A flaw with this generation of consoles?

[Jrecee]

"I guess you would just have to be afraid that the Microsoft entertainment development house goes under, in which case you would lose everything."

I guess that's kind of my point in the end. However unlikely it is that microsoft leave the games business (although I'm sure it was said about sega around 1994) I don't like the idea that my gaming experience is tied to the success of a company. It's strange to think that my old 1991 snes is actually more futureproof than my current 2009 gaming system.

[Jrecee]

Some servers need to be shut down to accommodate new games. you have to notice this game was released a while ago.

This is a retro gaming forum. You're not going to convince anyone that 2007 was "a while ago".

[enderfall]

I am very concerned about the future of gaming. With DLC, patches to games broken upon release, DL-only games selling for the same price as disc based versions, server's being shut down... it all points to the last generation (PS2, Xbox, GCN) being the last that you can buy a game and not worry about the above issues, (aside from online-only games, but there were very few of those last gen).

Gamestop, et. al. has been the bane of all developers for quite some time. You can see it now with classic games on all three major platforms being released for sale again. You can bet all three companies are rolling in the dough they've generated from all the fools who download SMB 3 and Metal Gear Solid over again...

The PSP-go is a case study for how well Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo can pull off full download only content in their next generation of consoles. OnLive's launch will be important as well. Hopefully it fails miserably!

[Ack]

Honestly though, isn't this something we've known about since this generation first appearing with the offering of online content? I mean, we know inevitably that servers shutting down was going to lead to us not being able to patch games or download nifty add-ons and the like. Now multiplayer games that were only ever available over these networks being shut down...I mean, did they really not see this happening eventually?

I think either they should release info on building private servers(which they won't), or start emphasizing direct connections between consoles and multiple people on one machine. But that's just me.

[fastbilly1]

Im all for Private Servers. Hell Ill pay for hosting for Steel Battalion missions and Alien Front Online if theyll let me.

[aaron]

Im all for Private Servers. Hell Ill pay for hosting for Steel Battalion missions and Alien Front Online if theyll let me.

i'd re-buy the game if that happened. both of 'em.

[the7k]

Maybe I was better prepared for this mentally because of the Dreamcast (and, to a lesser extent, the PS2), but this is something I knew would happen eventually.

Plus, this isn't the first game I've heard of shutting down its servers this gen. Practically every EA Sports and 2K Sports game, on PS3 and X360, has had its online component taken away whenever a new game comes out.

It does suck that a lot of these online games don't think to at least let users make their own dedicated servers. Still, it's better to experience games like Alien Front Online at least once upon a time, instead of never at all.

[pepharytheworm]

They should all be direct dial like Saturn's net link then you could play until no one wants to play anymore.

[lordofduct]

I won't be surprised if come next generation or so that consumers start expecting some form of response to multi-player future proofing. The XBOX and DC may not have created a big enough stir because they weren't really top gunners at the time. But with PS3 AND 360 filled with a massive library of online games, we will certainly be seeing some uproar from general gamers more. Which should drive publishers and studios to include something to deal with it.

But at the moment it's just hardcore gamers (retro included) who complain. And you know how little they listen to us, we may love the games the most and fill our libraries to the brim, but we are a tiny percentage of the group in the end.

[Niode]

All the PS3 fanboys claimed that the dedicated server model for the PS3 was such a great idea. Now the fact that the 360 uses P2P networking doesn't seem so bad. As long as Xbox Live is running (which, considering the amount of money MS rake in for it, isn't going to be shut down soon) any xbox live title will function indefinitely. Yes there are massive advantages to using dedicated servers such as no host advantage, much better experience, less lag and the choice of selecting servers close to home, but when the servers eventually get shut down you are up shit creak with out a paddle, or so they say. I know I'd prefer the occasional laggy game online to absolutely zero games online full stop.

It sucks that Calling All Cars is getting shut down, it's pretty much the only game I actually enjoy playing online on the PS3. This might change when I get Uncharted 2, but I'm reluctantly forced to wait for it to come down in price. Damn recession.