'No more online gaming for you!' says EA
by Joystiq Staff 
{ Aug 6th 2006 at 11:15AM }
Game Informer delivers some bad news for online gamers who were still enjoying a few of the older Electronic Arts titles. It seems that the company has already shut down servers for a number of games on Aug. 1 and plans to shut down even more on Oct. 1.While players will be able to play online in these games until the selected date, EA does mention that "certain community programs may begin to close down prior to the shutdown dates."
Here are the Oct. 1 titles that you can look forward to not playing online anymore:
- Madden NFL 2005 for PS2
- Madden NFL 2005 for Xbox
- Madden NFL 2005 for PC
- NFL Street 2: Unleashed for PS2
- NFL Street 2: Unleashed for Xbox
August 1, 2006 Online Service Shutdown:
- FIFA Soccer 2005 for PS2
- FIFA Soccer 2005 for Xbox
- FIFA Soccer 2005 Demo for Xbox
- FIFA Soccer 2005 for PC
- EA Sports Fight Night Round 2 for PS2
- EA Sports Fight Night Round 2 for Xbox
- NCAA March Madness 2005 for PS2
- NCAA March Madness 2005 for Xbox
- NBA Live 2005 for Xbox
- NBA Live 2005 for PC
- NBA Live 05 for PS2
- NBA Street V3 for PS2
- NBA Street V3 for Xbox
- NCAA Football 2005 for PS2
- Need for Speed Underground 2 Demo for PC
- Need for Speed Underground 2 for PC
- Need for Speed Underground 2 for Xbox
- NHL 2005 for PS2
- NHL 2005 for Xbox
- NHL 2005 for PC
- Total Club Manager 06 for PS2
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 for PS2
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 for PC
- UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 for PS2
- UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 for PC
- UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 for Xbox
October 1, 2006 Online Service Shutdown:
- Madden NFL 2005 for PS2
- Madden NFL 2005 for Xbox
- Madden NFL 2005 for PC
- NFL Street 2: Unleashed for PS2
- NFL Street 2: Unleashed for Xbox
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
007craft @ Aug 6th 2006 11:31AM
WTF? I was gonna buy NHL 2007 when it came out for 360. I dont usualy buy sports games so I didnt know they shut servers down. Now im not gonna buy it anymore. No point to having an online game which you cant even play online after 1 year of purchase. Why doesent EA just not have servers and have the games run of the players bandwidth like other games?
Raynre @ Aug 6th 2006 11:32AM
This brings up an interesting question; When is it a good time to finally pull the plug on the online function of games? If Nintendo controls their servers as rigidly as EA, does that mean that in five years, when the Nintendo Apocalypse is coming out, that I wont be able to go back and whoop me some Smash Bros butt?
A bad system either way. Maybe itll be like PC gaming where you can host your own 3d party servers as well as the 1st party "Official" servers...
James @ Aug 6th 2006 11:34AM
I can understand some of them, because the 06 versions have come out, and it's 07 season. But why are they shutting down servers for NFL Street 2 and NBA Street V3? They are the most recent additions to the franchise!
Josh @ Aug 6th 2006 11:38AM
Raynre, Nintendo's system hardly uses servers for online gaming, I think, but is more based on using the servers to create little local games on each system that connect directly with each other. This method is much cheaper to operate, so I can't see Nintendo's online service closing down for older games for a LONG time.
Ben-T @ Aug 6th 2006 11:39AM
It doesn't matter how new it is, I imagine. If there aren't enough people playing online to justify the costs of maintaining the servers, they won't maintain them.
Tito 1 @ Aug 6th 2006 11:46AM
They are only getting rid of older versions,which makes sense as far as sports titles,next year they'll get rid of all 06 Titles!
BklynKid @ Aug 6th 2006 11:47AM
The picture: priceless
superbagman @ Aug 6th 2006 11:49AM
This wouldn't be a problem for Xbox Live users if EA didn't have to use it's own friggin' servers. First their servers are filled with lag and now you can't guarantee that the server will be there forever. And with a game like Battlefield 2: Modern Combat there is NO reason to play it without online.
Matt @ Aug 6th 2006 11:57AM
GRAW lets me create my own local server on XBOX LIVE, why can't Madden 2005? =
tbeck @ Aug 6th 2006 12:01PM
they are doing this for financial reasons as well, if you cant stop people from playing their old versions of their favorite classics, then make em'!
a very precise marketing strategy, force people to buy more games
bazald @ Aug 6th 2006 12:13PM
EA's older games? Since when are games dated last year "older games". Blizzard's games from a decade ago still have full Battlenet support.
