- EA Sports UFC 3 servers shut down after seven years, removing online functionality and delisting the game from digital stores.
- UFC 3 was EA’s longest-supported UFC title, lasting over seven years, with UFC 4 and UFC 5 still available for online play.
- EA continues retiring older games, with multiple mobile titles and F1 22 set for removal from EA Play in the coming weeks.
Electronic Arts has officially shut down the online servers for EA Sports UFC 3, marking the end of multiplayer functionality for the seven-year-old fighting game. Originally released in 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the game was removed from digital storefronts and Xbox Game Pass, leaving only its offline modes accessible to those who already own a copy. The move is part of EA’s broader strategy of phasing out older titles as it continues to focus on newer releases.
The shutdown, which took effect on February 17, follows a pattern of EA discontinuing online support for legacy games. In January 2025 alone, the publisher decommissioned several multiplayer titles, and additional games are scheduled to go offline in the coming months. The removal of UFC 3 from the EA Play library on February 15 further signaled the game’s approaching end-of-service date, limiting access to those without a prior purchase.
UFC 3 holds the distinction of being EA’s longest-supported game in its UFC series, maintaining online functionality for seven years and 15 days. By comparison, its predecessor, UFC 2, lasted around six and a half years, while the original EA Sports UFC had its servers shut down after five and a half years. With this timeline, it is expected that UFC 4 could remain online until at least 2028, while UFC 5 may continue into the next decade.
Meanwhile, EA Vancouver has reportedly shifted its focus to the development of UFC 6, with full production believed to have started in late 2024. If the publisher follows its typical release cycle, the next installment in the MMA franchise could arrive between 2027 and 2028. Until then, players still have access to UFC 4 and UFC 5 for online play, barring any early server shutdowns.
UFC 3’s discontinuation comes shortly after EA’s decision to sunset multiple mobile games, including Blood and Glory: Immortals, Contract Killer: Sniper, and Deer Hunter Classic. Additionally, other EA titles such as F1 22 and Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising are set to be removed from The Play List subscription service in the coming weeks, reflecting the company’s ongoing efforts to retire older games in favor of newer projects.
