At one point or another, most of us have enjoyed a live-service game. Likewise, many of us have been burned when a game publisher decided the revenue no longer justified the ongoing expenses of maintaining an always-on experience. Suddenly, we had nothing to show for our time except memories. It was a bit like paying for tickets to a ballgame, watching the athletes do their thing, and then leaving with a smile. Except with the live-service game, we knew that was the end. We could never go back next year.

Plenty of games reach that point after giving off warning signs. Maybe they never got big enough to last. Maybe they became huge, but then they faded away rapidly as audiences lost interest. Some live-service games were killed before their time, however. They deserved better, and we’re here to remember them.

The extended Final Fantasy franchise has included a number of live-service games. Despite the brand recognition, those efforts haven’t always fared well, even when they should have. For me, Mobius Final Fantasy is the best example of unmet potential.

First launched in Japan on June 4, 2015, the game lasted just shy of five years in that region and less than four in North America. It was originally a mobile-only title, noteworthy in part because of the involvement of producer Yoshinori Kitase and scenario supervisor Kazushige Nojima. The two Final Fantasy veterans helped assemble a compelling new take on the classic original Final Fantasy , featuring Garland and blank-slate Warrior of Light characters, among others.

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