Sony Shuts Down LittleBigPlanet 3 Servers Indefinitely
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Loss of PlayStation 4 LittleBigPlanet 3 Servers Sparks Concerns Amongst Players
Sony has recently announced the indefinite decommissioning of the PlayStation 4 servers for the highly popular puzzle platformer LittleBigPlanet 3. The decision comes just a few months after the servers were temporarily taken offline due to persistent technical issues. Fans of the game now face the possibility of losing potentially hundreds of thousands of player creations that were not saved locally.
Players were left disheartened by the announcement, fearing that a significant piece of LittleBigPlanet‘s history would be lost forever. The game, known for its creativity and flexibility, allowed users to craft their own platforming levels. While the offline features of the game will still be accessible, user-generated content stored on Sony’s servers will be permanently inaccessible. This loss represents a substantial portion of the game’s content and its impact on the community cannot be understated.
Concerns Expressed by the LittleBigPlanet 3 Community
When the PS3 servers were shut down in 2021 due to persistent DDOS attacks, the community expressed worry that the PS4 servers might face the same fate. Unfortunately, their concerns turned out to be well-founded. One devoted player, Weeni-Tortellini, took to Reddit to express their distress over the closure. According to their post made in January, iconic levels and treasured creations will remain locked away, impossible to experience once gone. This sentiment is shared by many long-time players, with numerous levels on the verge of being lost forever.
The Wider Trend of Discontinued Online Services
LittleBigPlanet 3 is not the only game facing the discontinuation of online services. Several other popular titles have already witnessed the closure of their servers. Nintendo, for instance, recently terminated online multiplayer functions for Wii U and 3DS games, impacting games like Splatoon and Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Similarly, Ubisoft faced backlash last week for not only disabling servers for their always-online racing game The Crew, but also revoking PC players’ licenses to the game itself.
Voices from the LittleBigPlanet 3 Community
Weeni-Tortellini, who previously voiced their concerns, represents the larger sentiment echoed throughout the community. “Nearly 16 years’ worth of user-generated content, millions of levels, some with millions of plays and hearts,” they stated. They went on to describe the devastating loss of access to their childhood creations and how it shaped their creativity. LittleBigPlanet 3’s closure poses a significant blow to the game’s rich heritage.
Acknowledging the community’s concerns, community manager Steven Isbell took to Twitter. He stated that despite the unfortunate situation, he is available to listen to community members and will actively engage with them in the following weeks.
