EA kicks 360 owners in the teeth

[Miktar]

EA has announced that they're too cheap to keep their authentification portal server open for online games as new as /2006/ and are shutting down a crapton of games in 2 months. Most of those are sports games in this wave, to be sure. But three of them are *360* games - the platform MS has previously established a policy of Live support for. They even still support all Xbox 1 games. More ominously, EA is also cutting off the PS2 and Xbox 1 versions of Burnout Revenge. Which makes you wonder: when are they going to cut off the 360 version of Revenge? Or Battlefield II? etc.


The big problem, you see, with 360 games, is that if you cut off online play you break the game so that people cannot earn things like online achievements.

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EA has revealed that it will be dropping online support for a host of older titles, specifically sports games, beginning in September 2007.

As of September 1, the likes of FIFA World Cup 2006, Madden 06 and Tiger Woods 06 will face the chop, along with a range of other titles on numerous platforms, next-gen included.

The titles subject to the move will therefore only be multiplayer playable in offline mode, although the aforementioned key franchises should be receiving their annual yearly updates in the form of 2008 editions a few weeks prior to the online shutdown.

Here?s the full list:

September 1, 2007 Online Service Shutdown

Arena Football for PlayStation 2
Arena Football for Xbox
FIFA Soccer 06 for Xbox 360
FIFA Soccer 06 for PC
FIFA06 for PC
FIFA Soccer 06 for PlayStation 2
FIFA Soccer 06 for PlayStation Portable
FIFA Soccer 06 for Xbox
FIFA World Cup 2006 for PC
FIFA World Cup 2006 for PlayStation 2
FIFA World Cup 2006 for PlayStation Portable
FIFA World Cup 2006 for Xbox
Fight Night Round 3 for PlayStation Portable
Fight Night Round 3 for Xbox
Madden NFL 06 for Xbox 360
Madden NFL 06 for PC
Madden NFL 06 for PlayStation 2
Madden NFL 06 for PlayStation Portable
Madden NFL 06 for Xbox
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects for PlayStation 2
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects for Xbox
MVP 07 NCAA Baseball for PlayStation 2
MVP 07 NCAA Baseball for Xbox
NASCAR 06 Total Team Control for PlayStation 2
NASCAR 06 Total Team Control for Xbox
NBA Live 06 for Xbox 360
NBA Live 06 for PC
NBA Live 06 for PlayStation 2
NBA Live 06 for PlayStation Portable
NCAA Football 2005 for Xbox
NCAA Football 2006 for PlayStation 2
NCAA Football 2006 for Xbox
NCAA March Madness 06 for PlayStation 2
NCAA March Madness 06 for Xbox
NFL Head Coach for PC
NFL Head Coach for Xbox
NFL Head Coach for PlayStation 2
NHL 06 for PC
NHL 06 for PlayStation 2
NHL 06 for Xbox
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 for Xbox 360
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 for Xbox


November 1, 2007 Online Service Shutdown

Burnout Revenge for Xbox
Burnout Revenge for PlayStation 2
Need for Speed Underground for PlayStation 2
Need for Speed Underground 2 for PC
Need for Speed Underground 2 for PlayStation 2
Need for Speed Most Wanted for PlayStation Portable
Need for Speed Most Wanted for Xbox

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6682&Itemid=2

[Gambit]

They are forcing people to go out and buy their newest "improved" products.

[ShadowMaster]

This once again proves money is the root of all evil.

[dislekcia]

And if EA hadn't insisted on running their own godawful authentication and online systems instead of just using Live like rational people, they wouldn't have this problem.

'tardburgers.

-D

[Chevron]

This once again proves money is the root of all evil.

Just to correct you. Money isn't the root of evil. The full quote is "The love of money is the root of all evil".

And guess what EA loves?

[fanboy rant]And people wonder why I love my pc.[/fanboy rant]

[BLACKWOLF]

Bf2 wont be cut short anytime soon, there is too much support out for it.

[ShadowMaster]

Bf2 wont be cut short anytime soon, there is too much support out for it.

Who knows, they might stop it to promote 2142.

[BLACKWOLF]

The community is too large, Bf2142 isnt doing bad, but Bf2 is a lot larger.

[Jub Jub]

I agree with sport titles but i would only close down titles that are almost three years old and the 360 is not that old

[MrDeVil_909]

The community is too large, Bf2142 isnt doing bad, but Bf2 is a lot larger.
Do you think that will stop EA?

Luckily I don't use any EA games online, I agree though on principle there should be at least 2-3 years of support.

But if you check on the box it does say 'EA may retire online features after 30 days notice posted on www.eagames.com.' So all the complaining in the world won't help, by installing the game you have agreed to the EULA.

[James Donaldson]

I fail to see how the loss of any of those games online -equals a major blow to the teeth for....

...oh right, sorry 'online achievements'

[Miktar]

James, it's a blow in the teeth for those people who want to keep playing their games online, but are being forced to upgrade for no good reason, other than EA wants more money.

[James Donaldson]

Yeah, you're 100% right, I guess I forgot how popular sport games really are

[Miktar]

If I were a PS2 owner, I'd be ****ed that Burnout Revenge is losing its online play.

[Gen0cyde]

*places Fifa 06 on the highest shelf*

We had our good time.
I cant believe EA would be so low as to do this, although Im not entirely surprised.