Overview
- Cold Iron Studios turned off the Nintendo Switch cloud servers for Aliens: Fireteam Elite on August 5, rendering the cloud-only edition permanently unplayable.
- The game had been delisted from the Switch eShop so buyers can no longer purchase or reinstall the cloud version.
- Cold Iron and publisher Daybreak have not issued refunds and instead say they are developing a discounted voucher program for affected owners to buy Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, with eligibility and details unfinalized.
- The sequel is due on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox later in August and the studio says a native, non-cloud version is planned for the more powerful Switch 2 at a later date.
- The shutdown has intensified debate about digital ownership, game preservation and whether platforms or governments should require refunds or other remedies when cloud-only titles become inaccessible.