Well, it’s happened again. After five years of tactical RPG battles, War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is heading to the great digital graveyard in the sky. Square Enix has confirmed that the global version of the mobile game will shut down on 29 May, with in-game purchases already disabled. Fans are understandably gutted, but let’s be honest—this isn’t exactly a shocker.

A Farewell to Five Years of Gacha Glory

Launched in Japan in late 2019 and globally in March 2020, War of the Visions was essentially a love letter to Final Fantasy Tactics—or, depending on how you see it, a Final Fantasy Tactics substitute for those still waiting on a proper remake. It had the usual gacha mechanics, but what set it apart was its fully voiced story, cinematic cutscenes, and a ridiculous number of crossovers. You could recruit everyone from Final Fantasy XIV’s Y’shtola to Persona 5’s Joker, all while dealing with an endless barrage of limited-time events.

But as with most live-service mobile games, the cracks began to show. Power creep made older characters feel obsolete, updates started slowing down, and the removal of in-game purchases recently had players bracing for bad news. Well, here it is.

Fans Mourn, but an Offline Mode? Don’t Count on It

I know we won’t get answers because no one ever answers but will there be an offline version of this so we could still play story content? This is such an amazing game with so much potential. I thought it’d be the one to survive the chopping block.

— Yorae ?? Kaiser (@FadedKaiser) March 25, 2025

Naturally, the game’s community isn’t taking the news well. Many have been asking the age-old question—Will there be an offline version to at least keep the story alive? The answer? Probably not. One fan, @FadedKaiser, voiced this concern, but as they pointed out themselves, “I know we won’t get answers because no one ever answers.”

I've been playing since the first Final Fantasy Tactics collaboration, and I'm really sad about the End of Service announcement. I knew it was coming, but it's tough to see. I'm going to miss Glaciela, Sterne, Jayden, and Howlet. ?

— ???? ThatOneChick (@Tht1Chika) March 25, 2025

Another long-time player, @Tht1Chika, lamented the loss of their favourite characters, saying, “I’ve been playing since the first Final Fantasy Tactics collab… I knew it was coming, but it’s tough to see.”

Square Enix’s Mobile Empire Is Crumbling

This isn’t the first Final Fantasy mobile game to get the axe, and it sure won’t be the last. Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia was shut down last year after six years, and Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier didn’t even make it past its first anniversary. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis is still clinging on, but if history has taught us anything, mobile Final Fantasy games don’t tend to have a happy ending.

War of the Visions’ final days will be outlined in a livestream on 26 March, where Square Enix will probably try to put a positive spin on the whole situation. But for fans, the message is clear—enjoy what little time you have left, because once it’s gone, it’s gone for good