Electronic Arts to shut down Darkspore servers, but some gamers fight the decision.
Video game publisher Electronic Arts will be officially shutting down its 2011 action RPG Darkspore next Monday, March 1. At some point since its release, the game was removed from all digital sales platforms, though owners of the game could still install and play the game without interference. The game requires an online connection to play, and without support from EA to host the servers it will become completely unplayable.
EA has developed a reputation in recent years for creating online-only games and then shutting them down only a few years afterwards (Battleforge, Battlefield Heroes). Along with its controversial practice of buying smaller game studios only to shut them down, this has caused much animosity towards EA among the gaming community.
Popular YouTuber Ross Scott has started an online movement to increase awareness of the game’s death and is attempting to reach out to EA’s upper management about the issue. Though Scott has no particular affinity for the game in question, he is upset over its loss as part of gaming culture. You can check out his video on the issue here.
Riot’s New League of Legends App
League of Legends developer Riot has released a free social app that allows players to stay connected with in-game friends on the go. So far the app only allows players to monitor their friends list, add new people to it, and talk one on one. But Riot has stated it wishes to add a variety of new features in the future, though no specific additions were mentioned. You can get the app for free on Android and iOS.
WoW guild Paragon quits raiding.
Finland’s longtime hardcore World of Warcraft raid team Paragon has decided to stop raiding and quit the running for the World First Kills in the game’s upcoming expansion, Legion, due to its dwindling roster of exclusively Finnish players. The guild has been a major competitor in many World First Kill races since the release of the game’s second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King.
Paragon has often been considered an underdog because of its ability to stay competitive even given its small size, raiding with a 1o-man team instead of the more common 20- to 25-man teams. When faced with the choice to either play suboptimally or to open its ranks to international players, the guild decided it would not be worth the effort to continue.