Shadowverse CCG: End-of-Service Guide and Moving to Worlds Beyond

Shadowverse has shut down. Cygames ended service for the original Shadowverse at 7:00 p.m. PT on June 30, 2026, after a ten-year run. Crystal purchases stopped after the March 24, 2026 maintenance. The game can no longer be played online. Its successor, Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, launched June 17, 2025 as a free-to-play game on iOS, Android and PC (Windows/macOS, including Steam).

Urgent (as of September 28, 2026): the window to request a transfer of unused crystals to Worlds Beyond closes at 7:00 p.m. PT on September 30, 2026. You can only apply if you linked your accounts before shutdown. Details below.

This guide covers what happened, how to rescue what you can from your old account, how the original game worked (for anyone revisiting its story or memories), and how to carry your Shadowverse skills into Worlds Beyond.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the official end-of-service notices (announced late March 2026; service ended June 30, 2026; crystal transfer applications open June 30 to September 30, 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start (what to do right now)

Did you link your account to Worlds Beyond before June 30, 2026? If yes, you can still apply for a crystal transfer until September 30, 2026, 7:00 p.m. PT.
Apply from inside the Shadowverse app. Don't uninstall it until your crystals have actually been transferred (Cygames' own warning). Open the app, press the crystal transfer button, check that your user ID and crystal balance are correct in the browser form, enter a contact email, and submit.
Transferred crystals arrive as unpaid crystals in Worlds Beyond. Processing starts October 1, 2026, in the order applications were received.
Region exclusion: the transfer applies only to players outside Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Didn't link in time? Account linking stopped at end of service, so neither link rewards nor transfers are available. You can still start fresh in Worlds Beyond, which is free-to-play.
Install Worlds Beyond on Steam (or mobile) and pick your class. Your old card knowledge transfers well.

Timeline

Date (PT)	Event
June 17, 2016	Shadowverse launches on mobile
October 2016	PC/Steam release
December 2017	Portalcraft and the Rotation format added (Chronogenesis)
June 17, 2025	Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond launches; account linking opens
March 24, 2026	Crystal sales end after maintenance
Late March 2026	End of service officially announced (Steam post dated March 30)
March 31, 2026, 7:00 p.m.	Battle Pass Season 23 begins; Premium Pass given to all players; Throwback Rotation card pool resets
April 30 and May 31, 2026, 7:00 p.m.	Further Throwback Rotation resets
June 30, 2026, 7:00 p.m.	Service ends; account linking ends; crystal transfer applications open
September 30, 2026, 7:00 p.m.	Crystal transfer application deadline
From October 1, 2026	Transfers processed

Over its lifetime Shadowverse released more than 5,000 cards across 32 card sets, 20 main story chapters, and ran the World Grand Prix esports series. Its legacy continues in Shadowverse: Evolve (the physical card game) and Worlds Beyond.

What the Account Link Gave You

If you linked before shutdown (the link was one-way and permanent: one original account to one Worlds Beyond account):

Everyone: 2 Legends Rise card pack tickets and default sleeves.
Rank B or higher: 2–3 more Legends Rise tickets depending on tier.
Master and above: Shadowverse Rex flair (Master), seasonal sleeves (Grand Master), seasonal flairs (Challenge Master), and special flairs for top-3 Master Score finishes and top tournament placings.
Level 100 classes: card style cosmetics.
Collection-based rewards: backgrounds for your existing collection, plus emblems and posters for each non-tie-in leader.
Battle records: your original Shadowverse stats (wins, ranks, class data) show on your Worlds Beyond profile, which you can hide in profile settings.

How Original Shadowverse Worked (reference)

Useful if you're moving to Worlds Beyond, because most fundamentals carry over.

Core rules

Each Leader has 20 defense. Reduce your opponent's to zero, or win through an alternate win-condition card (e.g. Havencraft's Enstatued Seraph).
Play Points (PP) grow by one each turn to a maximum of 10 and pay for cards.
Decks are 40 cards, with up to three copies of a card.
Followers, spells and amulets are the three card types.
Evolution: players gain Evolution Points to evolve followers, giving bonus stats and effects. The first player gets two points, while the second player gets three and can evolve a turn earlier, which balances going first.
Formats: Rotation (recent sets plus basics) and Unlimited (all cards), plus the draft-style Take Two mode and the Cross Craft mode.
Crafting: cards were liquefied into vials, which were used to create other cards.

