GameSpy's servers are scheduled to shut down at the end of May, but Grand Theft Auto V will not be affected in any way.
Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) is Rockstar's biggest game currently on the market, and the news that GameSpy's server shutdown will not affect it is without a doubt a big relief for passionate gamers. On the other hand, older Rockstar games are not as lucky, and the shutdown will affect titles such as Max Payne 3, Red Dead Redemption, and Grand Theft Auto IV to some extent, meaning that certain features will no longer be available.
"We want to give everyone a quick update on the actions we're taking in light of GameSpy and GLU Mobile's decision to shut down their backend servers this coming May 31," Rockstar writes. "While Grand Theft Auto V is unaffected, our teams are currently working to patch specific older titles to keep the transition as smooth as possible and minimize the impact to online-enabled play and your in-game experience. The majority of changes will be in the form of Rockstar Games Social Club services, including stat tracking and leaderboards."
Most of Rockstar's games will not be dramatically affected, and even if some features will become unavailable this move still seems preferable to removing multiplayer support altogether. On the other hand, this will occur in some cases, including the Mac version of Max Payne 3, the PlayStation 3 version of Midnight Club: Los Angeles, as well as all versions of Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition. Online multiplayer will no longer be available for these three games come May 31, or possibly even sooner.
On the bright side, Read Dead Redemption, GTA IV, and Midnight Club LA will be getting Social Club website stat tracking and leaderboards, while in-game multiplayer leaderboards are also en route for the PlayStation 3 versions of Red Dead, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Midnight Club LA. Social Club features are also in the cards for Beaterator and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on DS and PSP.
To learn more about the implications of GameSpy's server shutdown for Rockstar games, head over to Rockstar's support website at this link.
