With the success of the PS5 console, Sony has been phasing out some of its older technology. This includes the PS Vita, which has not only been long discontinued, but is slowly removing some of its services. This includes removing certain payment options from the PS3 and Vita online storefronts, which occurred last month. The company is continuing down this path with shutting down the online servers to two exclusives of the PS Vita, Freedom Wars and Soul Sacrifice.
Both games are interesting entries in the PS Vita's library, both being generally well-received and having benefited from the portable nature of the console. Freedom Wars is an action-RPG that features local and online multiplayer, where players can fight giant mechanical creatures alongside other teammates, in the same vein as games like Japan Studio's God Eater or Capcom's Monster Hunter. Soul Sacrifice is also an action-RPG, where it also largely features a multiplayer component based on its core mechanics of sacrifice.
While both games can be played and be beaten in a Solo venture, PlayStation Japan announced that these two games will have their online servers decommissioned on December 24th. Currently this announcement only applies to the Japanese online servers, but it is likely that the Western servers won't be online for long either. While both of these titles can be played locally using adhoc connectivity, it requires two PS Vitas and copies of the game, which can be difficult.
This is a big blow to both games, as both of them were created in response to Sony losing its exclusivity to Capcom's Monster Hunter. This is evidenced by both Freedom Wars and Soul Sacrifice being built around co-operative play. Both games even had relatively active communities in its hay-days, especially online. These communities were the most active in Japan, with some Western players enjoying the niche titles as well. Another aspect that will be affected from the shutdown of the servers will be the trophies. Any of them that involved multiplayer, whether it be online or local, will now become more difficult to unlock after it goes offline.
With the shutdown of these servers immenient, it's likely that the games will get one last hurrah from fans, some either partaking in some online exclusive co-op missions, or participating in some of the more competitive aspects. However, once the online servers go down, it's likely these two will become quite the Hidden Gems exclusive to the PS Vita.
Source: PlayStation Japan (Soul Sacrifice, Freedom Wars)