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Sweet Bandits announced on December 3, 2024, that its team was no more. That was the studio’s closure—not an announcement that Deceive Inc. had immediately shut down. Tripwire Interactive later outlined a plan to move the multiplayer game toward community-hosted servers, but its latest retrieved update does not confirm whether a September 2026 rollout attempt succeeded.
What Sweet Bandits announced
In a message to players posted on the official Deceive Inc. Steam news archive on December 3, 2024, a representative signing as “Baribandit” wrote: “The Sweet Bandits team is no more.” The message said the studio had spent a long time trying to get Deceive Inc. into a position where it could thrive, but had reached its breaking point and could not continue.
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Video Game Champion, Strategy Board Game for 2-5 Players, 16-Bit Nostalgia | $56.39 | Buy on Amazon |
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The announcement did not give financial results, a headcount, or a more detailed explanation of what caused the closure. Game Developer reported the closure the following day and described Sweet Bandits as a Canadian indie studio; it also reported that Deceive Inc. launched in March 2023. Those details do not establish a specific financial or operational cause.
Did Deceive Inc. shut down with the studio?
No immediate game shutdown was announced alongside the studio closure. The December 2024 message said Tripwire Interactive was considering options for maintaining the game and that “Servers and matching will remain up for the foreseeable future.” That described the outlook at the time; it was not a promise of permanent service.
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- Relive the '90s – Immerse yourself in the golden age of 16-bit video games, competing to become the ultimate Video Game Champion.
- Competitive Strategy – Manage your time and resources between earning money, renting games, studying, and mastering video game strategies.
- For 2-5 Players – Perfect for game nights with friends, where 2-5 players can compete in a 50-90 minute gaming session.
- 90s Nostalgia – Beg your parents for new games, buy magazines, and play your favorite titles – all wrapped in retro vibes!
- Great Replayability – With unique strategic decisions, each game brings fresh challenges and new paths to victory.
Studio status and game-service status are separate. Sweet Bandits’ closure meant the developer could no longer continue its work, while Tripwire’s later announcements addressed what might happen to the game’s backend and servers. The available official updates do not establish a current player count or guarantee how long the game will remain playable.
Tripwire’s community-server plan
On July 16, 2026, Tripwire said it was rebuilding Deceive Inc.’s backend to support community-hosted dedicated servers. Its stated goal was to keep account progress, unlocks, and stats through the transition. Tripwire described three planned elements:
- An in-game browser for finding community servers.
- A dedicated-server application for people who want to host servers.
- A backend migration intended to preserve player accounts and progression.
Tripwire said the changes were planned for every platform. Console players would be able to join community-hosted servers through crossplay, but would not host servers directly. These were plans and goals in the July announcement, not confirmation that every feature had shipped. The announcement is available in the official Steam archive; PC Gamer also covered Tripwire’s plan in July 2026.
What the 2026 testing and rollout updates establish
Dedicated-server beta
Tripwire’s August 26, 2026 beta instructions described the Dedicated Server Tools app as available in Steam libraries and provided setup and connection guidance. The post noted that Linux server support had received limited in-depth testing. It also listed bot issues in Duos and Trios, and warned that port forwarding, operating-system firewalls, or router settings could cause connection problems. The instructions and updates are in the official Deceive Inc. Steam news archive.
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Tripwire attempted a live rollout on September 8, 2026, then rolled it back after reporting a PC Easy Anti-Cheat issue that could disconnect players after a match and a console account-ingestion issue. The publisher said it might need more time and console builds. On September 23, it scheduled maintenance for September 24 to try another dedicated-server patch rollout.
The latest retrieved official update, current through that September 23 notice when checked on October 8, 2026, does not report what happened after the scheduled attempt. It therefore does not confirm that the migration succeeded or settle the game’s present service status. Check Tripwire’s official Steam news archive for a later status update before relying on the game being available.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Sweet Bandits closed
The studio’s message gave a broad explanation: after a long, difficult effort to put Deceive Inc. in a position to thrive, it had reached a breaking point and could not continue. It did not disclose a more precise cause. The announcement supports describing the closure as the result of a difficult development effort, but not attributing it to a specific revenue shortfall, staffing decision, or other undisclosed factor.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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