EA Game Servers Going Offline

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EA Game Servers Going Offline

Post by trog @ 09:44am 05/08/06 | 17 Comments

Blue's points out that an absolute stack of EA games have lost their online capability with the termination of online services:

Servers for the games listed below will be shut down on the indicated dates. You may continue to play the games online up until these dates, but certain community programs may begin to close down prior to the shutdown dates.

This is as good as any way I can think of to prove that the best way for developers to make multiplayer games is with a dedicated server mode that allows gamers and communities to manage their own online experience. Centrally managed online systems mean you're at the mercy of when whoever is maintaining it decides to pull the plug. Please bear this in mind when you're shelling out your hard-earned dollars for future titles.

The following games will be affected:

August 1, 2006 Online Service Shutdown
FIFA Soccer 2005 for PS2/Xbox/PC
EA SPORTS� Fight Night Round 2 for PS2/Xbox
NCAA� March Madness� 2005 for PS2/Xbox
NBA LIVE 2005 for Xbox/PC
NBA LIVE 05 for PS2
NBA STREET V3 for PS2/Xbox
NCAA� Football 2005 for PS2
Need for Speed� Underground 2 Demo for PC
Need for Speed� Underground 2 for PC/Xbox
NHL� 2005 for PS2/Xbox/PC
Total Club Manager 06 for PS2
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR� 2005 for PS2/PC
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE� 2004-2005 for PS2/PC/Xbox

October 1, 2006 Online Service Shutdown
Madden NFL 2005 for PS2/Xbox/PC
NFL Street 2: Unleashed for PS2/Xbox
Armies of Exigo for PC

Previously Shut Down Online Service
MVP Baseball� 2005 for PC/PS2/Xbox
MVP Baseball� 2005 for Xbox

electronic arts

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y 4 r u h8 ?!
Posted 08:08pm 05/8/06

the problem is with a situation like the WON network (ignoring the existence of steam for a minute), sure you can put up a dedicated halflife server with hlds but withouth the WON servers, no one can actually find your server without the address (ie no more server browser). luckily in some cases the community can replace these systems, but its still a shame when companies feel its worth taking down one or two older servers that are serving a game with not that many players, because if they just sit there and do their thing theyre hardly a huge waste of the company's money or infrastructure.

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Tepid
Posted 02:37pm 06/8/06

there's 1 demo on the whole list... i dont think it was the crux of the argument.

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Term
Posted 11:10am 08/8/06

I think probably the cost of ongoing licensing and support from gamespy to use their tech is the biggest driver here. Maybe EA will get a clue and start developing their own solutions, though having said that, I can see that would end up in tears too.

Its quite amazing that the largest games development and distribution company in the world also has the worst reputation with seasoned gamers.

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