EA to Slash Server Support for Older Sports Games

[The Wooster]

EA to Slash Server Support for Older Sports Games

Last chance to play.

On January 11, 2013, EA is going to "retire" a selection of its sports titles by shutting down their servers.

The games facing the digital axe:

FIFA Soccer 11 for PC, PS3, Wii & Xbox 360
FIFA Soccer 11 Ultimate Team for PS3 & Xbox 360
Madden NFL 11 for PS3, Wii & Xbox 360
Madden NFL 11 Ultimate Team for PS3 & Xbox 360
NBA JAM for PS3 & Xbox 360
NBA LIVE 10 for PS3 & Xbox 360
NCAA Football 11 for PS3 & Xbox 360
NHL 11 for PS3 & Xbox 360
NHL 11 Ultimate Team for PS3 & Xbox 360

Trenches II (iOS) and The Sims 2 (PC/MAC) will also have their online services cut by the end of the month.

Being the classic nerdy sort who looks upon sport with the same level of disdain most reserve for black magic and/or necrophilia, I've never quite understood why people choose to buy into sports franchises on a yearly basis. Now it's starting to make sense; They're migrating. Like buffalo.

While EA states the players of these games constitute around 1% of customers (though given EA's massive consumer base, that's still a substantial number of players), it's still sobering to see online support cut from games that aren't even three years old. While server shutdowns may be par for the course now that dedicated servers have been relegated to a shrinking selection of PC titles, it does make you wonder about the longevity of modern games. Last month, some murky shenanigans over at GameSpy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.395772-GameSpys-New-Owner-Shuts-Down-Classic-Multiplayer] resulted in the shutdown of servers for dozens of PC games, including the likes of Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, Star Wars: Battlefront and Sniper Elite.

Source: EA [http://www.ea.com/1/service-updates] via GamesIndustry International [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-31-ea-sports-shuts-down-online-for-madden-nfl-11-fifa-11-and-more]

Permalink

 

[Irridium]

Isn't the Sims 2 still pretty popular? I don't follow that particular community, but from what I've heard a good chunk were unhappy with Sims 3 and chose to stay with 2.

Could be entirely wrong though, anyone who actually knows feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Ariyura]

Isn't the Sims 2 still pretty popular? I don't follow that particular community, but from what I've heard a good chunk were unhappy with Sims 3 and chose to stay with 2.

Could be entirely wrong though, anyone who actually knows feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

You are absolutely right. Most are just unhappy with what EA has done to the game through the use of tons of Microtransactions. All the "good" furniture, you have to pay 10, 15 bucks for. Just for a sofa set. It is idiotic on a game that alone (even with discounts) costs around 150 bucks for the game and its expansions. At least, that is what had happened to me an my friends (though I just liked to build houses in the game).

I went back to Sims 2 because I couldn't stand the nickel and diming they had going on in 3. I wonder if EA is doing this to force Sim fans away from Sims 2 and to 3 just so they can collect more money from them.

 

[tippy2k2]

I suppose this makes sense (For the sports games at least).

Very few people who play competitively online don't buy the new ones. I can't imagine there is much of a demand anymore for 2011...besides, (Madden at least) 13 is head and shoulders above 11

 

[BrotherRool]

Okay I normally defend this sort of thing, but getting rid of servers for FIFA 11 is ridiculous, you can hold them for 4-5 years minimum. If not many people are playing them then it shouldn't be costing you that much to maintain anymore

 

[Callate]

At what point do you have to stop calling it a "game" and admit that it's a "subscription"?

 

[Lunar Templar]

*shrugs*

I'm more surprised the sports titles even HAVE servers still

 

[Metalrocks]

what a surprise from ?A. shutting down servers so that everyone is forced to play/buy the new titles, were they can charge again for more money.
ok, makes more or less sense with sports games but still idiotic. if ?A keeps this crap up, they wont last for long. that would be the day

 

[Sylveria]

Isn't the Sims 2 still pretty popular? I don't follow that particular community, but from what I've heard a good chunk were unhappy with Sims 3 and chose to stay with 2.

Could be entirely wrong though, anyone who actually knows feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

You are absolutely right. Most are just unhappy with what EA has done to the game through the use of tons of Microtransactions. All the "good" furniture, you have to pay 10, 15 bucks for. Just for a sofa set. It is idiotic on a game that alone (even with discounts) costs around 150 bucks for the game and its expansions. At least, that is what had happened to me an my friends (though I just liked to build houses in the game).

I went back to Sims 2 because I couldn't stand the nickel and diming they had going on in 3. I wonder if EA is doing this to force Sim fans away from Sims 2 and to 3 just so they can collect more money from them.

There's no question about it. This is EA. Satan goes to them for business tips.

I'm even less surprised about the sports titles. Their shovelware sports games are their biggest money maker and have the lowest production cost. The last thing they want to do is encourage people not to blow $60 on the yearly roster update.

 

[Strazdas]

When i read the title i expected something like "WEre shutting down the servers for games from 2005-2008 whose activity was 10 people per day or soemthing like that.
come on if a private servers can stay on for a year empty and big companies cant afford to keep a 2 year old one?

 

[plainlake]

I hated EA before it was cool!

Well, pre-westwood at least..

 

[Jinjer]

And this is why the always-online-drm crap is gonna be such a big disaster. Couple years down the line and we won't be able to replay games we buy now. I'm calling it now, fans of games with AODRM are gonna worship them pirates simply for delivering a playable version of games they already bought.

 

[Darks63]

I guess thats one way to force people to buy the newer games which are mostly roster updates that could be handled as annual DLC with a actual new title every 3 or 4 years if EA wasnt so damn greedy.

 

[Skops]

I don't really agree with having the servers shutdown when you have something called "Project $10". I'm not entirely sure, but I believe 2011 games were the first to implement it. Isn't one of the reasons we're paying 10 bucks for the online content when we buy used is to "support servers"?

 

[loa]

What does that even mean?
Is the entire game unplayable or just the online multiplayer?

 

[Mangod]

And this is why the always-online-drm crap is gonna be such a big disaster. Couple years down the line and we won't be able to replay games we buy now. I'm calling it now, fans of games with AODRM are gonna worship them pirates simply for delivering a playable version of games they already bought.

I sincerely hope some intrepid politician out there decides to sweep the gamer vote by instituting a law that demands that games with AODRM release a patch to make the game playable without logging in a good 3-4 months before server shutdowns.

Guy'd win a good 0.8% (we'd all be too busy playing our games)

 

[Ix Rebound]

At what point do you have to stop calling it a "game" and admit that it's a "subscription"?

when EA decides they have enough money
so in other words: NEVER