Capcom and GungHo Online Entertainment announced on December 22, 2025 that TEPPEN, their free-to-play digital collectible card game, will shut down on March 30, 2026 at 8:00 PM PT. The mobile card game that boldly declared itself the card game that will end all others is instead ending after six years of service. However, unlike most mobile game shutdowns that completely erase player progress, TEPPEN will receive an offline update on the same day servers close, allowing players to preserve their card collections, view statistics, and continue playing single-player modes without online connectivity.
The Timeline That Matters Most
Capcom stopped selling Jewels, TEPPEN’s premium currency, on December 22, 2025, the same day they announced the shutdown. Players can no longer purchase the currency used to buy card packs and other premium content. Between December 24, 2025 and March 30, 2026, players must update the app and log in to begin data transfer preparations that preserve their progress for the offline version. Card pack sales end March 1, 2026, along with Adventure Jewel exchanges.
The critical deadline comes after shutdown. The offline version update releases March 30, 2026 when online servers close. Players have exactly one month until April 20, 2026 to download the offline update from the App Store or Google Play. Miss that window and your TEPPEN collection disappears forever. The game’s official website and all support end July 31, 2026, wiping away the last traces of TEPPEN’s online existence.
What The Offline Version Actually Includes
The offline update isn’t a complete preservation of TEPPEN as it existed with online service. Players will retain access to their card collections, letting them view all the cards they accumulated over the years. Statistics and player data carry over, preserving records of matches won, favorite heroes used, and progression milestones achieved. Single-player modes remain playable, allowing continued enjoyment of TEPPEN’s adventure campaigns and AI battles without needing server connectivity.
What disappears with server shutdown is everything requiring online functionality. Ranked matches, casual PvP, friend battles, clan features, daily login bonuses, new card releases, balance patches, events, and community features all cease existing. TEPPEN’s real-time card battle system that distinguished it from competitors required server-side processing that offline mode cannot replicate. Essentially, players get a museum of their accomplishments and ability to replay story content, but lose the competitive multiplayer that defined TEPPEN’s core experience.
The Capcom Crossover Dream That Couldn’t Last
TEPPEN launched in July 2019 with the ambitious premise of bringing together characters from across Capcom’s massive gaming library into one card battler. Street Fighter legends like Ryu and Chun-Li faced off against Resident Evil’s Leon Kennedy and Jill Valentine. Devil May Cry’s Dante teamed up with Monster Hunter’s Rathalos. Mega Man joined forces with Ōkami’s Amaterasu. Phoenix Wright from Ace Attorney somehow fit into battles alongside these action heroes. The crossover roster attracted Capcom fans who’d never get these dream matchups anywhere else.
The game differentiated itself through real-time gameplay rather than traditional turn-based card battling. Players built decks around hero characters with unique abilities, then deployed unit cards onto a lane-based battlefield where they automatically attacked. Strategic timing of card plays, reactive counter-cards, and hero powers created fast-paced matches lasting just minutes instead of the lengthy games that slow down competitors like Hearthstone. TEPPEN aimed to be the card game you could play during a quick break, not the one demanding 30-minute time investments per match.
Why TEPPEN Failed After Six Years
The shutdown announcement didn’t provide official reasons for ending service, but the writing was on the wall. TEPPEN never achieved mainstream success despite Capcom’s recognizable IP and GungHo’s mobile development expertise. The game launched to positive reviews praising its fresh approach to digital card games, earning recognition as one of 2019’s best mobile releases. However, it failed to build the massive player base needed to sustain a competitive free-to-play card game long-term.
Several factors likely contributed to TEPPEN’s decline. The mobile card game market became increasingly saturated after Hearthstone proved the viability of digital CCGs, with Marvel Snap, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, and others competing for player attention and wallets. TEPPEN’s real-time gameplay, while innovative, created a higher skill floor that intimidated casual players who just wanted to collect cards featuring favorite Capcom characters. The aggressive monetization typical of mobile free-to-play titles may have turned off players uncomfortable with gacha mechanics and expensive card pack purchases.
The Offline Update Consolation Prize
Capcom and GungHo deserve credit for providing an offline version rather than completely deleting TEPPEN from existence like most mobile game shutdowns. Too many live service games vanish entirely when publishers decide they’re no longer profitable, erasing years of player time investment and financial spending. Marvel Heroes, Anthem, Knockout City, and countless others became completely unplayable after shutdown, with no way to access content players paid real money for.
