The Need for Speed games have certainly had their ups and downs, but the classic entries are often regarded as some of the best in the series. Known for their in-depth customization and stories, fans have held onto hope for remasters and new entries that mirror the original Need for Speed games. Unfortunately, fans are getting the opposite.
Over on the Need for Speed subreddit, a community manager posted an update on several Need for Speed games, including Need for Speed Carbon, Need for Speed Undercover, Need for Speed Shift, Need for Speed Shift 2: Unleashed, and Need for Speed The Run. All the games are slated to be delisted from digital platforms starting today, including their in-game stores. The move comes in preparation for their servers being shut down on August 31.
According to the post, it's no longer viable to keep the games online due to the dwindling player bases. However, the post makes clear that each Need for Speed game will be available for offline play following the servers being shut down, so while gamers are still losing a central element of the experience, the core of each game will still be available when the servers are shut down for good.
The post states "decisions to retire games are never made easy," going on to cite how much effort the development teams for each game put into crafting each entry. The post also thanks loyal fans for sticking with the classic Need for Speed games, stating how much the teams hope that fans enjoyed their time with them. The post concludes by asking players to stick with the newer entries as they have with the classic ones.
The response to the post seems to be mostly understanding, though there are those wishing that they had received more notice before the Need for Speed games were delisted. Of course, there are still fans that are upset by the move, and others are calling for EA to allow gamers to make their own servers for the games. It's unlikely that will happen, however, as companies tend to be protective over the online use of their IP.
The long-term viability of digital storefronts has been a hot topic this year, especially after Sony nearly shut down the digital storefronts for the PS3, PS Vita, and PSP. Gamers, and video game historians, specifically, have cited how important it is to preserve the libraries as they are, especially as the industry puts a heavier emphasis on digital-only availability. Physical games still exist, but they become more expensive as they turn into "classic" games.
Several classic Need for Speed games are being delisted today.