EA to drop online multiplayer support for 50 games following GameSpy closure

[Shawn Knight]

The fallout from GameSpy’s decision to shut down its online multiplayer hosting network continues as Electronic Arts recently released a list of 50 games across multiple platforms that will see their online components go dark on June 30.

The company notes in an online service update that as games get replaced with newer titles, the number of players still enjoying the older games dwindles to a level where it’s no longer feasible to continue the behind-the-scenes work involved in keeping such games up and running. These titles typically amount to less than one percent of all peak online players across EA titles, we’re told.

Damage control aside, here’s the list of titles that will see their online services shut down at the end of next month.

• Battlefield 1942 for PC and Mac (including The Road to Rome and Secret Weapons of WW2 expansions)
• Battlefield 2 for PC (including Special Forces expansion)
• Battlefield 2: Modern Combat for PlayStation 2
• Battlefield 2142 for PC and Mac (including Northern Strike expansion)
• Battlefield Vietnam for PC
• Bejeweled (r) 2 for the Wii
• Bulletstorm for PlayStation 3
• Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars for PC and Mac (including Kane's Wrath expansion)
• Command & Conquer: Generals for PC and Mac (including Zero Hour expansion)
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 for PC and Mac
• Crysis 2 for PC
• Crysis for PC
• Crysis Wars for PC
• Dracula - Undead Awakening for the Wii
• Dragon Sakura for Nintendo DS
• EA Sports 06 for PC
• F1 2002 for PC
• FIFA Soccer 08 (KOR) for the Wii
• FIFA Soccer 08 for Nintendo DS
• FIFA Soccer 09 for Nintendo DS
• FIFA Soccer 10 for Nintendo DS
• FIFA Street 3 for Nintendo DS
• Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers for PlayStation 2
• Global Operations for PC
• GREEN DAY: ROCK BAND for the Wii
• James Bond: Nightfire for PC
• Madden NFL 08 for Nintendo DS
• Madden NFL 09 for Nintendo DS
• Master of Orion III for PC
• Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for PC and Mac (including Breakthrough and Spearhead expansions)
• MySims Party for Wii
• MySims Racing for Nintendo DS
• MySims SkyHeroes for the Wii and DS
• NASCAR Sim Racing for PC
• NASCAR Thunder 2003 for PC
• NASCAR Thunder 2004 for PC
• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 for PC
• Need for Speed: ProStreet for Nintendo DS
• Need for Speed: Undercover for Nintendo DS
• Neverwinter Nights 2 for PC and Mac
• Neverwinter Nights for PC, Mac and Linux (including Hordes of the Underdark and Shadows of Undrentide expansions)
• SimCity Creator for Wii
• Skate It for Nintendo DS
• Sneezies for the Wii
• Spore Creatures for Nintendo DS
• Spore Hero Arena for Nintendo DS
• Star Wars: Battlefront for PC and PlayStation 2
• Star Wars: Battlefront II for PC and PlayStation 2
• THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND for the Wii
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 for Nintendo DS

Additionally, Lord of Ultima’s online component shuts down today.

Do you still play any of these games online? If so, which titles are you most sad to see go?

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/56723-ea-to-drop-online-multiplayer-support-for-50-games-following-gamespy-closure.html

 

[oldikes]

Star wars battlefronts and CnC generals are parts of my childhood. ouch. :/

 

[wastedkill]

So a lot of popular games, I am incredibly surprised about crysis games... When will EA give us credit for this? Or am I going to have to buy more russian keys to make EA realize its not right...

 

[GhostRyder]

Im going to miss battlefront until the new one comes out (Supposedly). Same with Battlefield 1942, 2, and 2142. Its understandable though, most of these games are ancient and not many people are left playing them anymore.

 

[TomSEA]

That's a long laundry list of games that are 10 years and older or on niche devices like the Nintendo DS. The only real surprise are the Crysis games, but I guess they're not getting a whole lot of online play for them to be on the list.

(shrugs) Change happens...

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

Hopefully LAN will still function on BF2 and 2142 after this. We still play these at LAN parties for hours and hours.

I'm glad to see NFS SHIFT and 2 isn't on this list as I still play those titles.

 

[Guest]

And then they cry about pirating... I have some of these games, some I even play. Pretty sure there are alternatives for playing this online in not so "legal" way

 

[robb213]

The list is partially wrong. Yes, BF2, 2142 and BC2 will technically be shut down but they are to be transitioned, so I doubt there will be any downtime at all for them, or it'll be quick at least.

Source:
https://twitter.com/OriginInsider/status/453955565182783488

 

[MrBungle]

This is why people get pissed when there is no LAN play in games...

 

[madboyv1]

I'm okay with this, as most of the games I may potentially ever replay, I'll probably replay in single player. However, people were still playing MOO3? I'm so sorry...

 

[Movatheaiur]

The very reason why I don't buy a game if the offline component isn't worth the money. You know the online support is going to go away someday, unless servers are dedicated.

 

[DKRON]

If you have battlefront 2 on steam does it still work?

 

[theBest11778]

Crysis 2 and Battlefront 2 I still play. I think you can still setup you're own dedicated servers though... hopefully. If not, they should at least allow that feature to these games so you can play with friends.

 

[LNCPapa]

Yeah... these games are all pretty old so as long as there is LAN play I don't think people should cry about it. I own a bunch of these games and to be honest I haven't gotten around to playing most of them yet but hope I can in the future especially if I have friends drop by so we can do some local play.

 

[robb213]

If you have battlefront 2 on steam does it still work?

No. If it was a Steamworks game, it would then utilize Steam and its servers. At base, Battlefront 2 isn't a Steamworks game, but is merely sold on Steam for more money making opportunities and reach to customers.

 

[tonylukac]

The infamous crysis is gone?

 

[Guest]

I miss Lord of Ultima the most. I still haven't found a replacement but whatever it is won't be another EA game.

 

[DjKraid]

NOOOOOOooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.....why God why?
There goes BF2, BF2142 and CnC...god damn it...and why the h**l would they kill Crysis 2...seriously...F***...I would want to hit some one now D: ...aggression...problems...god...damn....it....argh

Oh well, if possible then I'll start hosting dedicated servers for BF2 and BF2142 shortly and if all runs smoothly then I'll try to add more games and servers. I'm not that sure on what and how much my good old Proliant can handle...

 

[lavender020]

They hit me over the head when I saw Crysis. Then they nailed me in the balls when I saw Star Wars Battlefront II. POW! Right in the childhood. If anybody needs me I'll be crying in a corner somewhere.

 

[veLa]

Dude this sucks; so many good games that I still like to load up every couple of months.

 

[robb213]

Since I can't edit my earlier posts, a lot of these games, like Battlefront 2, have thriving communities off of GameRanger. GameRanger and Battlefront 2 were specifically mentioned together by EA as well.

 

[Packageshop]

Found this... for Battlefield respy.air-war.org