Foamstars Continues to Flop with 95% Fewer Players and May Face a Similar Ending To Concord

Initially, Square Enix’s Foamstars was a fun, colourful alternative to Nintendo’s popular Splatoon, offering a unique foam-based combat system with potential for widespread appeal. However, despite being backed by a well-known publisher and having some enticing mechanics, Foamstars has struggled since its release.

#FOAMSTARS is now free-to-play on PS4 and PS5!

Players with or without a PlayStation®Plus subscription can jump straight into the sudsy fun for absolutely no entry charge. Let's get this party started! 🫧🫧🫧 pic.twitter.com/jJrxJRMXCJ

— FOAMSTARS (@foamstarsgame) October 4, 2024

For context, the debuted with significant backing from Square Enix, launching as a day-one PlayStation Plus game in February 2024. However, despite the strong start, the game saw a sharp decline in its player base almost immediately. By April 2024, just two months after its release, the game had lost 95% of its initial player count despite regular content updates.

In response to the dwindling player numbers, Square Enix tried to save Foamstars by slashing its original $30 price tag and making the game free-to-play on PS5 and PS4 as of October 4, 2024. The transition to free-to-play provided a temporary boost, with the player base increasing by 48% in the first week alone. However, even this increase fell drastically short of the numbers from its PS Plus launch, representing a 97% dip compared to its initial player base.

Foamstars Last Ditch Effort Fails

As mentioned above, while the game saw players increase after becoming free-to-play, it struggled to keep players engaged. Retaining players long-term has proven difficult despite its move away from paid models. TrueTrophies, which tracks trophy data across PlayStation players, reports that despite the increase in player count, the game is still far from becoming a notable competitor in the crowded live-service market.

Foamstars’ situation is reminiscent of other live-service titles that received significant AAA backing only to underperform. One such title is Concord, which, despite its robust support, failed to gain traction. Like Concord, Foamstars seemed promising but struggled to maintain a steady and committed player base.

Square Enix’s previous failures in live-service games, such as the ill-fated Babylon’s Fall, further highlight the increasing pressure on Foamstars. As the list of Square Enix’s de-listed games grows, fears that the game may follow suit are not unfounded.

What Went Wrong with Foamstars?

At its core, Foamstars tap into the same market that Splatoon has dominated. However, replicating Splatoon’s success has proven far more challenging than anticipated. With that, the game has struggled to differentiate itself from other live-service shooters, and its mechanics, while fun, haven’t captured the imagination of players in the same way Splatoon did. The game’s visual style and approach also didn’t create the same buzz in the PlayStation community.

As Live-service games often peak at launch, Foamstars has already passed that critical point. It seems unlikely that Foamstars will become the breakout hit that Square Enix hoped for, and with the game already experiencing two pricing model shifts in less than a year, its long-term viability is in question.

Listed are other issues we found with Foamstars:

• Overcrowded Market: The live-service multiplayer space is highly competitive, with numerous free-to-play titles vying for attention. It has found it hard to compete with more established games with more loyal player bases and continuous content updates.
• Content Updates: Even with updates, the game hasn’t provided enough compelling new content to keep players engaged. It is a massive factor in its sharp drop-off in players soon after its release.

Foamstars’ Future Looks Bleak

The future of Foamstars remains uncertain. Despite recent efforts to boost the player base, the game still faces an uphill battle in a crowded and competitive market. There’s a possibility that Square Enix could pull the plug on the game, especially if it continues to struggle to retain players.

In addition, Square Enix has been reassessing its sales strategies, even going so far as to call Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth a sales failure despite its popularity.

However, although the outlook is grim, some fans believe the game could make a comeback with suitable content updates and player-focused improvements. There’s still a chance the game could carve out a niche in the multiplayer shooter space, but it would require significant changes.

Parting Notes

In the competitive world of live-service games, success can be fleeting, and Foamstars is a prime example of how even AAA support can’t guarantee longevity.

While the game still has a dedicated fanbase and some potential, it’s unclear how it will last. Square Enix has tried various strategies but may have run out of options. For those curious about the game, it might be wise to check it out sooner rather than later — before it potentially joins the growing list of de-listed Square Enix games.

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