EA continues to spew it’s server shutdown wrath upon the gaming industry.

According to EA’s recent service update, beginning on August 11, 2011 the following games will be shut down:

1. ARMY OF TWO™ for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
2. ARMY OF TWO™ Demo for Xbox 360
3. Battlefield 2142™ Demo for PC
4. Battlefield 2: Modern Combat™ for Xbox 360
5. Battlefield 2: Modern Combat™ Demo for Xbox 360
6. Medal of Honor Airborne™ for PlayStation Portable
7. Medal of Honor Heroes™ 2 for PlayStation Portable and Wii
8. NASCAR® 09 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (North America)
9. NCAA® Basketball 10 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
10. NCAA® Football 10 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
11. Need for Speed™ Most Wanted for PC and Xbox 360
12. Need for Speed™ Undercover for PlayStation Portable;
13. SKATE™ for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
14. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 10 for PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii
15. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 11 Demo for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

Before you start moaning, there is more and they might come as a surprise. On October 1, 2011 the following games will also be shut down:

1. Madden NFL 10 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
2. NHL® 10 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

EA is claiming that “as games get replaced with newer titles, the number of players still enjoying the older games dwindles below a point”. That’s right 2010 releases. You are old.

via Electronic Art’s Service Update Announcement

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-facepalm-

Oh so that not so old game I bought only a few months ago (Need for Speed Most Wanted) won't even have multiplayer by the time I get around to playing it? Awesome.

Also, if you didn't notice, all of the titles listed above are sequels or have sequels in a series. This is EA, in a way, forcing the hand of consumers. Sometimes I don't get why I even bother paying for a service that will eventually be cut off. EA wants people to pay $!0 for used titles and then you won't even be able to play it for a few weeks! I understand that it costs money to run servers and that these games may be operating at losses, but they are making sooo much money that it shouldn't matter. They should value their customers first, which doesn't seem to be the case.

Before you start moaning, there is more and they might come as a surprise. On October 1, 2011 the following games will also be shut down:

Madden NFL 10 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

NHL® 10 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

EA is claiming that “as games get replaced with newer titles, the number of players still enjoying the older games dwindles below a point”. That’s right 2010 releases. You are old.

Actually the [sports whatever] 10 games are from 2009. Just like that stupid nonsense with cars, the year with sports games is labeled as one year later than it's actual release. I think they usually do this if it's near the end of the year so, in the case of cars, it's listed year is the year you'll start really seeing them. Still stupid though.

They are even shutting down that PGA 2011 game though.

Servers are expensive, I would understand them being shut down for smaller companies, but this is EA. Surely they could find another solution. Put the older, less popular games on fewer, older servers and prioritize the better ones for newer games. I know there will be a huge outrage with the server shutdowns amongst the achievement completionist communities.

They're only shutting down the PGA 11 Demo.

How cheap. Alot of those games have achievements you can only get online. Don't really care for Hockey, football, or basketball games...but still.

Another very good reason to allow free dedicated server software. I know of tons of old pc games with small fan bases still running servers.

Of course these are console games.