The MultiVersus Open Beta kicked off with a bang last year, gathering over twenty million players in its first month. It was also largely praised by critics. Our own Francesco De Meo enjoyed what he played at the time, though he also criticized the monetization and business model.

　　MultiVersus has the potential to become one of the most popular platform fighters ever made, thanks to its solid gameplay and great roster, but the game's monetization scheme could have an impact on its popularity in the future, even though the content that matters most (characters) can be unlocked for free with some effort. As the game is still in beta, Warner Bros. and Player First Game still have the chance to tweak and improve the system, and I sincerely hope they will. I want to play a fighting game for hundreds of hours to improve my skills, not to unlock more content that should be readily available.

　　However, interest in the MultiVersus Open Beta dwindled considerably over time, leading many users to wonder about the game's future. Today, developer Player First Games delivered a surprise announcement to confirm that the Open Beta is coming to an end in a little less than three months, as the studio aims to improve the game further ahead of the game's full launch sometime early next year.

　　The official FAQ explains:

　　The MultiVersus Open Beta has been an important learning opportunity and a stepping stone to the next phase of the game. There is still a lot of work to do, and we have a clearer view on where we need to focus, specifically on the content cadence of new characters, maps and modes to provide more ways to enjoy the game, along with netcode and matchmaking improvements. We’ll also be reworking the progression system and looking at new ways for players to connect with friends in the game. To do this the right way, we will be closing the MultiVersus Open Beta on June 25, 2023. As part of this process, we’ll be pausing updates and taking the game offline as we prepare for the launch of MultiVersus, which we are targeting for early 2024.

　　The game won't even be downloadable on digital stores after April 4th, and its premium currency, Gleemium, also won't be available for purchase any longer after that date. However, all progress, both earned and purchased, will still be there for the players when MultiVersus returns in early 2024. Additionally, the training mode (The Lab) and local matches will remain available even after June 25.