2K begins delisting Spec Ops: The Line due to expiring licenses, Steam version down already

Fans of the 2012-released military shooter Spec Ops: The Line noticed the game was missing a purchase option on the Steam storefront a day ago. A simple noticed had been placed on the page saying "Spec Ops: The Line is no longer available on the Steam store" with no further explanation. Other third-party PC gaming stores like Fanatical have also followed suit in removing the game from sale.

Today, a 2K representative provided a reason for the sudden delisting with a statement:

"Spec Ops: The Line will no longer be available on online storefronts, as several partnership licenses related to the game are expiring. Players who have purchased the game can still download and play the game uninterrupted. 2K would like to thank our community of players who have supported the game, and we look forward to bringing you more offerings from our label throughout this year and beyond."

It's unclear what exactly are the licenses that are expiring, but the title does use music from artists like Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple in its soundtrack, which may be the cause.

The game is known for delivering a story focused on the horrors of war. Players take the role of a soldier on a post-conflict recon mission in Dubai who slowly loses his grip on reality from trauma. At the time of removal, the Steam version of Spec Ops: The Line sports a 93% approval rating from players with over 50,000 reviews.

The removal even caught off guard developers of the game. Cory Davis, Spec Ops: The Line designer and director, said the delisting "makes no sense - especially because the themes portrayed in @SpecOpsTheLine are more relevant now than ever. Why has this happened @2k
@Steam"

Thanks to differing delisting procedures, Spec Ops: The Line is still available for purchase from some storefronts. This includes the GOG store (DRM-free), Humble Store (Steam key), and even the Xbox store for playing the game via backward compatibility on modern Xbox consoles. This may be the last chance to grab a copy for anyone interested in the experience before the delisting wave hits all digital stores. The title is already not available on PlayStation stores due to it being a PlayStation 3 entry.