EA has released a service update informing people still playing really old football games on PS2 and Xbox that the online servers will soon be closed for good. Time to upgrade and get with this generation people.
"Servers for the games listed below will be shut down on the indicated dates," said EA. "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."
Here's who is up for the chop:
February 2, 2010 Online Service Shutdown
UEFA Champions League 07 PC and x360 Facebreaker x360 and PS3 Fantasy Football 09 x360 and PS3 FIFA 07 PSP, PS2, PC Fight Night Round 3 PS2 Madden 08 Wii Madden 08 PC Madden 09 Xbox1 Madden 09 Wii and PSP March Madness 07 x360 NBA 07 PSP, x360 NBA 08 PS2, PSP, Wii NBA 09 Wii - Europe only NBA Street (2007) PS3 and x360 NCAA Football 08 PS2 NCAA Football 09 PS2 NASCAR 08 PS2 NASCAR 09 PS2 NASCAR 09 PS3 and x360 - Europe Only NFL Tour PS3 and x360 NHL 07 PSP and x360 NHL 08 PC Tiger Woods 07 PC Madden 09 x360 and PS3 Madden 07 Xbox 360
I'm personally not bothered, as I don't have any of those games. Surprised to see Madden 09 on 360 and PS3 there though!
How old is that game? Less than a year and a half . . . it's Madden, which I presume is one of the bigger selling game franchises and I can also assume there's only been 1 game to outdate it so far.
Very shocked to see that happen then. Makes me wonder when the likes of COD4 will be shut down (I know it's not EA).
I'm sure there's other reasons for the servers of these games being shut down other than just them being old, like no one, or at least hardly anyone plays them anymore.
After all take Halo 2 for example and how old that game is, but it's still up and running but I remember reading it's going to get shut down soon but probably to try and shift all the players from it onto Halo 3 for more sales and figures...
Shame about some of the 360 games like Face Breaker if they have online-required achievements for the achievement whores out there and anyone who might buy those games after the servers get shut down and not get to experience all the game has to offer.
EA should at least let gamers create private servers for the console counterparts somehow if they so wish to, because I'm sure they already exist for the PC counterparts.
This is exactly the sort of thing that causes great unease for many gamers where it regards online activations and other DRM. Whether there are 10 people playing or 10,000 etc. if a game requires an active online server from a specific publisher to function legally it will always be at risk of being rendered unusable to the paying customers. That is neither fair nor right when the product(s) in question has/have been paid for. I realise this isn't quite the same scenario since I presume those aging sports games will still function as single player or co-op games without server support, nonetheless it underscores what can easily come to pass with newer games that do require server support to function at all. Fight the power folks - tooth and nail!
I'm sure there's other reasons for the servers of these games being shut down other than just them being old, like no one, or at least hardly anyone plays them anymore.
After all take Halo 2 for example and how old that game is, but it's still up and running but I remember reading it's going to get shut down soon but probably to try and shift all the players from it onto Halo 3 for more sales and figures...
Shame about some of the 360 games like Face Breaker if they have online-required achievements for the achievement whores out there and anyone who might buy those games after the servers get shut down and not get to experience all the game has to offer.
EA should at least let gamers create private servers for the console counterparts somehow if they so wish to, because I'm sure they already exist for the PC counterparts.
Welcome to the wonderful updated world of DRM, limited activations and mandatory online connections! These features amongst others are gradually ensuring that the companies will eventually have all the power short of each customer's personal choice as to whether he/she will buy the latest product or not. I haven't just been ferociously attacking DRM supporting companies for the past year and a half for fun you know.
This shouldn't affect Xbox as my subscription is supposed to be paying for those servers. Even OutRun 2 is still online and almost no one plays it. Admitedly, they are just old EA sports games (Mostly - Madden and Nascar are hardly aincent) but it sets an uneasy precedent.....
I tried to get wound up by this but I just can't be bothered! Shame for our Nascar/Madden playing cousins, but everything else was a surprise to have not gone sooner.
I guess this means the ps2 servers for the excellent Timesplitters FP have been long gone (anyone know?). I really should have gone back to that game.
Will this have any improvement on the online gameplay for more recent games such as FIFA 10 and Fight Night Round 4? Games that lots of people play but they struggle to get good connections.
Will this have any improvement on the online gameplay for more recent games such as FIFA 10 and Fight Night Round 4? Games that lots of people play but they struggle to get good connections.
it has to do done by figures, nba is big in america but not Europe so its being shut down in Europe on the wii, i can't see more than 100 people playing that game at any one time on the wii.
everyone who owns nba live 07 needs to be online at 6pm on the 31st of january to get the achievement for a 1000 players for more info go to www.xbox360achievements.org
Just wish they'd get Mercenaries 2 working so I acn play it co op.Works for me but not my friend.We bought it for co op and it's a known issue but they do nothing.
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
but probably to try and shift all the players from it onto Halo 3 for more sales and figures...
