GameSpy's Master Servers Closing Down: PR Affected?

[Excavus]

Haven't seen anybody discussing this yet but GameSpy's master servers are closing down.

Pricing | GameSpy Technology

List of games affected:

Alien vs Predator (Classic)
Alien vs Predator 2
ARMA
Battlefield 1942
Battlefield 2
Battlefield 2142
Battlefield Vietnam
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Call of Duty
Call of Duty United Offense
Call of Duty 2
Call of Juarez
Call of Juarez Bound in Blood
Civilization III
Commandos 2
Commandos 3
Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines
Commandos: Behind the Call of Duty
Company of Heroes
Company of Heroes Opposing Fronts
Company of Heroes Tales of Valor
Crysis
Crysis Warhead
Crysis Wars
Far Cry
Halo
Hexen
Hexen 2
Jagged Alliance
Jagged Alliance 2
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medieval Total War
Medieval Total War 2
Multiwinia
Quake 2
Quake 3
Quake 4
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
Postal 2
Shogun Total War
Soldier of Fortune
Soldier of Fortune 2
Star Wars Battlefront
Star Wars Battlefront 2
Star Wars Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Jedi Academy
Star Wars Republic Commando
SWAT 2
SWAT 3
SWAT 4
Titan Quest
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Tom Clancy's HAWX
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
(Starsiege) Tribes
Tribes 2
Tribes Vengeance
Two Worlds
Two Worlds 2
Unreal Gold
Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War
Warhammer 40K: Dark Crusade
Warhammer 40K: Soulstorm
Warhammer 40K: Winter Assault
Unreal Tournament
Unreal 2

Some companies like Bohemia Interactive are in the process of moving their servers for Arma 2: OA and Arma 3 to Steamworks. However Battlefield 2 is on that list, and knowing EA and DICE, we shouldn't expect them to update such an old game. What will happen to PR and other BF2 mods? Is this the end for us?

[spiff]

Been mulling this over the past couple hours.
It would mean we wouldn't be able to browse and join servers from the in game server browser, but we could still join servers by their IP address I believe.

The PR devs are pretty capable. Perhaps they could build their own server browser in to the client?

[AncientMan]

GameSpy is used for login accounts, server browser (and consequently, PRSPY), and CD Key verification.

[tom_echo]

GameSpy is used for login accounts, server browser (and consequently, PRSPY), and CD Key verification.

Oh, well that's just about everything that is needed to get into a server. Maybe ea will release source code now? Probably not. I hope this does not sink pr.

[UTurista]

GameSpy is used for login accounts, server browser (and consequently, PRSPY), and CD Key verification.

Does this means that in MAY 31, 2014, we'll lose access to the in game server browser ?

[AncientMan]

No, it means you won't be able to play PR in its current state, as PRLauncher requires you to log in using an online account before you can join an online server (whether it's through the server browser, or through Join by IP). Most you'd be able to do is use an offline account to play against some bots.

It's not the end of the world though, the servers can be reverse engineered easy enough, and things adjusted to work to get everyone playing, but certain functionality may be lost.

[X-Alt]

Maybe DICE will move over the Server files, it affects BC2 after all..

[Mully]

How difficult will this be given the short amount of time PR devs have? What needs to be done to keep this mod from falling under?

[Devastator gr]

so its going to be somehow like minecraft? where you put an ip for the server and you click to join?

[508th Templar]

please tell me the devs can fix this

[KrunCh]

I was just going to report this as well... Glad to see someone else is looking out for us.

Worst part is most of the games listed are still quite popular... I always wondered what would happen if this occurred, just had a feeling a few years back considering Gamespy's popularity decrease over the years.

GLU Mobile can suck it

[NO FUN ALLOWED]

This is shitty news for so many games.

R.I.P in peace Star Wars Battlefront

[Spec]

SWAT 4 survived it. I'm sure PR will, we just need to work around it.

[Jafar Ironclad]

We broke the 64 player cap. I'm sure a equivalent service to gamespy can be engineered if EA doesn't pick up the slack themselves.

[Nate.]

Why are they closing down? No money?

[The Iron Dreamer]

http://www.poweredbygamespy.com/2012/12 ... esponse-2/

GameSpy Response
Posted on December 11, 2012 by gamespytech

There have been a number of reports regarding the recent discontinuation of service to several online multiplayer games previously supported by GameSpy Technologies. We recognize that fans of games where the publisher has elected to discontinue GameSpy Technologies support are frustrated. However, reports that GameSpy Technologies “shutdown servers without warning” are simply inaccurate.

GameSpy Technologies – a separate entity from GameSpy.com – is a service provider to game publishers. Each publisher contracting with GameSpy Technologies elects at its sole discretion whether or not to maintain support for its titles.

A number of our publisher partners elected to allow their contracts for GameSpy Technologies’ services to lapse by not continuing to pay for these services. In some cases this lapsing ranges back as much as four years. GameSpy Technologies has continued to provide months, and in some cases years, of service support for free. However we cannot be expected to provide a service free of charge to publishers who choose not to renew their service agreements and in some cases remain delinquent in delivering payment for past services.

In each case reported in the press where there was a discontinuation of GameSpy Technologies’ services, the applicable publisher was well aware that they had not made the required payments under their agreements with GameSpy Technologies.

For the sake of clarity – the situation is identical to fans attributing fault to the hosting company of a popular website for ceasing hosting services, when the website owner refuses to pay its hosting bill.

While we would hope and expect our publisher partners to message their user communities on changes in status of their games, often this is not done. The result is user confusion and frustration.

It is regrettable that these publishers chose not to inform their users of the impending discontinuation of support. We understand the frustration of fans that until now weren’t clear on why their game has lost some of its functionality, but hope that this clarifies the situation.

Thank You
- See more at: Blog | GameSpy Technology | Open Online Services for Games on Any Platform

Publishers aren't paying any more, hence the shutdown.

Damn you EA, you greedy b*****ds!

[Nate.]

Thanks. This is sad.

[Gracler]

It is so annoying that gamer community's have to keep old games alive on there own when the original company is still around and cashing in from the same gamer's. It would not surprise me one bit if EA don't give a damn about BF2 and hope that they can sell some more BF3 and BF4 **** because of this.

Game companies should be forced to put an expiration date on games the same way food company's have to do it. Perhaps then they would care more about keeping up the support, or gamer's could choose to pickup a game that is not about to expire unless if the community is dedicated enough to keep it alive.

[Quobble]

EA might give away their source code and make BF2 free

[Arab]

Well on the bright side im wishing for more stable servers and no crashes

Also related: May 19th Nintendo will shut down online servers for wii, wii u, 3ds