The urban fantasy RPG 'COUNTERSIDE,' developed and serviced by STUDIOBSIDE, will end its service on August 26. This comes approximately six years after its initial launch in February 2020.

STUDIOBSIDE CEO Ryu Geum-tae announced the service termination in an official notice on the 17th. According to the announcement, in-app purchases and app downloads for 'COUNTERSIDE' will be disabled following the maintenance on June 17, with live service officially ending at 3:00 PM on August 26. The official website and customer support center will remain operational until September 30. Along with the game's closure, 'CaffeStrega,' the offline community space, will also cease operations on June 28.

COUNTERSIDE was first published by Nexon in February 2020. At launch, it received mixed reactions due to inconsistent art quality, polarizing character designs, and a somewhat dated narrative style. The game underwent significant upheavals, including a transition from a 'Kore-style' business model to a collection-based one for long-term sustainability, followed by a shift to self-publishing after its contract with Nexon ended. Despite these challenges, the game maintained a six-year run, earning player support through its compelling story of characters struggling to prevent the world's destruction and its unique line-battle gameplay. However, that journey will conclude on August 26, following the suspension of new story updates on April 29.

"However, this is not the end for the 'COUNTERSIDE' IP. STUDIOBSIDE announced plans to return with a 'Reboot Project' after a period of reorganization following the service closure. CEO Ryu Geum-tae stated, "We are fundamentally re-examining the shortcomings of COUNTERSIDE and deeply contemplating what its identity should be as a hard-boiled urban fantasy," adding, "We will do our best to deliver results that honor the path we have walked and the love you have shown us.""

Meanwhile, STUDIOBSIDE will hold appreciation events for users until the service ends. Starting after the maintenance on the 17th, 300 'Admin Coins' will be sent to players via in-game mail daily until the service termination, and a dedicated shop will be added where these coins can be used. Details regarding refund procedures and criteria will be provided in a separate notice at a later date.

Information regarding refund procedures and subsequent steps for COUNTERSIDE will also be updated via the official lounge.