EA Shutting Down Several Game Servers

[pwnophobia]

If you're still playing Madden '09 or Fight Night Round 3 online you may want to consider getting the latest version of the game because come February 2nd the online servers will be shutdown. The reason for the shutdown? EA is trying to consolidate its online sports lineup.

The shutdowns commence February 2. Here's the complete list.

* UEFA Champions League 07 - PC and Xbox 360
* Facebreaker - Xbox 360 and PS3
* Fantasy Football 09 - Xbox 360 and PS3
* FIFA 07 - PSP, PS2, PC
* Fight Night Round 3 - PS2
* Madden 08 - Wii
* Madden 08 - PC
* Madden 09 - Xbox 1
* Madden 09 - Wii and PSP
* March Madness 07 - Xbox 60
* NBA 07 - PSP, Xbox 360
* NBA 08 - PS2, PSP, Wii
* NBA 09 - Wii (Europe only)
* NBA Street (2007) - PS3 and Xbox 360
* NCAA Football 08 - PS2
* NCAA Football 09 - PS2
* NASCAR 08 - PS2
* NASCAR 09 - PS2
* NASCAR 09 - PS3 and Xbox 360 (Europe Only)
* NFL Tour - PS3 and Xbox 360
* NHL 07 - PSP and Xbox 360
* NHL 08 - PC
* Tiger Woods 07 - PC
* Madden 09 - Xbox 360 and PS3
* Madden 07 - Xbox 360

Thanks to 1UP (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177489).

[vivalahazy]

Also for you achievement whores out there it means grab those online achievements while you still can as you wont be able to get them any more

Now I wonder breaks any of Microsoft's rules about achievements as I though all 1000GS had to be possible to get when bought

[Demo_Boy]

Madden 09 - Xbox 360 and PS3
Facebreaker - Xbox 360 and PS3


Kind of recent? Makes one worried about when they will shut down the BF 1943 servers.

[bean19]

Demo_boy - Facebreaker was a flop, so an early sunset on it is not surprising. Madden '09 is super quick though. EA has traditionally not sunset servers until they are actually only being played by a handful of superfans.

[Spacebear]

I think any superfans of these franchises would be playing their latest incarnations anyway.

[yutt]

Games now have an expiration date. Gamers; this is what you asked for!

[Phinor]

Once again very bad news for gamers. Some people consider FNR3 superior to the fourth game; shutting down Madden 09 servers is complete madness and greed on EA's part. How much does it cost to keep NBA09 Wii servers up in Europe? Couldn't they migrate some of these less played games onto same servers? Is the best solution really to piss on your customers? Though I guess we all know the answer to that last question: yes.

It won't take long now before they start taking PC version activation servers down..

[Demo_Boy]

only superfans get to play multiplayer?

[brandonjclark]

Games now have an expiration date. Gamers; this is what you asked for!

It's true..... they should come with a mandatory sticker that reads...

"Multiplayer Warning! This game guarantees only one year of multiplayer play!"



Pathetic....

[Tintivilo]

you should automatically get achievements if they are multiplayer when servers are turned off! *runs to the bargain bin*

[modeps]

Could potentially be a sign that EA is trying to trim as much fat as possible. They're already cutting people, cutting servers reduces costs too.

[yutt]

It's true..... they should come with a mandatory sticker that reads...

"Multiplayer Warning! This game guarantees only one year of multiplayer play!"



Pathetic....
I agree, but it's worse than that.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has run into MMOs for sale at full price that have no active servers. I don't quite understand the legalities of all it, but you'd think uninformed consumer with a pet lawyer would have caused a ruckus by now.

[Johan]

Games now have an expiration date. Gamers; this is what you asked for!

:rolleyes: Blaming the victim, rather than the perpetrators; also historical ignorance at best, or revisionism at worst.

EA played hardball with MS early in Microsoft's efforts to get EA on board with their gaming platform (the original Xbox) and MS caved in to EA's demand that gamers MUST go through EA servers to access online functionality. The reason? So that EA can turn off that functionality in order to foist lousy yearly iterations of their titles. EA and MS are primarily to blame. Many consumers don't even realize the fine print on the back of EA titles indicates a 30-day notice for turning off online features whenever EA deems they want to do so.

Gamers didn't "ask" for it. EA demanded it, and MS caved because they needed EA titles on their platform for it to have a chance at success, back when EA was the big dog.

[Earth Djinn]

Awesome, thanks EA.

