The official website of Bandai Namco Entertainment's Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation PlayStation 3 game announced on Thursday that it will cease operations on the game as well as the Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Support Appli for the PlayStation Vita on July 31. Items will no longer be available to purchase after May 31.

The game launched in Japan for the PS3 in June 2012.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation was the first free-to-play game for the Gundam franchise. In the game, four to six players could join either the Earth Federation or Zeon Forces to play against each other. Players could not only pilot the giant Mobile Suits of the Gundam world, but could also attack enemies in vehicles or even on foot.

A sequel game titled Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation Next debuted for the PS4 and PS3 in August 2015. Featuring similar gameplay as its predecessor, the sequel introduces Mobile Suits from Mobile Suit Z Gundam , Mobile Suit Gundam Seed , and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing .

[Via Hachima Kikō]