Pandoland Shutdown: Game Freak Mobile RPG Ends in 11 Months

Pandoland, the maritime adventure RPG developed by Pokémon creator Game Freak and published by WonderPlanet, is set to permanently shut down its services on Mar 6, 2026. The announcement marks an abrupt end to the mobile title, which will have been live globally for less than 11 months by the time servers officially go offline. Publisher confirmed on X that, effective immediately, all in-app purchases using real-world currency have been disabled, preventing players from buying new "Diamonds" or other premium items. While payment systems were suspended as of Jan 5, the game remains downloadable and playable until the March deadline.

To express gratitude to the remaining community, the developers have launched a final "Thank You Campaign," offering generous amounts of currency and items to help players enjoy the game’s final weeks. However, once the servers are deactivated, the app will cease to function entirely; player data will disappear, and there are no plans for an offline mode or refunds.

Despite the high profile of its developers, Pandoland faced an uphill battle from the start. The game first launched in Japan in June 2024, before expanding to a global audience around April 2025. It featured a unique voxel art style where players explored an open world to discover treasure. However, the title struggled to maintain momentum after its global release. 

Even major efforts to engage players, including open-world exploration features and a high-visibility crossover event with the Mega Man (Rockman) franchise, failed to secure long-term player engagement.

Financial Data and Revenue

Players often cited slow-paced gameplay, heavy grinding, and pay-to-win elements as major deterrents. A controversial "scam wheel" gacha system also drew criticism, making it difficult for the game to retain a loyal audience. Regarding the decision to close, the publishers did not offer a specific explanation beyond stating that it was difficult to continue providing a satisfactory service to users.

Financial data paints a stark picture of the game's inability to capture the market. According to Sensor Tower reports, Pandoland saw dismal earnings from the outset, generating just $1.1k in revenue during its global launch month of April 2025. This figure dipped further to $288 by the end of the quarter. Although there was a slight uptick to $9k in December 2025 alongside roughly 10k downloads, the player base shrank rapidly, leaving the remaining community struggling to find teammates for the game’s collaborative quests.

The closure highlights the extreme volatility of the mobile gaming sector, where even projects backed by industry giants can face steep challenges. For now, the short lifespan of Pandoland serves as a cautionary tale about the difficulty traditional console developers face when attempting to capture the free-to-play mobile audience.

As Pandoland fades, Game Freak continues to focus on its core strengths. The studio is eyeing future Pokémon titles for the Nintendo Switch and developing new projects like Beast of Reincarnation for consoles and PC.