PokerStars to Muck Unfold Poker

PokerStars has always been known to try and support the game the website uses in its own brand name. However, not all of the company’s decisions have been good when it comes to launching new products. Not so long ago, PokerStars released a new title by the name of Unfold – a game that offered gamers the opportunity to grab back their mucked card and continue to play.

Of course, it all came at a price – literally and this occasioned much in the way of criticism in the way of the company. Basically, the community disagreed with Unfold’s rules, because the game allowed players who have been eliminated to continue competing in exchange for money. It wasn’t out of fear that someone may actually come back and defeat fellow players.

It had to do with the simple fact that PokerStars was seeking to increase its own rake, even if it dubbed the move as “unprecedented.” All in all, the community saw it as a way to dupe people into paying more and still end up losing while the website just added to its profits. Following the slew of negative feedback, PokerStars has decided to do the honorary thing and shut down [geolink href=”https://www.pokernewsreport.com/unfold-holdem-makes-debut-at-pokerstars-22624″]their recently released Unfold Poker[/geolink] for good.

An initial shutter was expected on September 10, but that date was then pushed back and the game is still lingering on the platform. The news that the game will be shut down came from a credible source too, with PokerStars’ Director of Innovation and Operations Severin Rasset confirming that the product would indeed be phased out and outright removed.

Rasset did not comment on the accusations that PokerStars had simply been trying to boost its own profitability at the expense of unprepared players. Instead, Rasset highlighted the company’s continuous commitment to experiment with new formats and test fresh products so that it may create a unique experience for its customers.

Rasset also conceded that not every attempt will be a home run, but that would not stop PokerStars from keep trying to develop new modes of plays for its customers.

Unfold first tentatively hit the Danish market on August 1 and following a successful trial, it was quickly rolled out to all other markets operated by the company. PokerStars did anticipate Unfold to be a new and permanent member of the family of games, but in a surprisingly quick-twist of events, the word “permanent” was in fact quickly dropped from the press release.

Working on the Future and Alternatives

Meanwhile, PokerStars has been working on a new replacement for the ill-fortuned Unfold. Known as Six Plus Hold’em, a Short Deck version of the game is now reportedly in the works. The Short Deck has been particularly successful in Asia where Westerners have had an opportunity to try it. Some of the big names of the game testing Short Decks have been Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan who seemed content with the results.

Looking back at 2018, PokerStars has definitely not been twiddling its fingers. The company managed to introduce its Split Hold’em game back in March. The game came with a Double Flop Hold’em feature, which basically led to two flops, two turns, and two rivers later into the game.

Split Hold’em had to go, and it was replaced by Showtime Hold’em, which basically had players who had just mucked their cards reveal the hole cards to the rest of the players on the table, putting anyone after the unfortunate player in a better position. It was finally now the outgoing Unfold that replaced the Showtime Hold’em.