Contributed by: Jeff Rivett (site admin) Monday, May 12 2014 @ 08:23 AM PDT
In a move that should surprise nobody but infuriate many, EA Games has announced that they will shut down server browser support[*1] for several games in the coming months, including Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2.
You may already have noticed that Gamespy - the company that provides the service underlying server support for these games - has been gradually winding down in recent months. Apparently Gamespy services will cease to exist in the near future. EA could have taken over these servers or provided a workaround, but they chose not to do that.
What does this mean for BF1942 players? Mainly that you will no longer be able to find servers using the in-game browser server. If you know the IP address of a server, you will still be able to connect to it. Other web-based server browsers like GameTracker may continue to operate normally, but that's not a certainty at this point.
BF1942 fans are working on possible solutions, including setting up their own master server browser[*2] , which would effectively replace the original servers. But this requires changes to the BF1942 client software, which may create other problems.
BF2 players face a similar situation, with one additional obstacle: it's currently not possible to play BF2 online without a Gamespy account. When Gamespy shuts down, will it even be possible to play online, even if you know the IP address of a server?
Battlefield 2 mod developers for Forgotten Hope 2 and Project Reality are apparently working on their own master server[*3] .
I'll post more information here as I find it. In the meantime, let's think positive thoughts. We gamers are resourceful and stubborn, so I'm sure we'll find a way to keep things rolling.