A Sudden End for King of Meat on PlayStation
In a move that’s caught the online gaming community off guard, the vibrant multiplayer dungeon crawler King of Meat has been quietly delisted from the PlayStation Store, with its servers set to go offline in early April. Players who invested in this co-op monster battler—characterized by colorful battles and a tongue-in-cheek aesthetic—will only have a short window left to enjoy the game. Automatic full refunds will be issued to everyone who purchased it, no action required from players.
The Short Life Cycle of Online Co-Op Games
2026 continues to prove challenging for online co-op games. The closure of King of Meat echoes a broader trend of promising titles failing to sustain their player bases. While some games like Concord struggled to get off the ground, others like Marathon have been constantly remodeled in search of their audience. King of Meat, despite its appealing four-player horde mode reminiscent of Left 4 Dead, simply couldn’t amass the community needed for survival.
This isn’t an isolated event: the online multiplayer landscape is more competitive—and crowded—than ever. Players are inundated with choices, from free-to-play shooters padded with microtransactions to evolving live service games, making launching a paid co-op title a risky venture. For King of Meat, it seems the barrier of entry coupled with fierce competition led to its early demise just six months after launch.
Refund Process: What Players Need to Know
The technical execution of the refund process stands out for its simplicity and player-first approach. Anyone who purchased King of Meat on PlayStation, Steam, Xbox, or other platforms will receive an automatic refund, processed directly through the original platform. Refunds will begin processing between late February and early April. Players aren’t required to submit refund requests or navigate support ticket systems—everything happens in the background for a seamless experience.
Why King of Meat Couldn’t Compete
The dilemma King of Meat faced isn’t just about gameplay. The economics of multiplayer titles have shifted dramatically. Most new contenders in this genre opt for free-to-play monetization, using cosmetic microtransactions or season passes to generate revenue. King of Meat’s upfront cost may have hindered growth, even as its gameplay loop offered satisfying monster-slaying and creative building elements.
Glowmade’s ambitious blend of combat and crafting modes gave the game potential, but in a market where community is king, even strong design can fall flat without enough players to sustain it. The closure serves as a stark illustration of how innovation and fun alone aren’t always enough to guarantee longevity in the online multiplayer market.
What’s Next for the Studio and Online Co-Op Fans?
While it’s disappointing to see King of Meat leave the stage, the swift and customer-friendly response—handling refunds automatically and keeping servers up until April—sets a positive example for digital game distribution. The hope remains that developer Glowmade, in collaboration with Amazon Games, will channel this experience into future projects. Their evident creativity and technical skills could shine in other ventures, perhaps with an approach better suited to today’s multiplayer climate.
Fans of online co-op should keep an eye on this studio for upcoming announcements and new game concepts that might yet break through in a busy, ever-evolving genre.