[ElfShotTheFood]

Somebody offered me a trade where I'd give up Facebreaker for Just Cause. I should take him up on the offer quickly before he hears about this. :D

[yutt]

:rolleyes: Blaming the victim, rather than the perpetrators; also historical ignorance at best, or revisionism at worst.There is no "victim". You're stretching a farcical analogy. There are consumers who, knowingly or unknowingly, purchased a product linked to a centralized server, and accepted license terms giving away their legal rights for redress.

Many consumers don't even realize the fine print on the back of EA titles indicates a 30-day notice for turning off online features whenever EA deems they want to do so.This is your way of using wiggle words to avoid saying it is the consumer's fault. Regardless you said it, so I'm glad you agree with me.

Gamers didn't "ask" for it. EA demanded it, and MS caved because they needed EA titles on their platform for it to have a chance at success, back when EA was the big dog.
So consumers were forced against their will to purchase these products? Fascinating.

I wish I had the time to go through your post history and argue with you using your own words. It would be terrifically entertaining to watch you unknowingly bicker with yourself, since you seem to have few stable positions other than disagreeing with everyone.

[abso]

I get turning off the 07/08 iterations, but turning off the 09 versions is way too soon. Most people don't buy a new version each year, they get a new one every 2-3 years. Gah, just when I thought EA was getting better, they do something stupid like this. Fuck EA!

[Johan]

There is no "victim".

There is indeed. It would be everyone reading your condescending declaration that gamers "asked for" expiration dates on their games, which is idiotic and unsupported by the facts.

Of course, you've avoided the facts entirely. Here they are:

* EA refused to publish their titles on Microsoft's platform without the ability to force users to go through EA servers.
* MS caved in out of necessity. They had to have EA-published games on the Xbox for its success, so they traded one of Live's central features (control over matchmaking) for EA to get on board.
* Most gamers have no idea that the central attractive feature, for many of them, of their sports title...online play...can be shut off at will by EA with a simple 30-day notice.
* yutt blames gamers, declaring it is their fault for not noticing the 'fine print' in five-point-font on the back of the box, thereby taking his stand with EA, MS, and their corporate lawyers in blaming the little guy.

You truly are a work of hypocritical art. You have previously stated that:

I have no interest on pushing my social choices on to others.

Liar. You condemn people for buying a product that has been crippled by corporate deal-making, and implicitly declare they shouldn't be doing so. Condescending, historical-revisionist-making liar.

[AkumaATR]

Gone are the golden days of simply knowing my friend's IP addy, I guess. Convenient that by not providing alternate means of matchmaking/hosting games for consumers, they can also push their new product. :mad:

[StANTo]

That's business.

[yutt]

Insults directed at yutt and rambling emotion-laden nonsense.
If you aren't happy with the consumer-behavior-driven free-market, perhaps you're a communist.

People are dealing with the consequences of their actions. It's that simple. :D

[Johan]

I don't buy EA sports titles. It seems to me you are the one who is upset with gamers, blaming them for the 'expiration date' on games. I just simply avoid games I don't want, and buy games I do want. I don't blame people for enjoying EA games, and the average consumer isn't considering server-shutdowns when they buy a Madden game. In fact, families with kids who buy last year's EA sports title may be in for a shock when they attempt to go online. That's unfortunate for them.

EA hasn't changed. This is proof of that, unfortunately. The only change is they're not the biggest any longer, so they don't get noticed as much.

[yutt]

I don't buy EA sports titles. ... I just simply avoid games I don't want, and buy games I do want.Ooo, me too. I guess we're not as different as you pretend.

I don't blame people for enjoying EA games, and the average consumer isn't considering server-shutdowns when they buy a Madden game.I don't blame them for enjoying EA games either. Perhaps if the "average consumer" should be more informed about the products they purchase, so they can avoid such inconveniences in the future. Alternatively, they could petition their representatives for legislation, or maybe search out third-party consumer groups for information.

Capitalism is certainly complicated, but unless you're mentally inept and were actually duped, you don't get to blame someone else for your own laziness or product ignorance. In a free-market it is up to the consumer to exercise their own due diligence. If you don't think that is the best system (which would be contrary to the vast majority of your posts including those where I advocate on behalf of consumers and you accuse me of being a communist), well I agree with you, but it is what we have.
In fact, families with kids who buy last year's EA sports title may be in for a shock when they attempt to go online. That's unfortunate for them.I agree. It is a very shitty situation. They should probably refrain from purchasing EA titles in the future. Maybe stop buying platforms that allow this at all.

[Netami]

caveat emptor

[yutt]

caveat emptor
Precisely.

