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Epic Games Just Decided People Didn't Hate Them Enough

Arnox

Master
Staff member
Founder
Messages
5,314

Copypasting the article here in case they decide to delete it later.

Epic is turning off online services and servers for some older games



December 14, 2022

Starting today, we will begin turning off out-of-date online services and servers for many older games in the Epic family as we move to solely support Epic Online Services with its unified friends system, voice chat features, parental controls, and parental verification features. Most titles will be playable offline, while some will no longer be playable. We apologize to the players affected by these changes.

The following titles will have all online services disabled on January 24, after which players can continue playing single or local multiplayer modes offline:
  • 1000 Tiny Claws

  • Dance Central 1-3
    • Note: Dance Central VR online multiplayer will remain available

  • Green Day: Rock Band

  • Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess

  • Rock Band 1-3
    • Note: Rock Band 4 online multiplayer will remain available

  • The Beatles: Rock Band

  • Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars

  • Unreal Gold

  • Unreal II: The Awakening

  • Unreal Tournament 2003

  • Unreal Tournament 2004

  • Unreal Tournament 3
    • Note: We have plans to bring back online features via Epic Online Services in the future.
  • Unreal Tournament: Game of the Year Edition

We have started removing games that were still available from all digital storefronts and are disabling any in-game DLC purchasing as of today. We also removed the Mac and Linux versions of Hatoful Boyfriend and Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star from storefronts today, as well as the mobile title DropMix. Players who already own these titles will still be able to play.

Battle Breakers will shut down and no longer be accessible to players on December 30. We will automatically refund players for any in-game purchases made via Epic direct payment 180 days prior to today. Unreal Tournament (Alpha), Rock Band Blitz, Rock Band Companion app and SingSpace will be shut down and no longer accessible to players on January 24.

Thank you to all of the players and communities who have enjoyed these titles over the years.
Also, all titles listed above have been removed from the Steam store. All probably because Tim Sweeney wanted to have a pissing contest with Steam. During Christmastime.

Wow, what little amounts of respect that I had for Epic Games is now gone. There it goes. Bye-bye.
 

Vendor-Lazarus

Arch Disciple
Sanctuary legend
Messages
949
I keep telling people. You don't own games that require even one Online Verification step..
 

JamesTaiclet

Outlander
Messages
19
Specialization
Engineering Sector
Hello,

While this is quite disheartening, I have strong hope for a wide set of multiplayer games that heavily relied on their "online only" functionality. A variety of communities have been able to create their own server infrastructure through careful reverse engineering and downright theft of game source code. Hawken is a great example of a community that has employed both to stay afloat. Fortunately "online only" functionality has not effected my favorite games such as Honey Select™.

Yours,
James Taiclet
 

Adeptus

Adherent
Messages
28
Specialization
Games People Play
Meh, I don't hate. They are one of my sources of free games after all. Some of them I even played.
 
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