History Main / TemporaryOnlineContent

* VideoGame/SeaOfThieves permanently removed the Sea Dog's Arena in early 2022, making all PVP mode-related gear and cosmetics completely unobtainable to anyone who hadn't gotten them already.

* VideoGame/SeaOfThieves peranently removed the Sea Dog's Arena in early 2022, making all PVP mode-related gear and cosmetics completely unobtainable to anyone who hadn't gotten them already.

* To celebrate Sega's 60th anniversary, the company temporarily released various games for digital distribution, such as ''VideoGame/{{Golden Axe}}d: A Cancelled Prototype'' and ''[[VideoGame/StreetsOfRage Streets of]] [[VideoGame/{{Yakuza}} Kamurocho]]''. However, once the event concluded, the games were removed from store shelves; if a user had not already added them to their online library, they could no longer be downloaded at all.

* ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' and [[VideoGame/Hitman2 both]] [[VideoGame/Hitman3 sequels]] feature Elusive Targets. Elusive Targets are only available for a certain period of time before being removed. What's more, you can only play these missions ''once''. You're free to restart multiple times, but after you've successfully completed the mission or die, you cannot replay them (unless you've disconnected from the game's servers and your progress doesn't get logged).

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' multiplayer mode had [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_3_Multiplayer/Weekend_Events weekend events]] (e.g. "Operation Tribute" on the weekend immediately following Creator/RobinSachs' death), which gave special {{Cosmetic Award}}s for those who completed it. There is no way to receive those awards if you failed to get them on the corresponding weekend, and the events themselves have long stopped.
* The full online campaign in the first three home console ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' games (plus the expanded version of the first, ''Monster Hunter G''), in each of which it has its own set of exclusive quests, monsters, armor, weapons and upgrades, became inaccessible after their online servers were shut down. The remaining games avert this, as they allow the player to access and tackle the multiplayer campaigns solo without needing to connect online or look for additional local players.

* ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' and [[VideoGame/Hitman2 both]] [[VideoGame/Hitman3 sequels]] feature Elusive Targets. Elusive Targets are only available for a certain period of time before being removed. What's more, you can only play these missions ''once''. You're free to restart multiple times, but after you've successfully completed the mission or die, you cannot replay these missions (unless you've disconnected from the game's servers and your progress doesn't get logged).

* ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' and [[VideoGame/Hitman2 both]] [[VideoGame/Hitman3 sequels]] feature Elusive Targets. Elusive Targets are only available for a certain period of time before being removed. What's more, you can only play these missions ''once''. After you successfully assassinate them or die during the mission, you cannot replay these missions (unless you've disconnected from the game's servers and your progress doesn't get logged).

• ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyBraveExvius'': There are Events that usually run for 2-3 weeks, with some of them including characters from different Franchise/FinalFantasy games, or even other games (such as ''Franchise/DragonQuest''); the rest include FFBE characters that you either would meet in-story, or show up in the backstory. During these events, you usually get a chance at earning the characters that show up for the quests, and either directly earning equipment/items, or earning Event Currency that can be traded in for equipment/items from a list. Once the relevant event is over you usually end up hoping the event gets a rerun, for another chance at (at least) the characters.

* To celebrate the 35th anniversary of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', Nintendo released ''Super Mario Bros. 35'', a battle royale game where 35 players compete to complete levels while avoiding attacks sent by other players. The game had an extremely limited run of just several months and Nintendo yanked the game offline. Since the game was online only, it's impossible to get or run the game.

* To celebrate the 35th anniversary of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', Nintendo released ''Mario 35'', a battle royale game where 35 players compete to complete levels while avoiding attacks sent by other players. The game had an extremely limited run of just several months and Nintendo yanked the game offline. Since the game was online only, it's impossible to get or run the game.

* Many modern ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}'' toys have had certain items and characters that are only unlockable via a website or, in Japan, an arcade machine or cell phone game, and become unavailable once the method for unlocking them becomes unavailable.

** Thankfully, in the HD versions of the original trilogy on mobile, these puzzles came onlocked from the get-go.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' and ''3'' both had special crossover data with mobile games; the former had ''Mass Effect Galaxy'', while the latter had ''VideoGame/MassEffectInfiltrator''. By playing ''Galaxy'', you could unlock special dialogue with Jacob and Miranda in a sidequest in ''2'', while the latter gave you some additional War Assets depending on your progress in ''Infiltrator''. As both mobile games have long ceased support, these are no longer possible to earn legitimately.

** [[http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=9714 Some hats were retired]] in January 2013, so you won't be able to
obtain them through random drops or crafting anymore.

* ''VideoGame/ChildOfLight'': At release, players had the ability to send Occuli to their UPlay friends. After Ubisoft shut the servers for this down, the achievement/trophy for doing so became unobtainable.

* Sometime around possibly Late 2016/Early 2017, the DLC for ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur IV]]'' was delisted from both respective console stores in all regions ([=PlayStation=]/Xbox). This also includes the digital Xbox 360 version for unknown reasons (although back in the day, full games for [=PS3=] digitally weren't a thing yet until the Early 2010's, so no digital [=PS3=] version never happened). Although no official sources mention anything about the delisting besides word of mouth by some social areas/forums for Soulcalibur. Fortunately, the game is still available physically, but those looking to have a complete character roster will be sadly attuned that the DLC characters for Darth Vader and Yoda are no longer available.

* ''VideoGame/{{Vocaloid}}'': Despite LOLA, LEON, and MIRIAM all being removed from sale, it was still possible to buy a downloadable link until November 2015. MIRIAM was the only one of the three to have all her serial codes had been sold at that point, making it currently impossible to purchase her.

* The [[DownloadableContent Hurricane Packs]] for the original ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'' Xbox game, following the discontinuation of the original Xbox Live service. While ''Ninja Gaiden Black'' carries over most of the content from the Hurricane Packs (extra game modes and costumes) and removes the famed Intercept move, which was deemed [[GameBreaker too powerful]] by the developers.

** Every once in a while the current main series games offer a special {{Mon}} (a legendary, a shiny, [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs a shiny legendary]], a Mon with an unseen combination of ability and nature) or an item used to trigger an encounter with one for a limited time. These can be obtained either by going online and downloading them for free, going to [=GameStop=] or a similar store for a download code, or participating in an online competition through the Global Link. Unlike most examples of the trope, however, such content is hard-coded onto the cartridge even before it receives an official release years after release, so it's at least possible to hack it into regular gameplay.

* This also raises concern of how the contents of [=PlayStation=] and Xbox digital downloads are handled. While some games are taken down in per-title basis, games for legacy platforms may, someday, no longer be supported due to the necessary shutdown. This has been partially alleviated by Microsoft's attempt to update Xbox 360 and original Xbox games by making them backwards compatible with the Xbox One. But the end of digital distribution is coming for the 7th console generation [=PlayStation=] systems. Sony will be shuttering the [=PlayStation=] Store for the [=PlayStation=] 3 and [=Playstation=] Portable systems on July 2, 2021; the [=PlayStation=] Vita's store will close not long after that on August 27, 2021.

* In ''VideoGame/KantaiCollection'', while there are better air-to-air planes than the Reppuu, those are only available as Event or Ranking Rewards and thus are lost forever to newer players.