EA is pulling the plug on "older" game servers

[theo5p]

I came across this article while doing my daily blog sweep:
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/ea-pulling-plug-on-aging-sports-games-servers/

I find it a bit unsettling that a major publisher would yank online support for games that are a little over a year old, especially when the online component is a major part of the game.
I can understand the business reasons for dumping the Madden games (selling more copies of Madden 10), but I don't understand pulling the plug on games with no successor, i.e. NASCAR 09.

As a side note what has happened to local multi-player on racing games? Last time I was in Gamestop I couldn't find a single game that offered 2 player split screen that wasn't one of the 2 that I already own. I don't think its too much to ask for especially if you are going to bother to implement a networked multi-player feature.

[Vaughn]

All the more reason to buy the game when they re-release it nextyear!

[iEatNinjaZ]

Or reasons not to buy it at all!

[Matt]

I have little issue with this. The overwhelming majority are games for the xbox or ps2, and it's pretty clear that they're trying to discontinue support for those platforms, which is fine, they've been dead for 4 years now.

As far as the current gen titles are concerned, there's probably just not enough online players to keep the game servers running. Sports games are a very cyclical market, so even games that are 1 season old get dropped en masse when the next version comes out.

Why keep the lights on if no ones home?

-m

[zfubarz]

I heard they're cutting the servers for Chromehounds like tomorrow that makes me sad cause that was the best mech game to come out in years.

[Genghis Ares]

Do you still play it?

[Arius]

I know a lot of people do.

Chromehounds is a rather unique game in presentation. The giant fighting robots might not be, but the war that has the outcome decided by the players is pretty unique.

[theashigaru]

Support for the last two versions of sports games is reasonable imo. I think Matt speaks from experience when he's talking about the throngs coming in to trade out last year's Madden.

Anyway, if the game still has a dedicated fanbase, they'll find a way around any lack of official servers.

[zfubarz]

On and off. sadly now I can't play anymore I guess.

[Uznare]

The registration server for mercenaries 2 has been dead since november last year and that is a huge dick move because if you bought the game after that (like I did) the thing crashes at the main menu every time. The only fix for it(and as far as I know it's only for the 360 version) is to download the Army of Two demo and link your gamertag to the ea account you make in it (Which is stupid because I had already linked my xbl gamertag to an ea account beforehand with Skate 2)

[girhen]

At least the PC versions of most of those games have direct connect. I've been an avid NHL 08 player for a while.