Dark Souls 2’s PS3 and Xbox 360 online servers are shutting down after 10 years

As of March 31, 2024, the online servers for Dark Souls 2 and Armored: Core Verdict Day will shut down on PlayStation and Xbox 360

FromSoftware announced the news on Dec. 22 via the Dark Souls Website, saying that after 10 years of being available, players will no longer be able to play the game in co-op or invade other players’ worlds.

Fortunately, while the Dark Souls 2 online features are fun, they’re not mandatory. You can still enjoy the game in offline mode. You can even earn every achievement in the game just by playing offline.

FromSoftware also confirmed that, despite PS3 and Xbox 360 servers shutting down, the game can still be played online on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. 

The reaction to the news was met with sadness on X (formerly known as Twitter). Many players are unhappy about the servers being shut down, but most seem to agree the decision is reasonable.

“Sad days, but it’s time tbh,” one fan said on X.

Dark Souls 2 received glowing reviews when it first launched. But user reviews weren’t as stellar. Years after its release, players now call it the black sheep of the series and claim it was missing features that made the original game so good.

Others, like myself, loved Dark Souls 2 despite it being different from other Souls games. Even though it’s perfectly understandable the servers are shutting down on the aging seventh-generation console, it does feel like the end of an era.

If you have fond memories of playing Dark Souls 2 and still have your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 somewhere, perhaps it’s time to jump back into the game and praise the sun one last time with the crew. Oh, and don’t forget to bow before you attack the player you are invading.