Docc Occ @ Aug 6th 2006 12:17PM
These games are 2 years old. Just b/c it says 05 doesn't mean it came out a year ago.
Kuu2 @ Aug 6th 2006 12:18PM
This is why Live is necessary. EA should not be using their own servers for this simple reason. It also makes Sony's online plan very unstable if it is based around the developers having their own servers.
Night Elve @ Aug 6th 2006 12:18PM
@ 10.
Yah i can still play my copy of WarCraft 2 @ BattleNet
LongshotX @ Aug 28th 2006 9:04PM
When is EAs NFL license up?
Retro @ Aug 6th 2006 12:23PM
Stupid EA, fix the damn BF2:MC servers already!!
J.Goodwin @ Aug 6th 2006 12:25PM
And this is why you pay a subscription fee for live. I don't mind it because it's reliable and they haven't been shutting down servers.
There are still a few DC games that you can play online, BTW. I think Quake3 still has some servers up. None of the servers are hosted by SEGA anymore though. They released the servers and fans have been running them.
John @ Aug 6th 2006 12:29PM
NO SOUP FOR YOU!!
A @ Aug 6th 2006 12:29PM
LOL! The soup-Nazi from Seinfeld! (pic)
K1ller 1nst1nct @ Aug 6th 2006 12:29PM
They should have a open network for this crap. Even quake1 is playable online. I dont think Id controls the master server anymore but I think there is a free master server. Is EA that strapped for cash? There are lots of old PC games playable online, ones even from the 90s and that hardly have any players but the companies know better than to PISS on their customers like this.
nick @ Aug 6th 2006 1:06PM
So much for backwards compatibility. If you can't play online, then what's the point of going back and playing at all?
Goose @ Aug 6th 2006 1:17PM
Couple things:
1) The 05 series was released in 2004 (as mentioned above) so stop acting like you bought this game last week. This happens every year.
2) Stop acting like you bought these games at all! As with most things regarding EA, the only people complaining are the ones this doesn't effect in the least.
3) Making comparisions to Blizzard and games like Quake is retarded for so many reasons. Blizzards has about 4 or 5 games total on BNet. EA has over a dozen just on the closing list!? They are shutting down these servers because no one plays them any more. And quake, as you mention, isn't run by Sega anymore. I'll go back to that news story and check all your outrage with Sega on that one.
Hunnter @ Aug 6th 2006 1:22PM
Wow thats pretty messed up!
The list for august 1st (passed!) is just shockingly big... i mean why not spread it out a bit at least!
I wonder if they even considered popularity with the games, thats the only thing.
But saying that, they wouldn't really be a big server-strain.. BUT being EA, surely they have enough money to buy some new servers?
Then host the service on an older server, redirect the older addresses to the shared server(s) and bingo!
But EA just LOVES their customers, right? ...
Shocking EA, shocking!
NO SOUP FOR YOU!
Marky @ Aug 6th 2006 1:30PM
Its all very well saying they originally came out two years ago, but that doesnt mean everyone who bought them invested at that particular time. some may have waited for the budget release 12 months down the line, and are now being shortchanged. Doesnt surprise me in the slightest though to be honest. Its EA's way of forcing people to upgrade to the latest versions. No wonder they want everything running through their own servers!
Jason W @ Aug 6th 2006 2:19PM
Some games do not have new releases Like the NFL Street 2 game. Where the hell is NFL Street 3? Now the $50.00 for XBOX live with no games that no longer work (when they are on the xbox server that is . Remember EA screwed it up with their hard ball tactics. Thats why there was NFL Fever) doesnt sound like a bad idea.
