The racing game Project Cars 3 will be delisted from digital storefronts on August 24. However, users who have already purchased the game will retain the ability to download and play it. Access to online modes will remain active until February 24, 2026. This event signals the definitive end of the Project Cars series, as previous installments were also removed from sale several years ago, primarily due to expired licensing agreements for cars and tracks. EA, which acquired developer Slightly Mad as part of its Codemasters deal in 2021, had already announced in late 2022 that it would cease further investment and development in the franchise.
The original Project Cars game launched in 2015, followed by sequels in 2017 and 2020. The franchise also saw a mobile spin-off, Project Cars Go, and a Fast and Furious tie-in game released in 2020. Initially, the Project Cars titles were published by Bandai Namco before Slightly Mad was acquired by EA.
This situation with Project Cars is not an isolated incident for EA. For example, Codemasters, another studio under EA`s ownership, recently put development of the WRC series on hold, though the rights to the FIA World Rally Championship license have since transferred to Nacon.
News of games being withdrawn from digital sale continues to fuel a broader discussion about the rights of digital game ownership. Last year, YouTube host Ross Scott initiated the “Stop Killing Games” campaign, challenging the ethics and legality of publishers` decisions, such as Ubisoft`s move to sunset The Crew. In response to such criticism, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot remarked during a shareholders` meeting that games “are not meant to last forever.”