Multiplayer is not available. Server is down - Discussion

[TenNorbert]

I just wonder why producers don't pass on maintenance costs to players?

For example, after 5 years the producer announces that the server will be shut down. If you want to keep the server alive, support the manufacturer on some Crowdfunding websites.

I don't know how much it cost, is it $5000 per month, or maybe $50,000. Maybe someone has more information on costs?

 

Or second option.

Why console players cannot create their own private servers, such as PC players?

There are many old games on PC that can still be played in multiplayer simply because they can use private servers.

 

You can still play Battlefield 2142 online on PC. Game released in 2006.

However, from December 31, 2020, PS3 and PS4 players will not be able to play Battlefield Hardline online. Game released in 2015

Where's the logic?

 

I hope you understand my English and know what I mean

[DaivRules]

I think if enough players wanted to play to make it worthwhile for server maintenance, cash cost aside, then enough people would still

be playing. 
 

These games and companies generally haven’t been designed from the beginning to accommodate the options you pointed out. Implementing those options you said is probably a workload those companies don’t feel is worthwhile, because it IS going to be a lot of work. 

[Folkenio]

-About servers maintenance cost:

Would you be willing to pay for something you're no longer interested? Let's say, for example, that you played "X" game when it released. You had your fun, but it got too grindy or you just moved on from it. Suddenly, developer/publisher announces that, in order to mantain the online ecosystem, every single player, be it active or not, MUST pay a montlhy quota of, let's say, $2 USD. It's not too much if that's the only online game you play. What if you don't play the game one month? Ah, doesn't matter, it's just 2 bucks. What if you don't want to play it anymore? Developer/publisher must provide a way for players to decline on being an active user of the servers, and if they don't want to, they won't. We're talking about the multi-million companies here, since servers are, most of the time, administrated by mega-corporations.

 

Now, multiply that $2 USD for, let's say, 20 online games you have played from time to time. Suddenly, you're met with $40 USD monthly for "server costs", aside from a PS+ subscription to play online on PS4. Depending from the region, you'd be paying between $40-$60 a year. So, at teh very least, you'd be paying around $43.33 to $45 a month just to play an online component for a game, if you get to play it at all. if you don't, that's money down the drain. And as there would be people willing to pay it no questions asked, there would also be others who don't want to pay a single dime aside from the money they put on the first purchase of the game.

 

Also to point out, most server closures are related to expected life for the service. After a certain period of time, it's way more profitable to launch a new version of "X" game with added features and new mechanics, and with a "new release" game price. And the cycle repeats.

 

-About the second option:

There's been some attempts to outlive the server closure of some games on console. There's an alternative server for Demons' Souls that's mantained by a particular, and it's still up (if I'm not wrong).Don't know about others, honestly.

 

But, as @DaivRules pointed out, it's a whole lot of workload to do, and while many AAA games have their own servers, smaller companies depend on the bigger ones to provide such service.

[Rix18]

54 minutes ago, TenNorbert said:

However, from December 31, 2020, PS3 and PS4 players will not be able to play Battlefield Hardline online. Game released in 2015.

Please don't spread false information. 

 

The multiplayer will still be available, it's only the competitive matchmaking that is *rumoured* to be shutting down. 

[HuntingFever]

51 minutes ago, Rix18 said:

Please don't spread false information. 

 

The multiplayer will still be available, it's only the competitive matchmaking that is *rumoured* to be shutting down. 

This^

 

Only a single DLC trophy will become unobtainable, because the associated mode is being switched off - the Platinum and all other trophies will remain fully obtainable for the foreseeable future.

Edited April 18, 2020 by HuntingFever
Fixed typo.

[Lord_Bane999]

30 minutes ago, TenNorbert said:

Snip.

To be honest if most games were supported by costs by players. I doubt alot of servers would actually still exist.

 

The thing is when you pay to rent servers even for a basic website there's a limit to how much data traffic can be handled and exchanged it isn't quite as unlimited as people assume. You go over that limit you have to pay more increase it. These servers are usually kept in a cold room with A.C. going 24/7 and need a UPS backup incase power surges hit. You need to pay for maintenance have an I.T. to do scheduled maintenance checks on said servers almost daily as well as be on call for when they go down. Servers are expensive $50,000 is a very cheap and smaller server. Their can be large tower servers even upto $500,000 depending on their parts used and what their made for. These servers will be running 24/7 until they break or fault basically. You will need a minimum of one backup tower usually because if your only tower breaks don't expect to be able to reclaim the data or have spare parts around on hand at all times  to fix it in a jiffy depending if you plan to hold the servers yourself.

 

Then these servers may be only able to run one game each. Something important and this is why private servers usually aren't a thing. Alot of game servers especially on console use modified code that work sometimes for each game individually. Why isn't this code given out though? Because these companies may use the same code or an altered version for another game of theirs that is still live and these private servers would be direct competition to their own servers still existing, it also can create backdoors into their security.

 

Also with PC it's much different and a much more freer atmosphere and unlike Console games have a much longer shelf life when it comes to online play usually. On console the market is usually adjusted to playing the newer best game almost every year- two years with usually a new console generation every 6 years. PC doesn't have that worry as much sure there's an upgrade path but alot of people through the world can't always achieve a newer PC so it makes some older titles still somewhat popular and even if you do upgrade a PC the chance that your older games don't work unlike moving to a new console are slim. Plus EA themselves have been really supportive of the older PC ges lately giving away a couple older Battlefields before and even retooling the servers for the original Battlefront 2 because of the number of PC Players replaying it (they also offer a couple of these older titles through EA Access which I imagine helps supplement some server costs to them).

 

P.S. btw it's getting confused alot but the servers themselves for Hardline are not shutting down entirely only the competitive servers our which will remove ranked based play.