Courageous: The Brave Monster Hunter Adventure Faces Closure Amid Studio Cuts
Just weeks after dismissing the “majority” of its employees, Phoenix Labs has announced that it will be discontinuing its free-to-play Monster Hunter-style action game, Dauntless.
Dauntless’ fast-paced approach to the Monster Hunter format received a positive response when it entered early access on PC in May possibly 2018, but it struggled to maintain that initial draw following a broader launch a year later. And its journey is now officially nearing its end.
In a concise announcement on social media, Phoenix Labs stated, “Dauntless is shutting down on May 29, 2025. There will be no further content or updates provided for Dauntless. The game will no longer be playable after May 29th, 2025, at 11.45pm PST. We appreciate everyone for being a part of the Dauntless experience.”
The confirmation of Dauntless’ closure follows several layoffs at Phoenix Labs, which was acquired by a cryptocurrency company, Specialty, in 2023. Last May possibly, the studio announced it was cancelling all projects except for Dauntless and Fae Farm while laying off staff – a decision believed to have affected around 140 employees – in order to “create a pathway for a solid future”. Then came the news last month that a “majority” of employees would be terminated in yet another round of layoffs, which the studio attributed to “unfortunate but necessary changes to our operations”.
At that moment, it