[Soylent Bob]

At least on Xbox Live we can simply purchase games made by anyone else (ie. anyone that is not EA) and know that this problem will never occur, since MS hosts all other match-making and the cost of maintaining them is paid for by the £40 a year Live subscription. Hell, people are still playing Xbox 1 games on Live! On other (non-subscription) services the developer/publisher has to bear the cost of hosting these services, which is surely not sustainable in the long term based only on a one-off purchase price for a game. I've never understood why people complain about Live fees -- after all, you get what you pay for.

[Vulture]

Wow a marketing, 'cause it sure as hell means no appreciable savings IT wise.

Look most servers are run of VMWARE or even better an open source equivalent ;) So if there is no usage, then there is no real costs because other active game servers keep the hardware busy. Yep IT wise it all just load balancing. Even with those "dedicated" servers the PC Clans occasionally lease from some server farm.

/so I say it is a move to force people to buy the latest version of the game series.

[yutt]

Wow a marketing, 'cause it sure as hell means no appreciable savings IT wise.

Look most servers are run of VMWARE or even better an open source equivalent ;) So if there is no usage, then there is no real costs because other active game servers keep the hardware busy. Yep IT wise it all just load balancing. Even with those "dedicated" servers the PC Clans occasionally lease from some server farm.

/so I say it is a move to force people to buy the latest version of the game series.
That's what I was thinking. Unless there they have a terrible infrastructure there is no reason a relatively inexpensive setup couldn't run all of the demands of one or several of these supposedly obsolete games. As usage goes down so do hardware and bandwidth requirements. If a theoretical Madden 2005 virtual server had no users 99% of the time, it would cost (virtually) nothing to run, and maintenance would be trivial.

Frankly if the operating costs of running a server for a game released in 2009 wasn't budgeted for, that's just poor management. But, like many here, I suspect this is more due to EA trying to force consumers to upgrade rather than any technical or cost cutting reasons.

[lockwoodx]

The more I read Yutt's posts the more I want to buy him a pint of Two Hearted at the Clarkston Union.

[TeeCakes]

This is why you rent sports games, not buy.

[Anenome]

That's what I was thinking. Unless there they have a terrible infrastructure there is no reason a relatively inexpensive setup couldn't run all of the demands of one or several of these supposedly obsolete games. As usage goes down so do hardware and bandwidth requirements. If a theoretical Madden 2005 virtual server had no users 99% of the time, it would cost (virtually) nothing to run, and maintenance would be trivial.

Frankly if the operating costs of running a server for a game released in 2009 wasn't budgeted for, that's just poor management. But, like many here, I suspect this is more due to EA trying to force consumers to upgrade rather than any technical or cost cutting reasons.

This rings true and seems quite likely to me. Shutting down games for profit, to force upgrades, is a cynical move that further leads me to hate EA. I was happy therefore with Activision's ascendancy, but Activision's been pulling some questionable shit too lately.

Seriously, big companies, stop hiring goddamn harvard MBAs to advise your company when you become the big dog. They ruin everything.

[Blog]

At least it's only EA tittles that are getting shanked in the back room. No other games could ever possible be at risk. And thank the gods that every single modern PC game supports dedicated servers, so something like this could never happen on that platform.

Oh, wait... Shit, guys, we may be in trouble here...

[Johan]

But, like many here, I suspect this is more due to EA trying to force consumers to upgrade rather than any technical or cost cutting reasons.

Yes, but now we know who is to blame, according to you...consumers. :rolleyes:

Maybe stop buying platforms that allow this at all.

Indeed...cease gaming entirely, as every single platform in existence allows publishers/developers to cripple their titles as they see fit (see: MW2 for an example on your precious PC. Of course, we know who to blame for that now, too...consumers! :rolleyes: ).

Bash the consumers, baby...bash the consumers! EA isn't to blame at all. :rolleyes:

[Meusli]

Yes, but now we know who is to blame, according to you...consumers. :rolleyes:



Indeed...cease gaming entirely, as every single platform in existence allows publishers/developers to cripple their titles as they see fit (see: MW2 for an example on your precious PC. Of course, we know who to blame for that now, too...consumers! :rolleyes: ).

Bash the consumers, baby...bash the consumers! EA isn't to blame at all. :rolleyes:

God your a twat Johan but I love ya :D

I think you are both on the same page but you are an English teacher so let up on the poor guy, please!

[Major Dan]

Glad I don't play EA sports games, yeah, thats it, no sports games.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

trolls trolling trolls

[Johan]

trolls trolling trolls

I blame gamers who buy EA games. They're asking for it! :D

[Anenome]

trolls trolling trolls

:) I couldn't resist :P

[Evil Avatar]

trolls trolling trolls

The circle of suck.

