Need for Speed Rivals will lose all online functionality on 7 October 2025, five days from now. The date appeared quietly on EA’s support list and the Steam page, marking the end of the 2013 racing game.
Once the switch flips, AllDrive matchmaking, Autolog leaderboards, and any other network feature will stop working. The game’s single-player campaigns remain intact, but every session will run offline only.
Why Rivals Stood Out
Released in 2013 for two console generations and PC, Rivals was built around AllDrive. Up to six players could drop into the same Redview County map with no lobbies or loading screens. That design blurred the line between solo and multiplayer in a way later entries have rarely matched.
In an earlier article, I wrote about how Need for Speed “needs co-op back,” and Rivals was the proof: two friends organically coordinating EMP hits and ESF rams, creating emergent gameplay felt more memorable than any cut-scene.
What Players Lose
Without servers, several Rivals staples disappear:
- Spontaneous cop-versus-racer chases with real people
- Shared Speed Point farming runs that cut the grind in half
- Online trophies and achievements tied to multiplayer events
- The simple thrill of seeing another human driver crest a hill at 200 mph
The player base is small today, but you can still hop into online lobbies or invite your friends to cruise through Redview County together.
Where the Series Goes From Here
EA hasn’t offered a public explanation, but closing older servers has become routine. While newer titles like Need for Speed Unbound support bigger lobbies and cross-play, their structure keeps multiplayer as a separate gamemode, with its own progression.
Rivals showed that constant, low-friction interaction creates stories the AI can’t quite do. Losing that example makes the gap in the current series lineup easier to notice.
In practical terms, PC modders may try to resurrect private servers, yet nothing is confirmed. For console owners, this is the last call: jump in, grab any online trophies you still need, and schedule one more pursuit with friends.
Rivals will still run, but I’ll always be yearning for an AllDrive equivalent. With rumors of EA shelving the IP as a whole, things aren’t quite looking up. If you value what made it special, use the next few days wisely.
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