Knockout City developer claims that developers who close their live games should make a "private server version" so that the game can continue to be played

The cross-platform dodgeball game Knockout City was released in May 2021 under the EA Originals label and later acquired by Velan Studios and became free-to-play in 2022. Despite the closure of the project in June last year, Velan released a private server version for PC that can be downloaded from its website - this version allows for multiplayer or bot matches and retains the previous modes and most customisation options.

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Velan's Chief Marketing Officer, Josh Harrison, emphasised that not every studio can implement this, but those that can should release a private server version so that the game can be played after closing. He noted the success of the private version of Knockout City, where special communities hold tournaments and keep track of active players.

Harrison explained that for most studios, it is relatively easy to create a private server version, as development builds behave similarly to private server builds.

In conclusion, the executive stressed the importance of creating a private version of a game to maintain a positive perception after closure and preserve the game for players.

Source: VGC