1. The memory crisis is altering not only hardware markets but also online gaming infrastructure, leading to the shutdown of multiplayer modes.
2. Stormgate’s online features are impacted after its server host was acquired by an AI company, with its developer planning to patch the game for offline play.
3. Smaller studios outsourcing hosting and network services are increasingly vulnerable to disruptions due to business shifts by providers, especially amid rising AI infrastructure demand.
The Growing Impact of AI on Online Gaming
It seems that the ongoing memory crisis isn’t just messing with hardware prices and making things hard to find, it’s now also messing up games and their online features. For example, the popular RTS game Stormgate is losing all its online modes. The reason behind this is that the game’s server host was bought by an AI company.
Changes in Server Hosting and Its Consequences
Stormgate’s hosting service, Hathora, was bought by Fireworks AI back in March 2026. Since then, Hathora announced that they will stop providing services in the gaming industry. They recommend their current customers to switch to GameFabric by Nitrado, but for Stormgate, this doesn’t seem to be enough. Developer Frost Giant says that Hathora dropping support will lead to the multiplayer modes shutting down. They are planning to update the game so it can be played offline, but the online component might only return if a new hosting partner is found.
Effects on Developing and Established Games
This situation hits games like Stormgate really hard. It launched in August 2025 after about a year in beta, created by ex-Blizzard developers, and was funded through Kickstarter and other investments. Yet, it hasn’t managed to become a big success. Losing its online functions might be the final blow, making player numbers drop to almost nothing and causing it to fade away.
Broader Trends in the Game Industry
But, this kind of problem isn’t just limited to games that are already struggling. Smaller game studios especially often rely on outsourcing hosting and network services or matchmaking to save money. That means they are more vulnerable because if the hosting provider gets bought out or decides to change its business, it can instantly disrupt their games. With the boom of AI technology now, it’s quite likely that these problems will happen even more often in the future. As demand for AI infrastructure grows, companies might find it more profitable to provide AI-based hosting rather than traditional game servers.
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