Online gamers are, quite literally, a very vocal bunch. When something happens they love, they let the world know. And when something happens they DON’T love (think of fan reaction to the ‘Always Online’ requirement news of Diablo 3 and how well that went over) they are just as vocal about it. But as much as the PC gamer master race want to pretend they have the best gaming available to them and the best providers and servers, that doesn’t ensure that server for a particular game will stick around. In many cases, trusted and beloved game servers have shut down or just stopped working without warning. You cannot forget, even if you and your friends like a game and playing it online, doesn’t mean it is turning a profit, and if there is no profit, bah bye server. Sad but true. While this may seem like a “first world problem” (and it is), it can feel like the emotional equivalent of showing up at an amusement park to ride your favorite ride you rode every day for two years only to find out it’s gone. You can see why that would be pretty disappointing to most people. It’s kind of like that. So with that in mind, let’s take a look back at the people’s favorite servers for games that no longer operate online. Perhaps they didn’t check out this hosting review, which might’ve helped in the long run.
So here are the games and therefore, the servers we miss most.
Socom Servers
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqcGeetBacc&w=640&h=480]
It doesn’t even matter which Socom you mention. Socom: Navy Seals was the game I was most into. There is also a false sense of security you get lulled in to when playing these games. You think: I like them, and other people are on them, so I have nothing to worry about. Yes, yes you do. Proof?
Flash forward a few years later, no Socom servers.
Most GOOD Online Star Wars Games
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxIT8aUIFfE&w=640&h=360]
Even with new DLC on the horizon for Star Wars Battlefront, there seem to be rumors that the game may go bust, and you know what that means for it’s servers. But even looking deeper and further back into GOOD Star Wars games, the Jedi Outcast servers were amazing. Playing as Jedi in the Star Wars universe never gets old (which is also reflected in the absence of The Old Republic servers now as well).
Any GOOD Star Wars game seems to no longer have working servers, as if they are TRYING to force people to play Battlefront.
Nice try, not gonna happen. Next.
City of Heroes/Villains
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eHB9zxtet4&w=640&h=480]
What some people need to understand is before Marvel and DC got all big and started making GOOD games and GOOD movies again (remember Daredevil?), there was a superhero lull for a while. This lull was filled by the awesome City of Heroes or City of Villains, which was a real and realized city full of good and bad superheroes (catered to play how you want) and you were either causing chaos as a bad guy or the hero trying to prevent it.
While it sucked that none of the superheroes were licensed, the character creation was deep enough that you could create some cool lookalikes if you tried. Then one day, Paragon city was just empty, then the next day, it was gone all together.
*Sigh
Red Dead Redemption
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lmeJ0kBbM0&w=640&h=360]
Red Dead was one of the most amazing and immersive games ever created, from start to finish. The world felt alive and dangerous, and as fun as single player was and as much as it took the spotlight, the multiplayer mass shoot outs in the online version of this game were just insane. Just look above to watch a video of the mayhem unfold if you missed out on a chance to experience it yourself. It is being hushed that Red Dead 2 rumors are RIGHT around the corner, so maybe we will be shooting hats off each other’s heads again in no time. But for now, the lack of servers for Red Dead is pretty sad. I guess the old west IS dead, like the game implied.
So if you have an online game you love, make sure you play the crap out of it and have all your friends do the same to ensure that one day, that very server wont just be down, gone, or lost forever like those mentioned above. R.I.P. servers. You fought well and will be remembered.