EA Ceases Online for PC/Console Games - Oct 1, 2006.

Post by **skipclarke** » 17 Aug 2006, 17:40

The full list of cancelled games and the dates online support will die will come after the Oct date.

List at
http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2006/8/6/4893

These are the games that will cease to be playable online on October 1:

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
These are the games that dropped off the servers as of August 1:

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

Microtia · Post by **Microtia** » 17 Aug 2006, 17:41

Typical EA. Kill support for the older games to force people to buy the newest 200X based game or whatever.

Post by **skipclarke** » 17 Aug 2006, 17:52

Eggsactly :evil:

blueyedsoul · Post by **blueyedsoul** » 17 Aug 2006, 20:24

Why would you want to play their old buggy titles anyway?

...when you can play their new buggy titles! :P

Post by **skipclarke** » 17 Aug 2006, 21:34

Yea I noticed this the other day when I was searching for info on Armies of Exigo. Too bad - I bet there will be a small group of people unhappy to hear about the online demise of their fav titles.

neoWidescreen · Post by **neoWidescreen** » 17 Aug 2006, 23:38

...when you can play their new buggy titles! :P

ROFL!!!! YOU SAID IT!!! :lol:

Post by **skipclarke** » 18 Aug 2006, 00:42

Gotta love marketing strategies :twisted:

JohnnyWakko · Post by **JohnnyWakko** » 18 Aug 2006, 04:57

No one likes a surly elitist, but someone has to do it, so here goes:

I say, who plays those stupid games anyway? Chicks don't dig guys who play those games! So I say stay away!

Go EA, looking out for the guys again, keeping the loving alive. :wink:

k1darkknight · Post by **k1darkknight** » 18 Aug 2006, 06:23

Typical EA. Kill support for the older games to force people to buy the newest 200X based game or whatever.

Well, considering you can get 06 versions of most (if not all) EA Sports titles that actually ARE AVAILABLE on the PC for $9.99 or so, at most big-box stores, I wouldn't complain. If you're playing one of the titles that is being dropped from online support, and there is a newer one available, for cheap, just shell out the $10. In most cases, you'll be getting a game that is at least somewhat improved over the version you're currently playing, and you'll still be able to play online. At least until the 07 titles are down to $9.99.

Microtia · Post by **Microtia** » 18 Aug 2006, 06:27

I could honestly care less personally :P. It's just that I know some people who DO like to play sports games and how annoyed they get over having to buy the newest version EVERY YEAR that usually only has an updated roster or a slightly tweaked feature.

Really to me, it's just another reason to dislike EA :P.

k1darkknight · Post by **k1darkknight** » 18 Aug 2006, 06:41

Really to me, it's just another reason to dislike EA :P.

The biggest gripe I have with EA is their refusal to release ANY NCAA titles on the PC. I would've loved to try out the college tournament format of MVP 06: NCAA Baseball, but even worse is the non-release of NCAA Football and NCAA March Madness. Both of those sports already have a pro title on the PC, that they could've used the in-game engine for, and just built a front-end menu structure for, to mimic the console versions of said menus. Plus, I wouldn't need to buy a PS2 (when they drop again, after the PS3's release), just to take full advantage of "superstar mode". The lack of WS support is a gripe, as is the dropping of online for dated titles, but I just REALLY hate that they don't release anything but their marquee (sp?) titles on the PC. Oh yeah...marquee titles, plus...RUGBY!?!

Morabu · Post by **Morabu** » 18 Aug 2006, 07:30

most of those games have outlived their major online playtime anyway

but EA still blows

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 18 Aug 2006, 12:04

The thing I don't think any of you have thought of is this:

2005 was only last year - by eight months.

Also, they do this for titles now, they'll do it for things like NFS: Most Wanted in the future...

Post by **ctrlsteef** » 18 Aug 2006, 12:05

Also, they do this for titles now, they'll do it for things like NFS: Most Wanted in the future...

Thank God for Hamachi :lol:

EmThor · Post by **EmThor** » 18 Aug 2006, 17:11

I blame EA couse of NO native WS support in any game, but they're one of the biggest company in the game industry! how can they just ingore us, WS players?! :shock:

FramerateUK · Post by **FramerateUK** » 28 Aug 2006, 12:25

I do kinda see the point in stopping online support for these games.. its just a shame if itll be impossible to play those games online anymore as you have to connect to EA's server for them to work.

I remember a few months ago i loaded up the original UT, and was mortified to find i could no longer connect to any server from within the game!

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 28 Aug 2006, 12:29

You can still play LAN games, though, right?

FramerateUK · Post by **FramerateUK** » 28 Aug 2006, 14:23

Of course yeah :)

UT is still my #1 game for lan games, just a shame theyve taken the servers down from the net!

Post by **skipclarke** » 08 Sep 2006, 03:40

It seems like the vast majority of online components for games don't see much action, especially if that title is in a niche genre or simply doesn't sell well.

I was reading several reviews of games that were around 2 to 3 years of age, and the reviewers often made the mistake of describing the multiplayer portions as if they were thriving Counter-strike-esque communities. At the time of release I'm sure there were people playing, but it would have been nice for the reviews to mention the potential dearth of online play in the future based on current numbers.

To their credit however, some of the reviews did mention lack of online play, but this usually went hand in hand with a bad review.

I was searching for some online play for my recent bargain bin acquisitions. Some of the titles from just two years back have virtually no online activity.

Post by **Abram** » 09 Sep 2006, 04:19

Cheesy.

They clearly have the resources to be able to keep it up.

EA's Shenanigans of late have been very disconcerning.
this, firing staff after RECORD net profits, and this dynamic advertising in games bullsh|t.

I think i'll have to start stealing EA games from here on in.

YARR matey!

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