The online multiplayer mode for WipEout 2048, the 2012 antigravity racer developed by Studio Liverpool for the PlayStation Vita, has been fully restored by a fan community. The revival was announced this week on Reddit by ThatOneBonk, co-owner of the AG Racing Foundation, whose team operates the custom servers responsible for bringing the game’s online features back online.
According to the announcement, players can now access the Online Campaign, unlock online trophies, and pursue the platinum trophy through the foundation’s Thallium + Beat server infrastructure. The restoration effectively reverses a long-standing barrier that has kept completionists from earning the game’s top award since Sony discontinued Vita online services.
The Last Vita WipEout
WipEout 2048 launched in early 2012 as a flagship title for Sony’s then-new handheld, arriving alongside the system in its launch window. Developed by Studio Liverpool — the studio formerly known as Psygnosis and long considered the home of the WipEout franchise — the game was set in the year 2048 and served as a prequel to the original 1995 PlayStation release. It blended the series’ signature high-speed anti-gravity racing with touch-based and rear-panel controls unique to the Vita hardware.
The title arrived during a turbulent period for the studio. Studio Liverpool was shuttered by Sony later that same year, making WipEout 2048 the final handheld entry in the long-running series. The Vita, meanwhile, never achieved the commercial foothold of its predecessors, and Sony’s online services for the platform were officially wound down in 2021, leaving a substantial catalog of multiplayer-focused games without official support.
Why This Revival Matters
For completion-focused players, the absence of functioning online servers was more than a minor inconvenience. The Online Campaign was a central pillar of WipEout 2048’s long-term appeal, and several trophies tied to it were effectively unobtainable after Sony pulled Vita network support. The AG Racing Foundation’s server work changes that equation, restoring trophy progression and multiplayer races for a game that has otherwise been preserved primarily through offline play.
The project is part of a wider trend of community-led preservation efforts targeting PlayStation-era titles. Similar fan-run server restorations have breathed new life into other dormant multiplayer experiences, and the AG Racing Foundation has positioned itself as a hub for reviving online functionality across the WipEout franchise. For retro gaming enthusiasts who still keep a Vita charged and ready, the return of WipEout 2048’s online mode is a meaningful addition to a small but growing list of fully playable network-era classics.
Readers can find more coverage of preservation projects and retro gaming milestones in the RetroArcade news section.
Source: Time Extension