AK @ Aug 6th 2006 2:30PM
I wonder is this opens up a potential for a lawsuit for EA. Where it says xbox live, online multiplayer on the box, nowhere does it say "for a limited time" or anything of that nature. If i bought the game today at the store, i wouldn't have any reason to believe that online multiplay is no longer supported. When people are hosting matches and it is longer being played, that is a different story. but for EA to just pull it, without changing the packaging, or putting in some kind of notice, is false advertisement.
indysurfn @ Aug 6th 2006 2:36PM
Will it is not about 'is there enough people playing' to have them keep them up. More people playing actually cost them 'more money', and they are not charging for it. Many people say there is not enough difference to buy the new ones(not the next gen ones of course). So many people do play the older ones that is what EA is trying to stop! EA wants to find a way to get people to buy the newer versions,so they can get 'more money'. And they dont want to spend 'more money' to make it so much better than last years. Infact when there is more players on a old version they have to spend 'more money'. Which gets us to the point. More Money! If you shout down the 2005 servers,you force people to buy 2007 to play online. Then you use that server capacity for 2007. Which is oviously what they (EA) not anyone else is doing. How else did you expect from a company that just do updates, add a mode then call it 200x to do business? This company now has a 5 year monopoly on the NFL license! It KNOWS it can push us around. That is what happens when there is no competition. We should have bought those supperior Sega 2kx games now we are stuck! Once Segas NFL games went from 15% to over 40 percent EA wisely saw the hand writing on the wall. Especially after there appeared there would be a price war on top! They did the smart thing that Sega(at that time) could not afford, and bought out the entire license for nearly 1 billion dollars remember that? You didnt actually think that they where going to play nice after that did you? They need that billion back and then some!
ill trooper @ Aug 6th 2006 3:08PM
"15. And this is why you pay a subscription fee for live. I don't mind it because it's reliable and they haven't been shutting down servers."
Unless I missed something, I think you might be wrong here - the EA games for XBox are on LIVE as well, since they merged their services with LIVE. So the XBox games listed will be affected too.
I can understand the older football, hockey, basketbal, and the soccer games - they faithfully put out a new version every year, and while this seems redundant and lame, if you're into it, you likely buy the new one and never go back.
But the Need For Speed 2 servers? And the Street franchises? Like Jason and James said, there are no new versions of these. I used to play Need For Speed 2 online a lot with my friends, in the drift mode. No more of that, for old times sake, I guess.
It's an interesting thing that happens, I was talking about it two days ago with my friend: Putting in an old game that was huge online a few years ago and expecting some of the old magic is almost a certain letdown. I loved the first 7-8 months that SOCOM was out; it was seriously one of the best times I've had playing video games. Mayhem, good level design, endless servers, voice on the headsets, never anything like that before on the consoles. But sadly, when it involves the whole planet, most people eventually move on, and that time can never be recaptured. Especially when the core company can no longer justify paying to run the servers.
Strange, growing phenomenon here.
Adam @ Aug 6th 2006 3:17PM
To the first poster..
I really doubt you will be playing NHL 07 online two years from now
(Madden 2005 didn't come out last year)
JV @ Aug 6th 2006 3:42PM
"EA may retire online features after 30 days notice posted on www.easports.com or 30 days after the last day of the 2004-2005 soccer season"
discovered that in the FIFA 2005 manual a couple days ago. I was having trouble logging on and turned to the manaul for help. guess I know what the problem is now.
nick @ Aug 6th 2006 4:06PM
"Putting in an old game that was huge online a few years ago and expecting some of the old magic is almost a certain letdown."
That's subjective. I know I perfer Madden 2005 over 2006. To say going back and being let down by the gameplay, is your personal opinion. I'm of the mind that I don't necessarily upgrade to the newest version every year, but this is going to force you to upgrade. I for one will not upgrade to the newest version every year. It just doesn't make any sense.
DustoMan @ Aug 6th 2006 4:13PM
To ill trooper:
EA runs it's own servers which hook into Xbox Live. EA was one of those hold outs that didn't like the fact that Microsoft ran all the Xbox Live servers when they first came out. It wasn't until Microsoft opened the Live servers that EA decided to play with them. Microsoft handles authentication with XBL, but the actual matchmaking and game hosting is done by EA.
This is why the quality of service is so poor with EA games running on XBL. They insist on running their own servers.
BraveErudite @ Aug 6th 2006 4:33PM
Well, this just makes my already hate for EA's monopoly even stronger. This time I'm not even going to buy NHL titles.
Ralod @ Aug 6th 2006 4:45PM
To indysurfn
It is exactly that. This is a push to get people to buy the new game. Lets be honest, how much has changed from Madden 05 to 07? While I don't play sports games I'd wager not a lot.
