Electronic Arts has confirmed that Madden NFL 23 will be shut down on July 13, adding another title to a growing list of EA games losing online functionality in 2026. The decision brings the total number of EA-published shutdowns this year to six, underscoring how quickly live-service and online-dependent games can be phased out once they reach the end of their commercial lifespan.
EA maintains a public list of upcoming server closures, which gives players advance notice before online features are disabled. That transparency allows fans time to revisit games, complete remaining challenges, or unlock achievements that depend on online connectivity. At the same time, the frequency of these announcements highlights an ongoing reality of modern games: once servers go dark, parts of a game—or in some cases the entire experience—can effectively disappear.
For Madden NFL 23, the July 13 shutdown means all online modes will become inaccessible. Players will no longer be able to engage with multiplayer features or complete online-dependent achievements and trophies. While many fans of the long-running football franchise have already moved on to newer entries, older sports titles often retain a smaller but dedicated audience, particularly among players who purchase games at reduced prices years after release.
Madden NFL 23 is not the first EA title to be shut down in 2026. In January, EA ended support for Anthem, officially closing the servers for the troubled live-service title despite occasional community-driven revival efforts. Later that month, The Sims Mobile and NBA Live 19 also lost their online functionality.
More shutdowns are scheduled in the months ahead. Real Racing 3 is set to go offline on March 19. The announcement drew criticism from longtime players, as the mobile racing game has been active for over a decade and built a loyal following. The title was delisted from app stores in December 2025, leaving existing installs as the only way to access it before the servers close.
Looking further ahead, EA has also confirmed that the Nintendo Switch version of Apex Legends will shut down on August 4. While Apex Legends will remain playable on other platforms, the Switch version struggled with performance limitations and never gained the same traction as its console and PC counterparts.
Beyond full shutdowns, EA continues to rotate games out of its subscription services. Madden NFL 24 is scheduled to leave EA Play and EA Play Pro on February 17, affecting players who access the game through subscriptions or bundled services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Taken together, these changes reflect how publishers are managing aging titles in an era dominated by ongoing services and recurring releases. For players, the announcements serve as a reminder that access to online features is finite, and revisiting certain games may come with a deadline attached.
