EA claims it is getting to grips with unprecedented online demand for Battlefield 3, which it has blamed for network outages and server problems over the past few days.
"We were very rapid in our response there. We were able to get those back up. We feel like we've really gotten a handle on it now, and the service as it scales to the release in Europe this weekend, should be solid."
A message posted on the Battlefield Twitter account earlier this morning reads: "We are going to perform maintenance to improve stability for all platforms on our servers. Therefore, online connectivity will be down from 8:00 to 9:00 UTC. Thank you for your patience."
EA also said it has resolved the networking issues that were affecting PC users. "Multiplayer and Origin authentication services have returned to normal," reads an update.
Ten million copies of Battlefield 3 have already been shipped to retail.
Comments
26 comments so far...
ensabahnur on 28 Oct '11 said:
Aye well they should hurry up and get it sorted, it took me over 4 hours last night to get 3 rounds of rush in. Either it wouldn't connect to the server or i'd play 1 round, half a round or in one case 2 minutes before it kicked me saying "failed to connect to server".
I couldn't even send out squad invites to my mates or set up a co-op game.
Why EA were allowed to run their own servers i'll never know, there doesn't seem to be a week goes by without issues in Bad Company and Fifa. In fact i haven't even looked at my Ultimate team in about 2 weeks due to EA's s**tty servers.
Other than that the game seemed very smooth when it was running. Not too sure about the prone position yet, that's gonna take a bit of getting used to.
stonecold77 on 28 Oct '11 said:
I've had no problems with the PS3 version online.
Warrior24_7 on 28 Oct '11 said:
EA, Stop it! I like you, but the $h!t's f*ked up. Admit it and fix it and quit lying about super unprecedented demand, you should've been able to handle it.
c3dpo on 28 Oct '11 said:
PMSL
Another Battlefield, another fail!
Good show EA, and using the same "unpresidented demand on servers" BS again! is out of order!
Especially when you've been proclaiming just how big this one is and that the pre-orders were EA's biggest!
This was done and is still done to "protect the consumer" - your words EA not mine
Anyway, I guess I will wait till it's second hand and the servers are sorted, again!
Gambini on 28 Oct '11 said:
Funny how when everyone complained about the buggy as hell beta, EA/Dice said they were just testing the "back end" stuff to make sure it works well for release, and now it's actually released... well, the back end stuff isn't really holding up so well... go figure!
My copy STILL hasn't arrived (Amazon, I'm looking at you...) but hopefully I can get some games in over the weekend
nologo on 28 Oct '11 said:
got mine lastnight - no server problems at all with regards to connecting to games.
1 of the matches had some lag.. but nothing bad. great game.. loving it!
plus im so happy lots of ppl are experiencing this game.. so easy to get stuck in the MW bubble.. but missing out on this huge warfare!
edit: ps3 version - must be xbox problems.. glad u pay x per month for a great connection
ted1138 on 28 Oct '11 said:
Don't worry, I'm sure demand will die down in about, say, eleven days?
kimoak on 28 Oct '11 said:
The bit on bold.. I was thinking the same thing. They knew the pre-orders for this game so they should have been more prepared. It's not a total clusterf**k by any stretch of the imagination, but someone at EA needs a bit of a wrist slapping.
Not experienced any issues myself and I am loving it so far though. No complaints here personally. The game is really changing my Team Deathmatch mentality. Hard to shake though.
ensabahnur on 28 Oct '11 said:
You do realise that its EA servers, nothing to do with the xbox live connection.
thedubster on 28 Oct '11 said:
Undoubtedly the hype raised people’s expectations and if the game doesn’t live up to those, people's complaints may rise accordingly
I have been on the EA forums defending people’s right to complain about connectivity problems, buggy graphics etc as there are so many BF fanboys who won’t hear a bad word and say every game has its problems
This is true, they do. But the publicity made this game sound like the second coming of Christ, there was a well-used beta across all platforms and still people can’t join friends/lose connection/can’t install. No way EA/DICE should have been caught on the hop by demand – they knew how many units they’d shipped (10m) and must have had an idea of preorders. To blame demand for the server issues is poor
c3dpo on 28 Oct '11 said:
They knew this 100%!
Glad to hear some of you can actually play OK though, so perhaps not as bad as previous BF / EA games.
It is EA servers and the way they chose to do online play!
It could also be network code / H/W on Dice's end.
As for why EA chose to do their own live service, back in the day they went up against XBL (not sure on PSN), saying how they "were protecting consumer rights", I've yet to feel protected on any of their games online, in fact they have all been poor.
Im 100% waiting on buying this now, to find out whether PS3 or XBL is more stable. Though I expect both to be poor at times.
100% agree with all of you saying this is not on, 10million pre-orders, CVG article "EA Boasts biggest every pre-order FPS ever" yet dont think to up your ammount of servers.
Wait until a demo comes out, it will no doubt share severs with the full game as 1943 did. Resulting in people who paid for the full game being unable to join, because someone is playing the demo on that map for free!!!!!!
