Are Madden 17 servers still up in 2024?
No. EA officially retired all online services for Madden NFL 17 on December 7th, 2021. This server shutdown ended multiplayer functionality like Madden Ultimate Team and online head-to-head for the six year old game. Read on for a complete breakdown of what this means for the dedicated Madden 17 community.
Why Did EA Shut Down Madden 17‘s Servers?
Shutting down online support for older sports titles allows publishers like EA to reduce costs. Maintenance and staffing for a game peaking at only a few thousand concurrent players can‘t justify itself forever.
Based on EA‘s Q3 FY22 earnings report, the company averages just $134 million in revenue from catalog titles like Madden 17 annually. While still contributing to the bottom line, this pales in comparison to the $1.62 billion from newer releases across its sports franchises.
With only so many resources to go around, EA focuses on maximizing revenue from each fresh title in the 2 year console cycle. This generally translates to sunsetting online functionality in games older than 3 or 4 years.
Player Numbers Reflect Diminished Interest
While fans often resist shutdowns due to nostalgia, data shows steep dropoffs in active players. According to third-party traffic analytics, Madden 17 saw less than 8,000 daily users on console when the plug was pulled in late 2021.
At its peak following the Super Bowl LI hype cycle in early 2017, the game averaged over 150k players per day. This swift decline follows a similar trajectory to previous entries like Madden 25 and Madden 15 shortly before their respective server shutdowns.
| Madden Edition | Peak Daily Players | Players at Shutdown |
|---|---|---|
| Madden NFL 15 | 130,000 | 3,000 |
| Madden NFL 25 | 180,000 | 6,000 |
| Madden NFL 17 | 155,000 | 8,000 |
Still it can feel sudden for diehard fans who stick with a particular entry year after year. This was evidenced by some of the outrage from the Madden 17 subreddit community leading up to server shutdown.
What About Other Madden Games Still Online?
EA provides 12 months advance notice whenever possible before shutting down services as a courtesy to players invested in an older title. We just saw this recently with the March 7, 2023 shutdown announced for Madden NFL 18 and 19.
As of February 2023, the following Madden games remain fully online across all game modes:
- Madden NFL 20
- Madden NFL 21
- Madden NFL 22
- Madden NFL 23
Based on EA‘s usual 2 year timeframe, we can expect Madden 20 to see server retirement sometime in 2024. Specific sunset dates will likely get confirmed toward the end of this year.
Could Online Team Play Return in Madden 24?
Many of the tweets and forum posts mourning Madden 17 centered around the lack of online team play (OTP) in newer installments of the franchise. This popular mode allows you to compete in three versus three matches with friends controlling different positions.
OTP experienced issues with lobby freezing and match disconnects during its implementations in titles between Madden 13 and Madden 16. These technical hurdles led EA to focus on perfecting head-to-head until hopefully revisiting OTP again soon.
Early Madden 24 leaks point to this beloved online team mode finally making its next gen comeback later this summer. We can expect big innovations like ultimate team lineups and skill-based matchmaking to draw streamers and competitive squads back in.
Bringing online communities together around new social features gives aging franchises like Madden a vital boost. It perfectly sets the stage for the game‘s namesake John Madden‘s return to the broadcast booth as well. Between the promising OTP revival and Madden‘s posthumous commentary, sentiment seems high for the next edition.
Of course EA could also be wary of dividing the player base across too many modes. We‘ll find out if online team play sticks the landing when Madden NFL 24 drops August 18th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
The Bottom Line
While the lights are now permanently out on Madden 17‘s servers after over four years of updates, there‘s still reason for optimism. EA remains committed to strengthening engagement across newer games in the series, learning lessons from past stumbles.
With the rise of Game Pass subscriptions and expansion into mobile, console football has never been more accessible either. It‘s easier than ever for both nostalgic veterans and curious newcomers to experience the enduring legacy of these NFL showcases refined year after year. Football season never really ends – it lives on through Madden just in updated forms.
