Ten-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Ivey (pictured) has announced that his free-to-play Facebook app, Ivey Poker, will be temporarily suspended.

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“Since we launched our game here at Ivey Poker, we’ve learned quite a few things… first and foremost that a dedicated and loyal community is essential,” Ivey said in a statement. “So, to our loyal players, we felt we needed to communicate to you about some of the changes you’ll be seeing over the coming months. We plan on suspending the current game this Saturday, Oct. 25. Though that may sound ominous, it’s actually just the first step in our evolution as we prepare to launch an even bigger and better gaming experience for you all in 2015.”

The 38-year-old launched Ivey Poker in 2013 and followed that up by opening a video training site, Ivey league, this year. While the social media app has been shut down for the time being, it appears to be business as usual at Ivy League, with new users being able to sign up and new videos being posted.

Ivey had been building hype for Ivey Poker by sporting branded t-shirts and hats at major events and signing top name pros to produce videos for Ivy League. Patrik Antonius, Cole South, and Dan KingDan Smith are featured, along with 27 others, as contributors to the site.

Since launching, the company has posted regular announcements of accomplishments by sponsored pros on its Facebook page, but published its last update at the end of June.

While the Ivey Poker announcement claims that the site will return next year, many in the poker community seem to believe that the site is closing up shop for good. Pro Christian charder Harder took a shot at the company on Twitter saying, “Ivey Poker couldn’t even stay open? Why? It’s not like they were paying their pros.”

Some were surprised that an Ivey-backed poker site didn’t gain more popularity, while others reacted mostly with disinterest. “Put me in the ‘never knew why they existed’ category,” said one poster on TwoPlusTwo.

But even with rumors swirling that the site would be closing for good, Ivey took to Twitter to seemingly reassure players that the site would, in fact, be returning. “Working on multiple product extensions and new categories for Ivey Poker expansion in 2015,” he said.

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