SpiritVale Apologizes for Launch Issues as Studio Hires to Fix Backend
Indie MMORPG SpiritVale has seen a sharp early surge since its July 15 release, but a rough launch—including bot activity, storefront changes, and server problems—has also driven messy reviews. After announcing that the game’s server backend struggled with an unexpectedly high player count, the studio behind it says it’s now hiring to fix the underlying performance issues and is actively reworking the Auction House to address major lag.
Key takeaways
- SpiritVale launched on July 15 and reportedly peaked at over 20,000 concurrent players on Steam.
- Launch complaints include bot spam, the closure of the free demo, and downtime affecting the in-game Auction Hall.
- Baikun Interactive says the new backend architecture between the demo and early access couldn’t handle the unexpected player load.
- The studio is hiring a full-time backend developer now that Kickstarter funding has been secured.
- Baikun states the Auction House is being reworked to reduce lag, with the work designed to preserve player data rather than take long server outages.
- There will be no wipe or rollback to servers or accounts, according to the latest studio update.
Unexpected load and backend changes
Baikun Interactive acknowledged that SpiritVale’s launch has been “rough,” despite the game being ready before release. The studio says it ran into issues it hadn’t encountered earlier, pointing specifically to a backend architecture introduced between the demo and early access. In its update, the team says this system “couldn’t handle the unforeseen player count,” effectively meaning the servers were overwhelmed by more players than expected.
Because Kickstarter funds are now available, Baikun says it is hiring a full-time backend developer to help stabilize performance going forward.
Capacity isn’t the limiter; focus shifts to the Auction House
Addressing a common suggestion from players—adding more or better servers—Baikun says capacity is not the issue. The studio claims that NA1 never reached 100% CPU on launch day, and that with additional servers, load is currently lower than before.
Instead, the studio places emphasis on the Auction House as a major source of lag and broader stability problems. Baikun says the Auction Hall has been unavailable in a way that goes beyond bot-driven economy concerns, and that it’s actively working on repairs for trade and vending functionality.
Baikun explains that the Auction House is being reworked while preserving everyone’s data, arguing that this approach is preferable to shutting down servers for extended maintenance. The studio says it is working on the changes “nonstop” and is prioritizing getting the in-game trade and vending systems back online.
No rollback or account wipe
In the latest message to players, Baikun also directly addressed a rumor circulating in the community. The studio stated there will be no wipe or rollback to servers or accounts, asking players to stop spreading claims otherwise.
