Why do game servers get shut down?

Like the old Madden and NBA's. Is it because the game company only has a certain number of games it can have on an online server, or because they just want you to buy the new game? The Gears 1 server is still up, so why can't Madden 08's?

It costs money to run servers. No use keeping up servers for a game only ten people play. Of course, wanting people to buy the newest product is a factor.

I feel your pain though. I thought I struck gold when I found a copy of NBA 2K2 back in the day for a buck, but alas - down servers.

Lamrock nailed it, why would EA maintain Live 10 servers (for example) when only 25 people were on at one time? In the year I've been helping biggD distribute his roster updates, I dont think I ever saw that number rise about 100. Usually EA shuts down servers once they occupy less than 1% of the entire server usage, so the fact that it lasted so long is amazing IMO.

Grave digger.

screw the logs not proving my theory, but there was a post I was replying to dammit.

Stelio Kontos: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=88683
Zap Rowsdower: probably a front for a chinese prison wow gold farming
Zap Rowsdower: gold4joy
Stelio Kontos: just a dude thanking lamrock
Zap Rowsdower: i feel like an asshole for not thanking lamrock ever

screw the logs not proving my theory, but there was a post I was replying to dammit.

I did see that. Looks like a spambot got deleted along with all their posts, using the method that still marks them as having the most recent post in a thread. I might just go ahead and remove that option from the ACP, since the other one works as intended.