LittleBigPlanet 3 players have been left disappointed and frustrated after developer Sumo Digital and publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that the game’s servers will stay offline indefinitely due to ongoing technical issues.
The shutdown has wiped over 16 years of player creations, leaving many players unable to access their favorite levels and creations. While players can still play offline with access to the campaign and user-generated creations already downloaded to their PlayStation 4 consoles, they will no longer be able to create or share new levels.
LittleBigPlanet 3 was known for its user-generated content, which has been instrumental in the game’s longevity. However, players were not given any notice of the permanent shutdown. Unlike other games such as Super Mario Maker, which provided time for players to prepare and save their favorite levels, LittleBigPlanet 3 players were left with no warning.
The lack of notice has led to widespread disappointment and frustration among the LittleBigPlanet 3 community. Many players have expressed their sadness and anger at losing their creations and the inability to share new ones. Some players have also pointed out that the shutdown is a significant preservation problem for video games and video game history, as it permanently removes a large amount of user-generated content from the online space.
While the LittleBigArchive exists as a way to document player creations, it is not a perfect solution. Players are still disappointed and frustrated by the loss of their creations and the lack of opportunity to say goodbye to their favorite levels and creations.
