EA Closing Online Servers for "older" Titles

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raz0red
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EA Closing Online Servers for "older" Titles

Post by raz0red » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:36 am

http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/2 ... 8DD763.htm
August 1, 2006 Online Service Shutdown

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

October 1, 2006 Online Service Shutdown

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
This seems completely ridiculous. Some of the games listed aren't even that old. On a previous podcast we talked about the transient nature of console games as we move toward digital distribution. Well, here is another manifestation, as publishers control the online game servers. In fact since EA controls the servers for PC games as well, both console and PC gamers are affected.

I am really hating EA these days. First they kill 2K sports titles w/ exclusive rights, and now they force people to upgrade to the new versions of games within a little over a year.

--Raz.

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Post by Achilles » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:54 am

I'm not sure if it is just me or not, but EA has had MVP2005 for xbox, probably the best baseball game ever, servers closed since shortly after it was released. I have no idea why they would do that to such a popular game. Maybe EA is running into financial issues?
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Post by raz0red » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:38 am

Achilles wrote:I'm not sure if it is just me or not, but EA has had MVP2005 for xbox, probably the best baseball game ever, servers closed since shortly after it was released. I have no idea why they would do that to such a popular game. Maybe EA is running into financial issues?
EA and financial issues? Heh. I think EA is so big that they feel they can do whatever they want. MVP probably proved to be less of a hit online than their other games. So, they were like, "not enough people playing it, go ahead and pull the plug...". I really miss the EA of the old days, where they had the record looking packaging with some of the best covers available. They took time with each title they produced and they were always very solid. Today it is just a factory that pumps out titles each year like clockwork. Argh....

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Post by Achilles » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:17 am

Nice collection! I would have to agree, it's so mechanical now, there is not originality, just updated rosters.
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Post by raz0red » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:22 am

Achilles wrote:Nice collection! I would have to agree, it's so mechanical now, there is not originality, just updated rosters.
Heh. That isn't my collection, just an image I got off the web. I do have quite a few of the original EA games with original packaging though; Bard's Tale, Seven Cities of Gold, Pinball Construction Set, M.U.L.E., Skyfox, Archon and Hard Hat Mack just to name a few. Those are still some of my favorites. I gave away my Racing Destruction Set and Adventure Construction Set... lame... :(

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Post by Achilles » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:34 am

I have done that to PLENTY of games I shouldn't have. Either given them away, because they don't hold the same nostalgic value when you first had get them as they do 10 years later, or sold them because I thought, oh I will never want to play this again, and then the urge would hit to play them 3 years later and they would be some rare game that was $90+ on ebay or something. Or maybe that's just my experience and everyone else is smart and keeps the good games :-P
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Post by raz0red » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:47 am

Achilles wrote:I have done that to PLENTY of games I shouldn't have. Either given them away, because they don't hold the same nostalgic value when you first had get them as they do 10 years later, or sold them because I thought, oh I will never want to play this again, and then the urge would hit to play them 3 years later and they would be some rare game that was $90+ on ebay or something. Or maybe that's just my experience and everyone else is smart and keeps the good games :-P
While I have definitely sold/given away my share of gaming memorabilia. My biggest mistake was giving away two games to Goodwill back in '96. I gave away a very nice Donkey Kong Junior and Championship Sprint. At the time, I didn't have the room for them, and this was pre-eBay.

Well, I finally got another Donkey Kong Junior, so that doesn't hurt so bad. But, I am still looking for a nice Championship Sprint... some day...

Argh... still irritates me.

--Raz.

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Post by Achilles » Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:20 pm

It hurts everytime you think about it, trust me I know. There was a great game, if you are into RPG's, for Sega Saturn called "Shining Force 3." The first many games in this series were great as well, but Shining Force 3 was the only on a 'next gen' (or next gen at the time) system with great graphics and an amazing story line. I love playing the game,even though it had the WORST ending of any game, it was simply the Sega logo, as it was the first CD in a 3 CD set, unfortunatly only CD 1 of 3 was brought over from Japan, so we were stuck with the Sega logo and wondering what would happen next. Anyway, long story wow, I ended up selling it for $60 about 2 years ago, as it is still a popular but rare game to find, and I have wished almost everyday since then that I had not sold it as I cannot find it anymore and when I do it is always very expensive or a Japanesse import which I can't read or understand. I hate myself for doing selling it!


What is with this forum and making me want to write long posts! I guess it's all the memories it brings back, heh.
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LimitZer0

Post by LimitZer0 » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:34 pm

I love the Shining Force series...

As far as EA shutting down those servers, I think it is horrible. It would be different if these games were 5+ years old. They owe it to the customers to support their games longer than that. This is not a money saving move, it is a money making move. They are doing this to force people to buy the newer games.

For Xbox/360 owners it hurts even more. You are paying to use Xbox Live, but you will not be able to play these games online because EA wanted to use their own servers.

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Post by Achilles » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:42 pm

LimitZer0 wrote:I love the Shining Force series...
Nice! I have not met too many other people who share a love for the series!
Last edited by Achilles on Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by raz0red » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:03 am

Achilles wrote:It hurts everytime you think about it, trust me I know. There was a great game, if you are into RPG's, for Sega Saturn called "Shining Force 3." The first many games in this series were great as well, but Shining Force 3 was the only on a 'next gen' (or next gen at the time) system with great graphics and an amazing story line. I love playing the game,even though it had the WORST ending of any game, it was simply the Sega logo, as it was the first CD in a 3 CD set, unfortunatly only CD 1 of 3 was brought over from Japan, so we were stuck with the Sega logo and wondering what would happen next. Anyway, long story wow, I ended up selling it for $60 about 2 years ago, as it is still a popular but rare game to find, and I have wished almost everyday since then that I had not sold it as I cannot find it anymore and when I do it is always very expensive or a Japanesse import which I can't read or understand. I hate myself for doing selling it!
I never knew that was such a difficult game to find. I found an eBay auction for the US version and with over a day left it is at $36.00 with 20 bids... wow. :shock: It will be interesting to see what it finally sells for.

eBay auction

--Raz.

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