EA Selling Physical Copies of Valve Games on Origin

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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EA Selling Physical Copies of Valve Games on Origin


Could a new Origin promotion mean that Valve and EA are getting back together, or is EA just getting rid of Valve's stuff?

You can get Valve games on Origin, but perhaps not in the way you might expect. As part of a promotion on the service, people can pick up the Game of the Year edition of Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, and CounterStrike: Source. But they're not the digitial copies you'd get on Steam, they're physical copies that EA will mail to you.

EA and Valve has recently had something of a falling out over Steam, with EA games like Dragon Age 2 and Crysis 2 disappearing from the service. Some are suggesting that this promotion points towards a reconciliation between the two companies. However, EA has been Valve's distributor for boxed copies of its games for a while now, so it's not as if this is some new deal the two companies have brokered recently.

Ultimately, this move might mean nothing other than EA has some copies of CS:S that it can't shift, and wants to free up the space in its warehouses. Hopefully though, it does mark the end of the dispute between the two, if only to give people more choice when shopping for games.

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/09/05/get-physical-origin-sells-boxed-valve-games/]



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Mezzo.

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Nov 19, 2009
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Kinda weird, considering that those games usually come with Steam on them, correct me if I'm wrong?
 

Zhukov

The Laughing Arsehole
Dec 29, 2009
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Uh... don't boxed Valve games require you to install Steam though? Y'know, that one little digital distribution service that EA's Origin is trying to compete with?

...

I am confused.

Also, I know it's wishful thinking, but it would be awfully nice if they could get over their spat. If only so I can grab BF3 and ME3 on Steam. I get convenience, EA and Valve get my money. Win/win, right?
 

Akihiko

Raincoat Killer
Aug 21, 2008
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They've always had them up I swear. I remember seeing them in a US-only Origin sale a few months back. It's not that surprising either, considering EA distributes Valve games in retail.
 

Catchy Slogan

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Jun 17, 2009
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Wait. So EA's digital distribution system is giving you physical copies?

Why does Origin never make sense!
 

Raabe

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Jul 4, 2011
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So...
The Boyfriend is too superprotective;
Then the Girlfriend dumps him;
After that, the Boyfriend stalks her saying he will change;
And then, the Girlfriend enrages and throw over the windows all his beloved gifts.
Makes complete sense to me.
Next step, the Boyfriend will become paranoic and use his sentrygun to shot every man near her right?
 

Hungry Donner

Henchman
Mar 19, 2009
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I didn't realize EA was a distributor of Valve Games and was quite surprised by the headline :)
Hardcore_gamer said:
I find it amusing that they are selling games that will force their customers to sign into their competitor's service.
Seconded.

If this is EA getting rid of stock in order to wipe their hands of Valve I don't think this is the best way to do it.
 

Wintermoot

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Aug 20, 2009
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Hungry Donner said:
I didn't realize EA was a distributor of Valve Games and was quite surprised by the headline :)
Hardcore_gamer said:
I find it amusing that they are selling games that will force their customers to sign into their competitor's service.
Seconded.

If this is EA getting rid of stock in order to wipe their hands of Valve I don't think this is the best way to do it.
EA is the physical publisher of the games which means that unless things change steam is going to be the ONLY way to get Valve games.
 

kebab4you

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Jan 3, 2010
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henritje said:
what the shit?
I asume these are modified so they need origin instead of steam.
Maybe they pack it with some kind of origin download with the physical copies but it got to break some kind of law if they remove steam from the installation(besides how are you suppose to play multiplayer if no steam?).
 

Hagi

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Apr 10, 2011
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Left 4 Dead [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_Dead]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Left 4 Dead 2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_dead_2]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Counter-Strike: Source [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Source]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).

Really guys, that wasn't hard. Nothing weird is going on here. No conspiracies. No battles between Valve and EA. Just a distributor distributing it's games.

Why is this even in the news? What's next?
2K games selling TES IV: Oblivion?
Take-Two Interactive selling GTA?
 

Awexsome

Were it so easy
Mar 25, 2009
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Hagi said:
Left 4 Dead [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_Dead]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Left 4 Dead 2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_dead_2]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Counter-Strike: Source [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Source]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).

Really guys, that wasn't hard. Nothing weird is going on here. No conspiracies. No battles between Valve and EA. Just a distributor distributing it's games.

Why is this even in the news? What's next?
2K games selling TES IV: Oblivion?
Take-Two Interactive selling GTA?
Yeah, what this guy said.

As much as EA wants to encourage their Origin platform they can't back out of old contracts to distribute games that discourage that just because they want to.
 

SomeBoredGuy

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Nov 18, 2009
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Hagi said:
Left 4 Dead [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_Dead]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Left 4 Dead 2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_dead_2]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Counter-Strike: Source [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Source]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).

Really guys, that wasn't hard. Nothing weird is going on here. No conspiracies. No battles between Valve and EA. Just a distributor distributing it's games.

Why is this even in the news? What's next?
2K games selling TES IV: Oblivion?
Take-Two Interactive selling GTA?
The reason it's news is because these games are on sale from EA, which seems odd considering their recent disagreement.
 

Hagi

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Apr 10, 2011
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SomeBoredGuy said:
Hagi said:
Left 4 Dead [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_Dead]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Left 4 Dead 2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_dead_2]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Counter-Strike: Source [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Source]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).

Really guys, that wasn't hard. Nothing weird is going on here. No conspiracies. No battles between Valve and EA. Just a distributor distributing it's games.

Why is this even in the news? What's next?
2K games selling TES IV: Oblivion?
Take-Two Interactive selling GTA?
The reason it's news is because these games are on sale from EA, which seems odd considering their recent disagreement.
How is that odd?

These are still businesses we're talking about, not emo teenagers. I know their press releases sometimes sound like that isn't the case. But a single disagreement isn't going to stop EA from keeping it's contracts and even putting stuff on sale if they think it earns them money.
 

SomeBoredGuy

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Nov 18, 2009
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Hagi said:
SomeBoredGuy said:
Hagi said:
Left 4 Dead [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_Dead]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Left 4 Dead 2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_dead_2]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).
Counter-Strike: Source [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Source]. Distributor: Electronic Arts (retail).

Really guys, that wasn't hard. Nothing weird is going on here. No conspiracies. No battles between Valve and EA. Just a distributor distributing it's games.

Why is this even in the news? What's next?
2K games selling TES IV: Oblivion?
Take-Two Interactive selling GTA?
The reason it's news is because these games are on sale from EA, which seems odd considering their recent disagreement.
How is that odd?

These are still businesses we're talking about, not emo teenagers. I know their press releases sometimes sound like that isn't the case. But a single disagreement isn't going to stop EA from keeping it's contracts and even putting stuff on sale if they think it earns them money.
I dunno, I don't really care about it. I'm just saying that I'm pretty sure that's why the Escapist considers it news.