XCOM 2 developer Firaxis Games has announced that the multiplayer modes are going to be shut down, if you're using the Windows version that is.
In the support article, it notes "As a heads up to the XCOM 2 community, we wanted to share that we will be retiring services for Multiplayer and Challenge Mode for the Steam version of the game". Why? Resources (money): "The decision to retire these services isn’t something done lightly, but it does allow us to refocus our resources". Planned for March 28, it's a shame but there's an interesting silver lining here. If you run Linux, or the Steam Deck, you will still be able to play it online as it also mentions how "this won’t affect XCOM 2 on console platforms, or on Mac and Linux".
That's definitely a strange turn of events, with the Linux and macOS versions being done externally by Feral Interactive.
However, things can change and it's entirely possible Feral could eventually update the port in some way to also remove multiplayer at any point. For Steam Deck, the "Playable" verification was done using the Steam Play Proton compatibility layer, so you would need to switch it to the Native Linux build for online modes to work after March 28 (video guide).
That same issue can happen to any game across any platform, nothing is forever — unless developers and publishers offer up server files to players like the good old days.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: EhvisYou'd expect this to happen because the servers would be closed down. But if that was the case, then why would Linux no be affected? Is MP not shared with Windows for this one either and my just using Steam? Strange separation in any case.Like a lot of Feral ports, multiplayer I believe was not cross-platform with Windows.
PublicNuisance Mar 4, 2022
gradyvuckovic Mar 4, 2022
Quoting: Liam DaweMaybe the multiplayer for these ports is not cross platform because it's being hosted by Feral themselves? If anyone has the game they might be able to figure out what the IP addresses or domain names are of the servers the game is connecting to and confirm if it looks like the game is connecting to Feral's servers or Firaxis Games.Quoting: EhvisYou'd expect this to happen because the servers would be closed down. But if that was the case, then why would Linux no be affected? Is MP not shared with Windows for this one either and my just using Steam? Strange separation in any case.Like a lot of Feral ports, multiplayer I believe was not cross-platform with Windows.
Quoting: PublicNuisanceClosing down servers when they feel like it. One more reason to support FOSS gaming.
That's not really particularly fair here. Someone has to pay for multiplayer servers to run. And the core game itself remains playable here, it's only the MP elements that are going away.
I suppose one big advantage that FOSS offers is that the game could re-engineered for LAN play though. That would work with some games, perhaps.
I'm all for FOSS in games, but realistically I suspect it'll be decades before we see any traction in this direction due to the complexity of modern games (art, music, script, voice, animations, textures, AI, physics, shader programming, core programming, plus any other middleware etc).
Quoting: scaineThat's not really particularly fair here. Someone has to pay for multiplayer servers to run. And the core game itself remains playable here, it's only the MP elements that are going away.
Well, with a FOSS-Game there wouldn't be proprietary, unreleased server-side bits so that nobody is able to host their own server ;)
DamonLinuxPL Mar 4, 2022
Last edited by DamonLinuxPL on 4 March 2022 at 4:19 pm UTC
Quoting: scaineHell, feels like XCOM2 just released. The Collection is from 08/2018 and sells for 30 bucks still. And frankly, how much server power do they need for a round-based game anyway? A game is a couple hundred messages at most.Quoting: PublicNuisanceClosing down servers when they feel like it. One more reason to support FOSS gaming.
That's not really particularly fair here. Someone has to pay for multiplayer servers to run. And the core game itself remains playable here, it's only the MP elements that are going away.
I suppose one big advantage that FOSS offers is that the game could re-engineered for LAN play though. That would work with some games, perhaps.
I'm all for FOSS in games, but realistically I suspect it'll be decades before we see any traction in this direction due to the complexity of modern games (art, music, script, voice, animations, textures, AI, physics, shader programming, core programming, plus any other middleware etc).
They could have prepared by shifting multiplayer to steam services, that are pretty much free for the publisher. If the game has options for community servers or LAN that can be routed, I think it would also be fair. Then freaking help to set up an open lobby.
But this game sold massive and just closing servers out of nowhere seems off.
Last edited by const on 4 March 2022 at 4:29 pm UTC
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