Best Games Shut Down By EA – Investment Policy

Summary

EA is shutting down servers for multiple games, including popular titles like Need for Speed and FIFA.
Battlefield games on PS3/Xbox 360 had servers shut down in November 2024, while games on PC still run.
Fans can still play Command & Conquer 3 online on PC using fan servers despite official shutdown.

Compared to other actions EA is known for, such as closing down entire studios or abandoning ongoing projects, turning off online servers for active games might seem relatively tame. However, for every game that managed to stay online for decades, there have been several others that only lasted a few years before they were discontinued permanently.

October 2025 will see the end of online support for games like Need for Speed Rivals, NHL 12, Madden 22, and FIFA 23. This year, Electronic Arts (EA) has already shut down 13 other games. At present, players still have time before these games are taken offline. However, it’s important to note that the online servers for these popular EA games mentioned here have already been deactivated.

Battlefield Games

Fought The Good Fight, But Lost The Battle

Online servers for companies can’t run indefinitely; they eventually need to be replaced by newer versions. For instance, if you were a fan of the Battlefield games on the PS3 and Xbox 360, your online gaming days came to an end in November 2024 when Battlefield 3 and 4 were deactivated. This shutdown happened only a year after Battlefield: Bad Company 1 & 2 as well as Battlefield 1943 ceased their online operations in December 2023.

It’s quite astonishing that they managed to endure for so long, considering they were released between 2009 and 2013. Remarkably, these games feature some of the finest offerings in the series, with Battlefield 3 and Bad Company 2 being standout favorites among fans. For those who wish to continue playing these games online, it’s worth noting that only the PC versions are still operational (at present).

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars & Kane’s Wrath

How Fans Kept the Conquest Going

To continue enjoying “Command & Conquer 3,” players will require a personal computer. This applies whether they’re playing the original “Tiberium Wars” version or the standalone expansion, “Kane’s Wrath.” Released in 2007, “Command & Conquer 3” was hailed as a comeback for the beloved RTS series. The “Kane’s Wrath” expansion built upon this with new game modes and features such as the console-exclusive Kane’s Challenge gauntlet and the PC-only Global Conquest mode.

In November 2022, Microsoft shut down the online servers for the Xbox 360 version of the game, which had been released more than 15 years earlier. While players who have a PC can continue playing, it will require some effort on their part. The official shutdown of the game’s servers actually occurred a decade earlier when Gamespy closed their servers, but since then, a dedicated fan community has set up alternative servers for players to connect to in order to play the game. They even have FAQs available to help new players get started.

This paraphrase maintains the original meaning of the text while using more natural and easy-to-read language. It also provides additional information about the dedicated fan community that has set up alternative servers for players to continue playing the game.

Syndicate

ADark RTS Game Becomes An FPS

In simpler terms, the initial version of “Syndicate” was a cunning real-time strategy game where players could employ underhanded tactics like assassination, kidnapping, and even civilian attacks to gain control of a country on behalf of their corporate benefactors. However, when it was rebooted in 2012, it transformed into a first-person shooter with hacking elements, which wasn’t quite the nostalgic revival that diehard fans had anticipated.

The game featured a blend of fresh narratives and characters, yet its flaws were apparent. However, the gunplay and DART-6 elements were exceptional, offering something distinct for the period. Additionally, it offered an enjoyable 4-player co-op and multiplayer experience, though unfortunately, these servers ceased operation in June 2023. Interestingly, playing the online multiplayer of the reboot, which aimed to revitalize the series, is more challenging than enjoying the multiplayer aspect of the 1996’s Syndicate Wars on GOG today.

FIFA 17

Full-Time For The Classic Soccer Series

After almost three decades as soccer gaming’s leading brand, EA Sports’ licensing deal with EA expired in December 2022. This significant change not only resulted in every EA Soccer game rebranding to EA Sports FC, but also signaled the eventual demise of older versions. Without the FIFA license, EA planned to remove these titles from digital marketplaces and shut down their online services.