TEPPEN’s offline update at least preserves something, even if it’s a shadow of the full experience. Players who spent money on card packs can still view their collections. Fans who invested hundreds of hours can revisit their statistics and remember victories. The single-player campaigns remain playable for anyone wanting to experience TEPPEN’s story content without server access. It’s not perfect preservation, but it’s more than most shuttered mobile games provide.
The One Month Download Window Problem
The biggest issue with Capcom’s offline solution is the extremely limited download window. Players have exactly 30 days after March 30, 2026 to grab the offline update before it disappears forever. Miss that April 20 deadline because you uninstalled the game months earlier or switched phones, and there’s no second chance. The app gets removed from stores permanently. Anyone who discovers TEPPEN after April 2026 will never experience it in any form.
This creates urgency for current players but also demonstrates the fragility of digital game preservation. Even when publishers make efforts to preserve content, they impose artificial constraints that ultimately result in loss. A truly preservationist approach would keep the offline version available indefinitely for anyone wanting to experience TEPPEN’s card collection and story modes years after shutdown. Instead, Capcom treats it like a limited-time courtesy for existing players rather than a genuine preservation effort.
What This Means For Capcom Mobile Games
TEPPEN’s shutdown raises questions about Capcom’s mobile strategy going forward. The publisher invested significantly in the free-to-play mobile space over the past decade with games like Monster Hunter Now, Street Fighter Duel, Mega Man X DiVE, and others. TEPPEN represented one of their more ambitious mobile projects, bringing together their entire IP catalog rather than focusing on a single franchise. Its failure after six years suggests that even beloved IP and quality development don’t guarantee mobile success.
Capcom will likely take lessons from TEPPEN’s shutdown when planning future mobile releases. The aggressive free-to-play monetization that sustains successful mobile games also drives away players uncomfortable with predatory gacha mechanics. The real-time competitive focus that differentiated TEPPEN created barriers to entry for casual fans who just wanted to collect Resident Evil cards. Finding the balance between accessibility, monetization, and retention that makes mobile games profitable remains challenging even for major publishers with massive IP libraries.
FAQs
When does TEPPEN shut down?
TEPPEN officially shuts down on March 30, 2026 at 8:00 PM PT / March 31, 2026 at 3:00 AM UTC. Online features including ranked matches, PvP, and events end permanently at that time.
Will I lose my TEPPEN card collection?
No, if you download the offline update. The March 30, 2026 update preserves card collections, player statistics, and single-player modes. However, you must download it before April 20, 2026 or lose access forever.
Can I still play TEPPEN after shutdown?
Yes, in limited form. The offline version lets you view your card collection, check statistics, and play single-player adventure modes. All online features including ranked matches, casual PvP, and friend battles become unavailable.
When does premium currency stop being sold?
Jewels (premium currency) stopped being sold on December 22, 2025. Card packs will stop being sold on March 1, 2026. Any remaining currency becomes unusable after March 30, 2026.
How long can I download the offline version?
The offline update is available for download from March 30, 2026 until April 20, 2026. After April 20, the app gets removed from app stores permanently and cannot be downloaded anymore.
What Capcom characters are in TEPPEN?
TEPPEN features characters from Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Monster Hunter, Mega Man, Ōkami, Ace Attorney, and other Capcom franchises in a crossover card battle format.
Why is TEPPEN shutting down?
Capcom hasn’t provided official reasons, but the game likely failed to maintain the large player base needed for a profitable free-to-play card game after six years of service in an increasingly crowded mobile market.
When does the TEPPEN website close?
The official TEPPEN website and all customer support end on July 31, 2026, four months after server shutdown. After that date, no official information about the game will be available.
Conclusion
TEPPEN’s March 30, 2026 shutdown marks another casualty in the mobile gaming graveyard where ambitious projects go to die despite quality execution and recognizable IP. The game that promised to end all card games is ending itself after six years, unable to compete in the brutal free-to-play market where only the most successful titles survive long-term. Capcom and GungHo deserve credit for providing an offline update that preserves card collections and single-player content rather than completely erasing years of player investment. However, the one-month download window between March 30 and April 20 demonstrates that even preservation efforts come with expiration dates in the mobile games industry. If you spent time or money on TEPPEN, mark your calendar for those critical deadlines. Update the app before March 30 to prepare data transfer. Download the offline version before April 20 or lose everything forever. And if you’re discovering TEPPEN for the first time through this shutdown announcement, you have one last chance to experience Capcom’s ambitious card game crossover before it vanishes into gaming history. The card game that wanted to end all others instead serves as another reminder that live service games are temporary by design, existing only as long as publishers find them profitable regardless of player attachment or investment.