Quantum Break, BioShock and Braid aren't the only games contending with time. Sooner or later, every cartridge, cassette, CD or UMD must give up the ghost, pack its bags and ascend to the heavenly halls of fame — or instead plummet into shovelware hell.

For some titles, this end is closer than most. Online features are often the first casualties of any generational jump, and so it's proving to be on the PlayStation 3 - at least where some of the system's best-loved games are concerned. Having successfully launched the PS4 earlier this year, Sony now appears to be in the process of reclaiming some much-needed server space, discontinuing the online components from a handful of older titles.

First up for the chop is none other than Resistance, a solid first-person shooter series that culminated in 2011's Resistance 3 (the series would later re-appear in the form of underwhelming Vita-exclusive Burning Skies). Beginning March 28, of next year, the franchise will be stripped of all online connectivity, though whether this extends to DLC and/or patch support is as yet unknown. Interestingly, the franchise was only just re-released as a trilogy box-set late last year, meaning that anyone hoping to pick up the triple-pack of the cheap should consider buying in prior to the impending cut-off.

Following on from Resistance, Gran Turismo 5 will be conducting its final web-based races on May 20, 2014, after which the title will become local-player-only. Given the availability of an immediate sequel, also for PlayStation 3, the loss of GT5 isn't quite as galling as that of the Resistance multiplayer, which disappears from use completely. That wasn't in the fine print on the back of the game case...

Other games to be disconnected in 2014 include tactical shooter SOCOM: Special Forces and two online-only entries — MAG and SOCOM: Confrontation. Owners of these latter two titles have until January 28, 2014 to make the most of their purchases before both games become completely unusable.

While no one ever truly expects their games to last forever, the fact that some of these titles are being rendered useless after less than five years on the market is quite a bitter pill to swallow, and suggests that server maintenance lengths may be shortening in general. Another factor to consider here is the permanent loss of certain online-only trophies, some of which demand such ridiculous kill-counts and time-intensive streaks as to keep players playing for months and maybe even years after release.

Is time running out for every online-only title? Should certain games come with a server sell by date? How much of your collection is currently unusable? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check in with all of the latest PlayStation news, right here on Game Rant.

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The latest game in the Resistance series, titled Burning Skies is now available for PlayStation Vita.

Gran Turismo 6 debuted earlier this month, as a PlayStation 3 exclusive.

Follow Sam on Twitter @GamingGoo.

Source: PlayStation Blog