FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Web App Unavailable

At 5pm yesterday, literally gazillions of you leapt onto your computers and flocked to the FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Web App causing huge server meltdowns across the whole of Canada!*

*Well… Maybe not that extreme but shed loads of you tried to access the FIFA 12 Web App and it broke… ;))

When Will the FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Web App Be Available?

EA have had the nerd squad working through the night to get the web app back up online but the latest to come from the EA team is that it’s unlikely to be back online before 5pm today…

“Unfortunately it will take us at least another half a day to get FUT Web live. ETA very TBC, but earliest late afternoon GMT tomorrow”

“To confirm: Returning FUT gamers will get their free packs whenever they log in, any time.”

[EDIT: Official ETA has moved from “late afternoon” to “this evening” (UK time). Still vague I’m afraid but we’ll update when we get some more nailed on info]

[Edit 2: Web App is up and running but might have a few bugs – let us know how you get on!]

I know some of you feel aggrieved at losing one free daily gift but look at it relatively; everybody lost one so you’re still on a level playing field with everyone else…

So What’s The Issue?

The reason the FUT12 Web App is down is to do with User Authentication issues on the site and not specifically the web app itself.

Although it’s encouraging to know that our precious Web App is doing fine, it’s not really any consolation to us eager beavers who are itching to start rebuilding our squads.

Could it have been prevented? Probably, but that’s the great thing about hindsight. It easy to put preventative measures in place if you know what to expect.

I’m under no illusion that EA weren’t expecting a HUGE spike in traffic at 5pm yesterday and I’m sure they’ll have had all sorts of controls in place to prepare for it. So the user authentication issue must have been outside their contingency remit.

I’m sure the sheer volumes of visitors to the FUT 12 Web App didn’t help but surely this was expected and prepared for.

We can rest assured that with Ultimate Team being the cash cow that it is EA will be throwing every available resource at getting the Web App online.

What’s the Answer?

Like the online gameplay servers from last year, it’s impossible to create a test environment with the extreme numbers of users that are involved once the game (or in this case the Web App) goes live.

FIFA 13 Beta?

Why don’t EA introduce invitational Beta versions of online applications and gameplay? That way they can control user numbers and phase in projects of this scale.

Lot’s of other games are doing it these days and the benefits are twofold:

Beta Versions create HUGE hype and can be used to aid marketing campaigns (not that EA need any help in the marketing department…)
EA get a test bed closer to what will be used when the game comes to full release and hopefully all of these “creases” will be ironed out by the date of the full launch saving EA no end of reputational damage.

Anyway, always one to look on the bright side, hopefully the problems EA are having with the Ultimate Team Web App will serve as a wake up call making them extra vigilant when the game releases at the end of this month.

If you want a sneak preview you can check out FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Player Ratings, FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Manager Ratings, FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Stadium Stats and FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Tournaments.

You can also check out our FIFA 12 Ultimate Team Chemistry Guide.

At the risk of leaving this wide open, what do you think EA could do to improve testing and the way it rolls out its services?

24 Comments

Nick September 21, 2011 at 9:38 am

Will we still recieve our two TOTW cards seeing as one of those was only meant to have been available yesterday?
- Craig Cole September 21, 2011 at 9:46 am
  
  Yes, last official comment was that yesterdays TOTW would extend to 6pm (UK time) today but my guess is that they’ll extend it again given that the app’s taken longer than originally expected to get back online.
  - Nick September 21, 2011 at 9:48 am
    
    Great, thanks very much for the reply and well done on running a sweet website, much appreciated.
    - Craig Cole September 21, 2011 at 9:55 am
      
      No worries and glad you like the site! :)
      - Nick September 21, 2011 at 4:00 pm
        
        Any ideas yet? Feels like I’ve been waiting days, haha.
Sabre0001 September 21, 2011 at 11:37 am

Beta would be a bad idea. The people invited, who will add most value, are the people who will be ahead when 13 came out normally…If in a beta, they’ll be further ahead.

Also, FUT relies too much on trading so those in the know will have things sown up by the time the plebs get access.

The crash is unfortunate, but what can you do. At least we’ll still get some form of early access.
james wright September 21, 2011 at 3:41 pm

hi do u kmow exactly when the web app is gonna be working because at the moment i logn then clik on ultimate team then everyting comes up apart from the actually ultmate team!!!!!
- Craig Cole September 21, 2011 at 3:51 pm
  
  Romily Broad’s on his way to the studio as we speak. Should have an update within an hour!
  - Josh September 21, 2011 at 4:20 pm
    
    any verdict yet ?
Brett September 21, 2011 at 3:58 pm

It’s almost 5pm UK time and they said we get a chance of totw till before 6pm, but i cant even get on!!!
- Craig Cole September 21, 2011 at 4:24 pm
  
  Don’t worry, they’ll extend it again…
Nick September 21, 2011 at 4:02 pm

Anyone know if its up yet?
Josh September 21, 2011 at 4:17 pm

Does anyone know when its gonna be back on ?
Roddy Munro September 21, 2011 at 4:24 pm

I want to see the ratings for the everton players! I will not be happy if Baines is less than 83, he’s so under rated. And I hope they make a Drenthe and Stracqualursi card too
Craig Cole September 21, 2011 at 5:09 pm

Web App should be up and running – we’ve been warned that there might be a few bugs though so keep your eyes peeled. Let me know how you get on!
Nick September 21, 2011 at 7:44 pm

Just opened my packs, didnt get a TOTW card though? Have I lost it because of the problems that have been going on?
Ryan Parry September 21, 2011 at 7:48 pm

It is up now!!
Roddy Munro September 21, 2011 at 7:53 pm

anybody else got messed up buttons in the web app? its all got * and . with random words which is confusing! however, opened my cards and the best i got was hatem ben arfa, disappointed.
Nick September 21, 2011 at 7:59 pm

You should see the shockers I got, I was hoping for a TOTW but nothing.
Chris September 21, 2011 at 8:00 pm

Yes, i have noticed that too! Opened my packs also and the best i got was van nistelrooy rated 80. Rather dissapointed likewise. :(
James Burgin September 21, 2011 at 9:44 pm

‘Roddy Munro’… your UT app still messed up ? Mine is exactly the same.
BTW guys the best i got was an 81 lille player and jamie carragher!!
I bet a geek who is terrible on FIFA will get the IF Ronaldo and Messi no doubt!
missunderstood September 23, 2011 at 12:07 am

is fifa ut 12 up? cause i tried many times for about 8 hrs and this is not working for me, it access to the fut web app but is charging the menu it displays an error msg.

Tks
zander October 2, 2011 at 2:52 pm

the guys that made the website should have expected this its so unproffesional and bullshit
Abdul September 18, 2012 at 9:25 pm

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