottom of the article.

    Reply

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