[92miata]

idiots, stop buying games when they come out!!!!!

i just went to hollywood video and purchased modern warfare, gta 4, and devil may cry 4 for 16 bucks including tax.

VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET!!!!

but since you are all so broke, stop using your credit cards!!!!!

[ElfShotTheFood]

New year, same old Johan.

[Mav]

Madden 09 - Xbox 360 and PS3
Facebreaker - Xbox 360 and PS3


Kind of recent? Makes one worried about when they will shut down the BF 1943 servers.

I wondered this too. I mean they release Madden like clock work so that makes some sense

But like Facebreaker is still pretty recent, I remember not long ago when it was being hyped as like Fight Night meets Punchout and people looked forward to it. Already its multiplayer component is going the way of the dodo?

Gee golly whiz, for PC gaming and dedicated servers, this is almost never an issue.

[lockwoodx]

At least it's only EA tittles that are getting shanked in the back room. No other games could ever possible be at risk. And thank the gods that every single modern PC game supports dedicated servers, so something like this could never happen on that platform.

Oh, wait... Shit, guys, we may be in trouble here...

Except that EA has a very bad habit of buying companies who make good games then getting suck all over them.

[Capt_Thad]

If you think about it, it's kind of like MMO logic... except cheaper ($60 a game per year comes out to $5/month) and you get actual engine updates and new features every year. I figure the people who are really into most of these games are already upgrading on a yearly basis for roster updates, if nothing else.

If they weren't already yearly releases based on yearly changing franchises it might be more upsetting. I might be alone on that perspective though.

[TDiddy]

Why are so many people surprised by this? EA shuts down game servers every year. A dick move? Yes. Surprise? Not at all. And they aren't the only ones doing this, but they are doing it on more games. Sega is shutting down the servers for Chrome Hounds soon, too. Tomorrow, in fact.

[yutt]

Bash the consumers, baby...bash the consumers! EA isn't to blame at all. :rolleyes:
Look, I'm not going to resort to your game of taking quotes out of context or ignoring valid points. Of course EA acted, what, not in the best interest of the consumer? But that's not their business. They're under no legal obligation to do so. They aren't a person. They have no moral obligation, only legal, and their legal obligations include remaining profitable. If they have broken a law, I hope they get sued and lose, and it compels them to stop this sort of activity in the future.

Lacking lawsuit or consumer awareness and boycott, they have absolutely no reason to stop. There are countless threads with you mocking consumer boycotts, so what is your solution? Really Johan, I want to hear it, how do you solve this without admitting consumers need to be informed about the products they purchase?

I'd love to hear your solution that doesn't require personal responsibility or consumer vigilance. But that's not what you do, you attack and attack and attack other people but never once have had the courage to present your own solutions to a problem.

I can't believe I am arguing with you of all people about individuals needing to take personal responsibility. It just shows the lengths you'll go to to attempt to demean others.

[Johan]

And they aren't the only ones doing this

On the 360 the only games that have lost online features in the lifespan of Live are EA games, excluding a rare couple of exceptions. As I pointed out earlier, EA demanded the power to force gamers through their servers so that they could 'turn off the online spigot' at any time. No other publisher or game on Live has this ability other than FF XI and perhaps one or two other lone titles (though I'm unaware of any). It was the price MS paid to get EA on their original box.

There is the possibility in the future, however, that older titles will lose their online features if/when MS decides to up the friends list total from the current 100. There is some complication in the architecture of Live and the software that means moving to a larger friends list will mean cutting off these older titles from online functionality. If that happens, titles like Halo 2 will be cast off from online play.

So, on MS consoles (original and extra crispy) nobody does what EA does in shutting off online features (other than FF XI). PSN cannot say this, as servers do get shut down for titles on PSN. Free gets you what free gets you...

[MacD]

I really want to add to the bleedin' obvious crowd who point out that this is something which doesn't/can't happen with dedicated servers which caqn be run by the user, but that would be ...erm... obvious, so I won't.

Oh, wait....

What's odd about this is that certain games from half a decade to a decade ago can STILL be played online, and are. I recently re-installed Jedi Kight II: Jedi Outcast (best lightsaber combat game ever, longest most redundant title ever, part 2) and there's STILL people hosting servers, playing the game, having fun. For all I know, they'll still be playing the game in another deacde. Dedicated servers don't just extend the lifetime of a game, but add modd tools and they rejuvinate it and perpetuate them.

Anyway, this is a final nail in the coffin for any argument that the lack of dedicated servers for Modern Warfare 2 doesn't matter.