Foamstars season pass ends with ironically titled Party Goes On

Square Enix is pulling the metaphorical season plug on its soapy shooter Foamstars next month, less than a year after its release.

In a blog post, the company announced its next season - known somewhat ironically as Party Goes On - will be its last, though it will remain online and isn't shutting down completely.

Foamstars' Party Goes On season will kick off on 13th December, and run until 17th January. After that, season updates for Foamstars will come to an end, and no new content will be added to the game.

FOAMSTARS | “PARTY GOES ON” Season Trailer

"In this concluding update, expansions will be introduced to enhance gameplay, such as the ability to customise shots of each character, and new enhancement elements, such as Prism Gems, all aimed at ensuring players can continue to enjoy the game for the foreseeable future," Square Enix wrote.

Foamstars' previous season passes will be made available once again, for those players who may have missed them previously. Square Enix noted there will be the option for players to switch between passes and choose the season pass track of their choice. "This will make it possible for players to obtain all the items from each season," it explained.

Those who want to go for the Premium Pass will need to pay, as before. The basic pass is free.

In a letter from producer Kosuke Okatani, the developer thanked those who have played and will continue to play Foamstars.

"I don't want this to sound like a final message since you will be able to continue playing the game. However I wanted to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you all once again, so I've taken up my pen to write this producer's letter," Okatani wrote.

"Since the game's release on February 6, 2024, the development team has been working tirelessly to add new content and features, striving to bring the game as close as possible to that goal.

"Throughout both the development and operational phases, we have faced many challenges. However, the support of all of you who play the game, along with the incredible fan art, has been a constant source of encouragement for the team. It's because of this support that we've been able to overcome these difficulties, always with the goal of responding to your feedback.

"If Foamstars has become a game that you can enjoy with others, then we couldn't be happier."

Foamstars initially started life as a paid for release, before becoming free-to-play a few short months ago.

Eurogamer contributor Kaan Serin called Foamstars a "serviceable paintballer... lathered with some wild lore and underwhelming hero shooter elements" in his review, asking: "What does it say about this shooter if the... character details are more entertaining than the 10-minute shooting galleries that precede them?"