Sony Computer Entertainment will finally pull the plug on its online support for "Resistance: Retribution" in a few months time. The company thanked gamers for playing the title through their Twitter account as they broke the news. The legendary third-person shooter title, which was released exclusively to the PlayStation Portable back in 2009, will be facing its closedown on May 5 this year, giving its fans ample time to prime themselves for the game's impending valediction. 

The publisher did not specify the purpose for the shutdown, but based on the title's declining following over the years, the retirement of the game was simply foreseen. And taking into account that "Resistance: Fall of Man" (2006), "Resistance 2" (2008) and "Resistance 3" (2011) were all taken out last year, "Resistance: Retribution" only had the same direction to take. It is still impressive, though, that the game has kept its servers running for six years, despite the game being an exclusive to the ageing portable system. 

"Resistance: Retribution" is set in 1951 — bridging the events in the first and the second installments of the franchise. Gamers play as the valiant British Royal Marines Lieutenant James Grayson, who works together with the human resistance force to redeem Europe from a terrifying alien troop of unidentified origin known as the Chimera. The post-apocalyptic game offers 8-player online multiplayer matches with interesting and action-packed modes namely Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Containment, Free For All and Assimilation. 

The game was developed by SCE Bend Studio Players. Insomniac Games helped with designing the game in the preliminary stages of its production.

To make the departure more tangible, players are reminded that they have roughly three months to relive and relish "Resistance: Retribution" and its communal alien-kicking missions. The game is still at the PlayStation Store for those who like to play it also. 

Once "Resistance: Retribution" is taken offline for good, "Resistance: Burning Skies" (2012) for the PS Vita will be the only surviving installment from the series offering multiplayer support. With the handheld still significant, a shutoff for this one seems to be way off the cards, at least for now. Interestingly, Sony has filed a new trademark for "Resistance" just recently and that means that a refresh for the franchise may be in the works.