The eight classes

Class	Leader	Identity
Forestcraft	Arisa	Fairies, card-play-count combos
Swordcraft	Erika	Officers, commanders, wide boards
Runecraft	Isabelle	Spellboost and spell-driven power
Dragoncraft	Rowen	Overflow (ramp to 7 PP) and big threats
Shadowcraft	Luna	Shadows (graveyard) and Necromancy
Bloodcraft	Urias	Vengeance at low defense, self-damage
Havencraft	Eris	Amulets, countdowns, healing
Portalcraft	Yuwan	Artifacts and resonance

Moving to Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond

What's the same

1-on-1 competitive online card battles with followers, spells and amulets, PP and evolution.
Class identities you know: Forestcraft, Swordcraft, Runecraft, Dragoncraft, Havencraft, Portalcraft.
A draft-style Take Two mode (added August 4, 2025): pick one of two card pairs fourteen times to build a 30-card deck.

What's new

Change	What it means for you
Seven classes	Shadowcraft and Bloodcraft are merged into a new class, Abysscraft
Super Evolution	A stronger evolution on top of the normal one: bigger stat boost plus Rush, the follower can't be destroyed during your turn, and it deals 1 damage to the enemy leader when its attack destroys a follower (per Wikipedia; read the in-game keyword text for exact numbers)
Shadowverse Park	A social hub where you walk around and meet players from around the world; your old battle records can be shown or hidden here
New cast	New leader characters and a new story; check the in-game class pages rather than assuming your old leaders carry over

Carry-over tips for veterans

Evolve timing still decides games. With Super Evolution added, plan which turn you'll spend each point and which follower gets it.
Abysscraft will feel familiar if you played Shadowcraft or Bloodcraft. Expect graveyard and self-damage themes to blend.
Rotation mindset: keep an eye on which sets are current, as in the old game's Rotation format.
Spend pack tickets deliberately. Link rewards and transferred unpaid crystals are finite, so read the current banners before pulling.
Monetization: Worlds Beyond has faced player criticism over microtransactions, so set a budget if you spend.

Other Ways to Keep Playing Shadowverse

With the original app offline, these are the official options Cygames' farewell post names:

Option	What it is	Good for
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond	The direct digital successor (free-to-play)	Online ranked and casual play, the closest experience
Shadowverse: Evolve	The physical trading card game	Local play-group and tournament players
Shadowverse: Champion's Battle	A Nintendo Switch game with a single-player story campaign	Offline play and the anime-era story
Shadowverse / Shadowverse Flame anime	Animated series	Revisiting characters and story

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Uninstalling the original app before transferring crystals. Transfer applications can only be made from inside the Shadowverse app.
Missing the September 30, 2026 deadline. After that, unused crystals can't be transferred.
Assuming you can still link accounts. Linking closed with the end of service on June 30, 2026.
Expecting your card collection to transfer. Link rewards were tickets, cosmetics and records, not your card collection.
Playing Worlds Beyond exactly like the original. Super Evolution and Abysscraft change tempo and matchups.

Advanced Tips for Worlds Beyond (from Shadowverse fundamentals)

Curve out. Using all your PP every turn is still the strongest habit in Shadowverse-style games.
Board control before face damage in most matchups, unless you're an aggro deck with lethal in sight.
Count evolutions. Know how many evolution and Super Evolution points each player has left before committing a big follower.
Track your opponent's class tools. Every class has a signature comeback or removal pattern. Play around the ones you remember.
Take Two rewards evaluating individual card power and curve. It's a great way to learn new sets cheaply.

FAQ

Can I still play the original Shadowverse? No. Service ended at 7:00 p.m. PT on June 30, 2026. The app remains useful only for submitting the crystal transfer application until September 30, 2026.

What happens to my unused crystals? If your account was linked to Worlds Beyond before shutdown and you're outside Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, apply in the app by September 30, 2026, 7:00 p.m. PT. They become unpaid crystals in Worlds Beyond, with processing from October 1, 2026.

I didn't link my accounts. Can I still get anything? No. Linking ended with the service, and transfers require a link.

Is Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond free? Yes. It's free-to-play with optional purchases, on PC (Steam) and iOS/Android. Its first week grossed about $21.7 million in player spending, but player reviews were largely negative over monetization, so budget carefully.

Does Worlds Beyond have Shadowcraft and Bloodcraft? Not as separate classes. They were merged into Abysscraft.

What's Super Evolution? A stronger evolve introduced in Worlds Beyond: a bigger stat boost plus Rush, immunity to destruction during your turn, and 1 damage to the enemy leader whenever its attack destroys a follower. Check the in-game keyword text for exact values.