Westworld mobile game being shut down, apps taken down already

Are you a fan of Warner Bros. Interactive’s Westworld mobile game? Well, there’s bad news: the game is shutting down.

Yes, that’s really happening. An announcement related to this has been made on Reddit a few hours ago. It says the gaming app will be removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play on January 15, and the official shut down will happen on April 16.

Here’s the exact announcement:

We hope you have enjoyed playing Westworld. We are sorry to tell you the park is entering a new phase and will no longer be taking applications for new employees

The game will be removed from the App Store and Google Play on January 15, 2019, and officially closed on April 16, 2019. As of today, you will no longer be able to make in game purchases. If you have any in-game currency, remember to use it before the game goes offline on April 16, 2019

We are sorry to see the Westworld mobile game go, and had an incredible time creating new content and events for players to enjoy. We deeply appreciate our community’s enthusiasm and participation in the game

We are thankful for all who have supported Westworld and hope that the remaining time with the game will be entertaining

Here’s the reddit thread in question:

I can confirm that the apps have been taken down from the respective app stores. You can cross confirm by heading to the official Westworld website and clicking the App Store and Google Play links.

Lawsuit effect?

In case you aren’t aware, back in June last year, Bethesda slapped a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Interactive and Westworld developer Behaviour Interactive. The lawsuit alleged Westworld was a “blatant ripoff” of Bethesda ’s popular mobile game, Fallout Shelter.

Comparing the two games, Bethesda had said Westworld “has the same or highly similar game design, art style, animations, features and other gameplay elements.” Here’s what Warner Bros. Interactive said in media about the lawsuit:

As one of the world’s leading creators of intellectual property, including the ground-breaking television series Westworld, Warner Bros. has a deep respect for intellectual property rights. As such, the assertions by Bethesda Softworks that Warner’s Westworld mobile game improperly used source code from Bethesda’s Fallout Shelter are as surprising as they are unsubstantiated. Warner Bros. has been assured by the game developer, Behaviour Interactive, that Bethesda’s allegations are untrue and that none of Bethesda’s code was used in the Westworld game. Moreover, contrary to Bethesda’s baseless accusation, Warner Bros. at no time “induced” Behavior to use the Fallout Shelter code in Westworld

However, both sides decided to settle the lawsuit out of court, and notice pertaining to this settlement was filed in the court last month. Now, it’s being speculated that the game’s shutdown is an effect of that settlement.

Users demanding refund

Meanwhile, many gamers are feeling ditched, and are demanding refunds for the money they spent.

I ask this knowing the answer, but will all of the money spent by players be refunded? It’s not my fault WB infringed on Bethesda’s Fallout mobile creation — which I can only imagine this stems from. But let’s be clear: you keep all my money, and also take away the things I bought with that money. That’s criminal. No one with the ethical compass to navigate out of a paper bag should feel okay about that. I realize you’re merely the bearer of bad news, but damn is this unfair and unprofessional

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