H1Z1 Pro League Shuts Down as Player Base and Interest Dwindles

The H1Z1 Pro League has shut down seven months after launch as it became marred by financial issues, a dwindling player base, and decreasing interest in the game. ESPN reports that owner Twin Galaxies’ Co-Chairman, Jace Hall, confirmed the news in a message to teams.

“It’s with a heavy heart that a letter has been sent to the League’s team organizations providing notice that the 2nd Split has been suspended indefinitely, and that a second league season will not be renewed or scheduled at this time,” wrote Hall. “As a result, teams have been immediately released from their League specific obligations.”

ESPN reports that the league failed to pay teams, resulting in their organizers having to pay players out of their own pockets at a loss to fulfill contractual obligations. Hall said that the league will be working to release outstanding payments.

Despite being one of the first battle royale games, H1Z1‘s Pro League failed to gain traction. During the first day of its inaugural competition, concurrent viewers peaked at 7,900. This is a far cry from games like Overwatch, which attract hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Back in August 2018, H1Z1 surpassed 12 million players on the PlayStation 4, exceeding developer Daybreak’s expectations and prompting a celebration of the milestone.

While we don’t have updated numbers split by platform, it’s possible that increasing competition in the battle royale genre is giving H1Z1 a tough time.

H1Z1 is currently available on the PlayStation 4 and PC. The game will release on Xbox One at a later date.

[Source: ESPN]