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XCOM 2 developer Firaxis Games has announced that the multiplayer modes are going to be shut down, if you're using the Windows version that is.

In the support article, it notes "As a heads up to the XCOM 2 community, we wanted to share that we will be retiring services for Multiplayer and Challenge Mode for the Steam version of the game". Why? Resources (money): "The decision to retire these services isn’t something done lightly, but it does allow us to refocus our resources". Planned for March 28, it's a shame but there's an interesting silver lining here. If you run Linux, or the Steam Deck, you will still be able to play it online as it also mentions how "this won’t affect XCOM 2 on console platforms, or on Mac and Linux".

That's definitely a strange turn of events, with the Linux and macOS versions being done externally by Feral Interactive.

However, things can change and it's entirely possible Feral could eventually update the port in some way to also remove multiplayer at any point. For Steam Deck, the "Playable" verification was done using the Steam Play Proton compatibility layer, so you would need to switch it to the Native Linux build for online modes to work after March 28 (video guide).

That same issue can happen to any game across any platform, nothing is forever — unless developers and publishers offer up server files to players like the good old days.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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apocalyptech Mar 4, 2022
I still find it infuriating when game companies don't include "release the server software" as part of their game retirement plans. Like, sure, obviously you can't keep running your servers forever, but that doesn't mean you have to kill off parts of your game when that time eventually comes. Obviously that's something that's easier done when you plan for it from the start, but killing off parts of your game like this is callous and anti-consumer.
Ehvis Mar 4, 2022
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Quoting: headless_cyborg
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: EhvisYou'd expect this to happen because the servers would be closed down. But if that was the case, then why would Linux no be affected? Is MP not shared with Windows for this one either and my just using Steam? Strange separation in any case.
Like a lot of Feral ports, multiplayer I believe was not cross-platform with Windows.

This time it was. I played it with a Windows friend years ago.

That makes it even more strange. Of course there is a very simple solution to this mystery. The tweet is wrong. Maybe they meant to say that they won't be updating the Mac/Linux game to patch out the MP stuff, but that it still won't work because the servers are gone.
StalePopcorn Mar 4, 2022
Interesting. I wonder who hosts.
fagnerln Mar 4, 2022
Dude, first of all: why XCOM has a multiplayer in the first place?

I loved EU and 2, but never noticed that XCOM 2 has multiplayer.

I sincerely doubt that most of you that are complaining played it multiplayer.
tpau Mar 4, 2022
When they patch the game to remove the multiplayer, they could take care of some old useless warnings and limitations in native code. I am sure the modding community has some ideas what to fix :)
Purple Library Guy Mar 4, 2022
Quoting: scaineI'm all for FOSS in games, but realistically I suspect it'll be decades before we see any traction in this direction due to the complexity of modern games (art, music, script, voice, animations, textures, AI, physics, shader programming, core programming, plus any other middleware etc).
About the best we can expect is FOSS game engines. Go Godot!
Kimyrielle Mar 4, 2022
Quoting: PublicNuisanceClosing down servers when they feel like it. One more reason to support FOSS gaming.

You mean the entire handful of FOSS games that are somewhat on par with commercial games?
Philadelphus Mar 4, 2022
Quoting: headless_cyborg
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: EhvisYou'd expect this to happen because the servers would be closed down. But if that was the case, then why would Linux no be affected? Is MP not shared with Windows for this one either and my just using Steam? Strange separation in any case.
Like a lot of Feral ports, multiplayer I believe was not cross-platform with Windows.

This time it was. I played it with a Windows friend years ago.
Yeah, can confirm, I played with my brother on Windows some years ago as well. So I suspect that multiplayer will be going away for Mac and Linux as well, just that those versions won't be patched (to do…something. Remove the multiplayer button, maybe?).
mZSq7Fq3qs Mar 4, 2022
I have no idea why devs hate dedicated servers.
elmapul Mar 4, 2022
what an double edge sword, in one side we had the problem were linux/mac users could only play with/against other linux/mac users.
now we have this upside of being the only ones who could play it online...

and people still criticize feral, lol
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