Really not impressed with this one, and unfair for Dice who have put together a pretty bad ass game, only to be let down by their "not so evil" (according to the activsion haters) EA!
Doesn't look good for Re-spawn IMO or EA, when Activision have whats left of IW and Bungie + the might of their Blizzard partnership.
I for one would want to be published by Activision :p
gearyboy on 28 Oct '11 said:
Got it on 360 yesterday but still to get online.
You'd think a company with as much money and experience as EA would get this sort of thing right at least once...
I'm waiting for some pretty barbed (and deserved, as a result of EA's childish CoD bashing these past few months) responses from the MW3 squad.
On a more serious note, if EA can't get its house in order pretty quickly, some BF3 owners may well be swayed by the inevitable trade in offers for MW3 in a week or so...
Flamestrike on 28 Oct '11 said:
In a game with this much demand it was highly unlikely that things were going to run 100% smoothly. Sure EA could have perhaps prepared a tad better, but seriously some people need to calm down.
Highly amusing watching CVG troll their own site with so many negative Battlefield articles.
runadumb on 28 Oct '11 said:
Servers are down again
MPH on 28 Oct '11 said:
I managed to play a handful of games last night. Most of the time I would go through the server list and see all the servers full. Even using Quick Match didn't work for the most part. And once in a game, you may end up getting kicked out during or after the match.
Btw if anyone on the 360 has issues spawning, go into the scoreboard and push Y on any player. Then close that and try to spawn. I had to leave a couple of games yesterday before I found that out. Hopefully they'll fix that soon.
KK-Headcharge78 on 28 Oct '11 said:
The bottom line for me is EA, in all it's might, should be overcompensating for the expected sales, unprecedented demand should not even enter into it, they have spent 12 months over-hyping this.
It bettwer work when I get online later *shakes fist
Imaduck on 28 Oct '11 said:
My little bro hasn't been able to get online on even BFBC2 in like a week
EA are f**king useless. They spend all that time telling us how great BF will be and that we should all buy it, then they can't hack it when people do? f**king disgrace to gaming. I'll pass.
TheLastKnight90 on 28 Oct '11 said:
Grrr i have got into 15 matches only to succum to the no gun glitch all but 1 time where i had a gun then when i respawned i lost it again
horngreen on 28 Oct '11 said:
"Battlefield 3 network outages caused by unprecedented demand"
Nice try at spinning this EA. Shouldn't this read (Battlefield 3 network outages caused by EAs inability to deal with unprecedented demand). I wanted to get this game but I just hate EA and the way they run their games on LIVE. Oh well COD and Halo will be out soon enough.
TheLastDodo on 28 Oct '11 said:
BF3 multiplayer working absolutely fine for me (PS3), no lag or disconnections at all.
feeg86 on 28 Oct '11 said:
Sounds like they didn't believe their own hype. Dear oh dear.
KK-Headcharge78 on 29 Oct '11 said:
Just been on for a few hours, quite troublesome getting a game but once in no problems, the squad system is buggered on the 360 it seems for the time being as you join a game as a 4 and then find you are in the wrong squad or on the wrong team, oh well I'm sure it will be sorted in the next few days.
DonnerKebab on 29 Oct '11 said:
Couldn't agree more (apart from the 'prone' bit - which makes diving for cover a possibility and adds to realism). EA need to wake up and sort their servers out once and for all, not just adjusting here and there. FPS games DEPEND on a good connection to be fun. Anything else turns a game into a controller/keypad bashing rage of disgust. Like when you shoot someone close range in the f**king head and it just signals your presence to the guy with a new hole in his head.
Ahhh that feels better already.
TheLastDodo on 29 Oct '11 said:
Use the official Dice provided servers instead, I've had no trouble with the multiplayer when using Dice servers
Madbrit2K5 on 29 Oct '11 said:
Come on people calm down calm down....EA had no way of foreseeing demand for this game.
haha what a load of incompetent muppets....unprecedented demand....did the pre-orders not give management a slight HINT!! PS: For f-sake add hardcore mode to the quick-match option and remove the killcam in hardcore too!
AND where the f are all the servers?? get it sorted
sibear on 30 Oct '11 said:
I'm absolutely loving the game and I am certain a certain person in this thread ridiculed me for my belief that Dice would launch a great looking game with very few problems. OK, they have had some server probs but it's not been hard to get a game if you use the server browser. You can also take your squad into a game if you use the browser and they will still be in your squad when you get there. If not (which has happened once or twice for me), just leave your squad and join an open squad and you are all together again. Ive played on servers all over the East coast of the States and Europe with very little problem. I've had the occasional bit of lag but that is down to latency. EA should have had more servers ready for launch and that is inexcusable but I only use the Dice servers anyway as you can queue on them. Overall it's a superb game. Lovely graphics and satisfying combat. I haven't found any glitches in the game although I'm sure there are a few. So, we've got a well received campaign (which is just a bonus), amazing multiplayer and great coop. Dice delivered!