Some people believe that the FIFA series began to lose its appeal before the start of the 2010s, but others continue to support newer versions such as FIFA 17. This particular version introduced a new game engine, Squad Building Challenges, and steady, reliable gameplay that later releases failed to match. However, just like those games, the servers for FIFA 17 were shut down in February 2023, and the title was removed from Steam. With the release of FIFA 23 in October, there will no longer be (official) ways to play a FIFA game online.

DiRT Rally Series

Still In The Race, But Only Just

Despite their popularity, racing games aren’t completely immune to being discontinued. The reasons for their termination tend to be clear-cut. For instance, games like F1 2011-2014 and Race Stars were quite old but could still be played online. However, the situation with the DiRT Rally series is more intriguing. Similar to FIFA, Electronic Arts’ agreements with car manufacturers have led several of its titles to be removed from circulation and shut down. Yet, unlike being completely dead, it seems that these games are more akin to being mostly extinct.

DiRT 1 and DiRT 4 have been officially shut down on all platforms as per EA’s Online Shutdown list, but DiRT 2.0 and DiRT 3 remain playable. Neither game is currently being sold online, but skilled PC players can find ways to keep races running in both games if they already possess a VIP pass for DiRT 3 (which is no longer available for purchase) and know how to manipulate Games for Windows Live for DiRT 2.0. It’s simpler to just play DiRT 5 while it’s still accessible.

EA Sports UFC 2

Hanging Up Its Gloves For Good

Developer: EA Vancouver.
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One.
Release: March 2016.

For several years, EA Sports has explored the realm of combat sports, starting with the game Knockout Kings. At first, it seemed that UFC would remain untouched by them, as Dana White, UFC’s head, stated that the company had dismissed MMA as not being a genuine sport and expressed no interest in getting involved. However, EA Sports later developed their own MMA game titled EA Sports MMA. This move led to a self-proclaimed war between Dana White and EA Sports, prompting him to grant THQ the UFC license instead.

After THQ faced financial difficulties and went out of business, EA eventually obtained the license for UFC games. Since then, they have been responsible for producing the official series of UFC games. As of now, both UFC 4 and UFC 5 can be played online. However, the highly acclaimed EA Sports UFC 2, known for its improved controls and ground-and-pound mechanics, had its servers turned off in February 2023. Its nearest competitor, EA Sports UFC 3, remained active until it was deactivated two years later in February 2025.

Dead Space 2

Get Killed By Necromorphs Alone Or With Friends

In survival horror games, players often find themselves alone, with limited Non-Player Characters (NPCs) to engage with apart from the monstrous creatures pursuing them. However, there are certain games in this genre that provide a multiplayer experience. One such game is Dead Space 2, where, upon completing the story campaign, players could connect online for a competitive 4-vs-4 multiplayer mode. This feature was included due to pressure from fans and Electronic Arts (EA), as it wasn’t initially part of Visceral Games’ original space horror concept.

In this game, the human squad needed to accomplish a series of tasks on each level before time expired, while the Necromorph squad was tasked with halting them. The humans were equipped with various weapons, such as the Javelin Gun. On the other hand, the Necromorphs simply attack and disfigure anyone within reach. Sadly, the game mode no longer functions on any platform following its permanent shutdown in December 2023. Therefore, unless players established their own server, they can’t play it anymore.

Crysis Series

The One Mode PCs Can’t Run Anymore

For a considerable period, individuals have been constantly modifying their computers with various methods aimed at maximizing their power, with the only restriction being their financial resources. The goal is always to maintain high and steady frame rates, keep textures sharp and immaculate, and enable ray tracing. In earlier times, demonstrating the prowess of one’s computer was accomplished by testing whether it could run Crysis.

The game also featured an impressive multiplayer mode for up to 32 participants, which was deactivated together with comparable modes in Crysis 2 and Crysis Wars when Gamespy shut down their servers back in June 2014. Interestingly, the online functionality of Crysis 3 persisted until December 2023. Nowadays, for those wishing to play Crysis online, they’ll need to customize co-op functions into the Remastered editions themselves.

2025-08-12 21:32