Electronic Arts has confirmed four additional game shutdowns for 2026, bringing the total number of EA titles losing online support this year to 10. As with previous announcements, the company has published specific dates so players can plan final sessions before servers go offline. Still, the steady pace of closures continues to raise questions about long-term access and preservation in an increasingly service-driven industry.
The latest additions to the 2026 shutdown list include the PlayStation 3 version of Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, which will go offline on April 28, EA Sports FC Tactical on May 7, and both NHL 22 and NHL 23 on August 31. In the case of NHL 22 and NHL 23, offline modes will remain playable, but online features will be disabled. By contrast, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare on PS3 and EA Sports FC Tactical are online-dependent experiences, meaning they will effectively become inaccessible once servers close.
These titles join a growing list of EA game shutdowns already confirmed for 2026. Anthem was shut down on January 12, marking the end of BioWare’s live-service experiment that struggled to recover from a difficult launch. The Sims Mobile followed on January 24, and NBA Live 19 lost online support on January 30. Later in the year, Real Racing 3 is scheduled to close on March 19, Madden NFL 23 on July 13, and Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch on August 4.
The shutdown of Apex Legends on Switch is platform-specific, similar to Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare on PS3. Other versions of Apex Legends will continue operating on major platforms. The Switch version faced technical limitations and performance challenges compared to other releases, which likely contributed to its lower player retention. Likewise, while the PS3 version of Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is ending service, the game remains available on PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PS4. That said, history suggests older platform versions are often the first to be phased out as publishers consolidate resources.
For sports titles such as NHL 22, NHL 23, and Madden NFL 23, server shutdowns follow a familiar pattern. Annualized sports franchises typically see online support discontinued a few years after release as player bases shift to newer entries. The practical effect is that modes dependent on online connectivity—including ranked play and certain multiplayer features—become inaccessible, even though local play and some single-player content remain intact.
With 10 EA games shutting down in 2026 so far, the list underscores a broader trend in modern gaming. As more titles rely on live services and online infrastructure, long-term access becomes tied to publisher support rather than physical ownership. While EA’s transparency about shutdown dates gives players notice, it also highlights the temporary nature of many online-focused games.
It remains possible that additional EA game shutdown announcements will follow later in the year. For players still active in affected titles, the safest approach is to check official service update pages and plan accordingly. In the current live-service landscape, knowing when servers are scheduled to close is often the only window fans get to revisit a game before it disappears from active play.
