EA Set to Pull Popular Racing AAA Game Offline Today

EA is officially shutting down the online servers for Need for Speed: Rivals today, marking the end of an era for the 2013 racing game.

However, the game itself will not be delisted. According to reports, players on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One can still buy the game, and it’s playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X through backward compatibility.

Even so, with most of its online features going offline, there’s little reason to pick it up at this point.

“The servers are turning off on October 6,” sources say, leaving only offline gameplay for those who still own the title. Despite this, Steam data shows that very few players are returning to say goodbye, with active users barely passing 100 in the last 24 hours.

Need for Speed: Rivals was developed by Ghost Games and Criterion Games and published by EA. It was the twentieth entry in the iconic Need for Speed series and marked Ghost Games’ debut as a main developer for the franchise.

At its release, the game received positive reviews and even earned the “Best Racing Game” award from the Game Critics Awards at E3 2013. It was followed by the 2015 mobile release, Need for Speed: No Limits, and a self-titled reboot.

While Rivals’ online services are ending, players can still enjoy offline modes. The shutdown highlights the challenges of maintaining older games with online features, especially ones that continue to sell but no longer draw large active communities.

Personally, it’s a bit sad to see a fan-favorite racing game like Rivals go offline, but at least offline modes will let longtime players relive some of the action. What do you think about EA shutting down older online games? Share your thoughts in the comments.