It is too bad the people that buy EA games are not more informed, and can see what there pulling with this. I want the EA of 10 or 15 years ago back, not the current one releasing constant updates each year.
squeevi @ Aug 6th 2006 6:35PM
Wow, this sucks! This is why EA should not be able to run their own servers for their games, I know it was important to have EA on board with Live, but I think this proves that Microsoft should have stuck to their guns and required that EA use Live servers. This is just crap!!!
Dan @ Aug 6th 2006 9:08PM
Every one is saything they dont like how the servers are closing for older games that makes sense, i am mad too but the reason there is always a new game each year isnt hard to come up with. Every year you have a new draft class and new rosters and new players. So you come out with a game with all those changes thats the main reason they have new sports titles every year. Not to make all of there customers mad. Plus if they didnt add new features and just new plays everyone would say theres not point. Well they throw in new features and players and teams. It all makes sense to put new titles out. But you shouldnt close the servers which are 2 years old.
cool8man @ Aug 6th 2006 9:30PM
Thank God Microsoft doesn't let any other companies do this on Xbox Live. The games are all peer to peer, it doesn't make any sense why they need to shutdown these games other than to encourage people to buy newer versions. I like to go back and play old games online. This is yet another reason to never buy a game from EA. I guess EA games are only rentals at best and have no longterm value.
Freddy @ Aug 6th 2006 10:29PM
How much does it cost to keep the online service running?
calthaer @ Aug 6th 2006 10:34PM
Why is anyone even considering buying an EA game in the first place? This kind of thing should be expected.
Wow @ Aug 6th 2006 10:45PM
Wait...people who play Madden have broadband?
huck @ Aug 6th 2006 11:30PM
If you check the back of any of the EA/Xbox Live games in all caps in the legal text you will see the following:
"EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON www.easports.com"
We have all been warned. It's really not a suprise
M @ Aug 7th 2006 1:50AM
Eh, just steal it like everyone else does. I love how Madden 2005 and "NFL Head Coach" have the same exact game winning celebrations and graphics. I mean, you're saving money by reusing crap and saving time by doing it too. Why not try to be innovative? Big props to them for the "QB Vision" but like I said... Newsgroups are your friend folks!
ipodfanboy @ Aug 7th 2006 3:03AM
EA is shuting down its gaming servers, wow its a good move on my part hardly nobody plays them, but on bad not EA shutting down its servers is bad news for the playstation casual gamer. I would be said for average joe who go logs into to NFLstreet and notices the servers are totally gone.
mike @ Aug 7th 2006 3:25AM
ok most of these were turned off a week ago no big stories of 'i cant play online' look noone was playing them
Waccoon @ Aug 7th 2006 3:38AM
Yet another reason why I don't like online gaming.
The only way to guarentee service is to run your own server.
Galley @ Aug 7th 2006 8:37AM
"What do you want for nothing, rrrrrrubber biscuit?"
Tempest261 @ Aug 7th 2006 9:17AM
NFSU2 is still pretty fresh, isn't it? I mean hell that was a 360 launch title.
Zeta @ Aug 7th 2006 9:18AM
Ill Trooper has a point. Games that were released a few years back for online arent as fun anymore. Even the mighty Halo: CE isnt as exciting as when I first played it two-odd years ago. Being one of those "budget gamers", though, I do understand the general anger this move has caused. But, honestly, is anyone suprised? This is EA were dealing with, not Id or Valve. I think their (EAs) motto of "Challenge Everything" has shown that they think therye beyond the point of needing to please the consumer. And sadly, they are perfectly correct. Already, they have brokered that deal with the NFL for a what, decade-long, contract? Then they bought Renderware, giving them free reign over who got to use that technical gem. And who hasnt noticed that with each sucessive year, Madden's updates and new features have become less innovative? I'm not saying that a large company cant be both a sucessful and consumer-pleasing company. It just seems to me that the priorities need to shift to producing less games but with more quality in each. As for what franchise they will screw up next, I figure Stargate. The game was already in the works with Jowood, but that whole bankruptcy thing put that release in the crapper.
MUSTANGMAN @ Aug 7th 2006 10:55AM
I'm guessin this is why i cant seem to get on and Play BATTLEFIELD2: MC. Online. There goes my $60 i paid for the game. I will never buy an EA game again. Not even Battlefield!
Brian @ Aug 7th 2006 12:07PM
If you're still playing a 2 year old Madden game online, you're probably playing by yourself. How many gamers does this actually affect? I'm sure it's a very small amount.
The people on this post complaining are obviously just like to hate on everything EA does and aren't actually playing the games.