Niantic told users it would discontinue Harry Potter augmented reality (AR) mobile game Wizards Unite in January 2022, less than three years after its much-hyped launch.

Informing players of the title’s forthcoming demise, the company said: “not all games are meant to last forever,” pointing to a range of in-game events and features scheduled to close off its story arc.

Niantic plans to remove the title from app stores on 6 December, when it will also block purchases within the game. Wizards Unite will be playable until the end of January with all associated community boards and social features shuttered on the same day.

The company said it would not offer refunds on past purchases “except where otherwise required by law”. Those with remaining assets within the game will be able to use them while it is operational.

Niantic announced Wizards Unite was in development in 2017 and subsequently threw strong promotion behind it until its eventual release in mid-2019.

Features in the game were partly influenced by Niantic’s smash hit AR game Pokemon Go which is still going strong more than five years after launch.