All games have a limited lifetime, but some games live longer thanks to multiplayer support. Unfortunately, for many multiplayer games, those servers are eventually taken down and starting on January 3rd, EA will be shutting down the servers for several titles.
FIFA Manager 11 for the PC goes out January 3rd but the majority of the server shutdowns occur January 11th. Titles affected are: FIFA Soccer 11, FIFA Soccer 11 Ultimate Team, Madden 11, Madden 11 Ultimate Team, NBA Jam, NBA Live 10, NCAA 11, NHL 11, and NHL 11 Ultimate Team. The lights going out at NBA Live 10 marks the end of online play of EA’s NBA series.
Online service for The Sims 2 ends January 14th and Trenches 2 for iOS shuts down January 19th.
EA Sports’ yearly release design for its franchises means that each game has a limited lifetime slapped right into the title. To generate revenue, EA hopes its fans will purchase the newest title of each franchise every year, so shutting down the servers for older versions is both a gentle nudge directed at the players and a way to cut costs. Hosting servers for a game that is mostly unpopulated isn’t the best business model.
Nothing’s stopping players from continuing to play their older versions of EA Sports’ franchises locally, but without online support, EA is obviously banking on its fanbase upgrading to the newest versions. At $60 a pop too.
What do you think? Are you upset about these games being shut down? Will you still play them locally?