EA Blames Dragon Age 2 Disappearance on Valve

[MissPixxie]

BlahBlahBlah

Oh Valve, Thou art a heartless ***** <3

 

[TheGuy(wantstobe)]

BlahBlahBlah

Oh Valve, Thou art a heartless ***** <3

For blahing my post I'm so gonna make you pay next time you come visiting

The 3DS news is a bigger thing than this in the grand scheme of gaming though.

 

[TheBadGamer]

*facepalm*

Come on EA are you also going to say that "because some one at Valve farted we are now never going to release our games through Steam"?

 

[ImprovizoR]

It wasn't restrictive when it was released. Nothing changed since then. Oh wait, yes it did. Origin was born. And Origin will die. Because PC gamers hate EA and love Valve. It's that fuckin' simple EA. Deal with it.

 

[Atmos Duality]

It's a basic smear-tactic.
Origin is a competing system with Steam, and Steam is well-liked (Daresay, "loved").

That said, violating a ToS is nothing unusual and is expected to be enforced. EA argues that the contract they agreed to is too restrictive.
This might have had merit...except that Steam isn't having this problem with anyone EXCEPT EA.

That includes publishers who use their competition's distribution systems.

From this we can infer that EA is doing something different to Steam that other companies aren't; I suspect that EA is deliberately violating their own contract to force Valve to terminate their agreement, and then try to pin all the blame on VALVE because they terminated the agreement "first".

Though this is purely conjecture, it seems to be the only logical explanation I can find.
Conclusion: Either way, it's a shitty smear tactic by a shitty company to promote their shitty system. Valve is legally obligated to honor their agreement, EA knows this. EA agreed to the terms when they signed with Valve, (which I suspect was more negotiable than any EULA).

As a personal aside:

Why did the gaming public give these fucking clowns money? Why have we allowed EA to continue to prosper despite over a solid decade of them raping and plundering the gaming industry?
And the hell of it is that despite all the protest, half of those who complain are still probably going to buy their titles and give them money.

 

[BoogieManFL]

Maybe I am wrong, but here is kinda how it looks to me.

Steam is the big burly angry prisoner who looks like a cross between Tom Lister Jr. and Brock Lesner. Origin (EA) is the new guy who picks a fight with the big guy on the yard to make a name for himself.

Silly EA, we all know what you're doing. If Steam is so draconian, why are you the only ones pulling your games?

 

[manythings]

Valve basically imposes a "We're the only ones to digitally sell this high profile product" clause. It's not a new concept.

This is demonstrably false. Tons of games launch simultaneously on D2D, Onlive, Gamer's Gate and Steam.

The DLC thing says otherwise. Buy with Valve or fuck you is the message.

And yet DiRT 3 as a very recent example sells it's DLC exclusively through Live and ingame and Valve has no problem with this. This is EA looking for an excuse to pull content and not seem like massive dicks and it's failing miserably.

Umm... Yeah... really over-priced DLC that they get a cut of is clearly evidence they aren't cutting a publisher out of their service.

They do not get a cut of sales of DLC that do not go through the Steam store. DiRT 3 DLC is not sold in the Steam store so they do not get a cut. I would have thought the word "exclusive" would have tipped you off to this but you are even more challenged than the average internet denizen.

Coming from someone who doesn't understand quotation marks aren't what you use for emphasis I'll manage to live. Legacy, the DA2 DLC, came out on the 26th and now DA2 is removed from the store. Want to act even dumber and call it coincidence?

 

[Danpascooch]

My money is on a publicity grab for Origin.

After all, what better way to draw attention to your own Digital Distributor than to pick a fight with the king of the hill?

Exactly, there is no way it is a coincidence that EA decides to make its own digital distribution network and then suddenly Steam has crazy restrictions, especially since not a singe other company has voiced concerns over these alleged restrictions

 

[Danpascooch]

Valve basically imposes a "We're the only ones to digitally sell this high profile product" clause. It's not a new concept.

This is demonstrably false. Tons of games launch simultaneously on D2D, Onlive, Gamer's Gate and Steam.

The DLC thing says otherwise. Buy with Valve or fuck you is the message.

And yet DiRT 3 as a very recent example sells it's DLC exclusively through Live and ingame and Valve has no problem with this. This is EA looking for an excuse to pull content and not seem like massive dicks and it's failing miserably.

Umm... Yeah... really over-priced DLC that they get a cut of is clearly evidence they aren't cutting a publisher out of their service.

They do not get a cut of sales of DLC that do not go through the Steam store. DiRT 3 DLC is not sold in the Steam store so they do not get a cut. I would have thought the word "exclusive" would have tipped you off to this but you are even more challenged than the average internet denizen.

Coming from someone who doesn't understand quotation marks aren't what you use for emphasis I'll manage to live. Legacy, the DA2 DLC, came out on the 26th and now DA2 is removed from the store. Want to act even dumber and call it coincidence?

It's not a coincidence, it's EA looking for an excuse to pull their product and deal a blow to the goodwill Steam has generated by trying to blame them.

There is no coincidence that all of this is happening right when EA plans to launch their own service, they're trying to wage a little PR war here to help their new service, it's a low blow.

I would be more inclined to believe EA if there was a SINGLE other reputable company that thought Steam was overly restrictive.

(BTW I'm a new guy, not the one you've been fighting with, just thought I'd point that out because in a quote chain it's often hard to notice)

 

[TheGuy(wantstobe)]

Valve basically imposes a "We're the only ones to digitally sell this high profile product" clause. It's not a new concept.

This is demonstrably false. Tons of games launch simultaneously on D2D, Onlive, Gamer's Gate and Steam.

The DLC thing says otherwise. Buy with Valve or fuck you is the message.

And yet DiRT 3 as a very recent example sells it's DLC exclusively through Live and ingame and Valve has no problem with this. This is EA looking for an excuse to pull content and not seem like massive dicks and it's failing miserably.

Umm... Yeah... really over-priced DLC that they get a cut of is clearly evidence they aren't cutting a publisher out of their service.

They do not get a cut of sales of DLC that do not go through the Steam store. DiRT 3 DLC is not sold in the Steam store so they do not get a cut. I would have thought the word "exclusive" would have tipped you off to this but you are even more challenged than the average internet denizen.

Coming from someone who doesn't understand quotation marks aren't what you use for emphasis I'll manage to live. Legacy, the DA2 DLC, came out on the 26th and now DA2 is removed from the store. Want to act even dumber and call it coincidence?

Use-mention distinction quotation marks in this case, but of course someone as learned as yourself knew this and was just testing me.

I'm not calling the removal a coincidence as that would be rather foolish. What I am calling foul on is that it has only happened to EA and then only to their two most popular games on Steam that would be applicable in a change of TOS and not to the other games that have had DLC released exclusively ingame from other Publishers or even EA themselves with the Alice: Madness Returns DLC since said TOS changes took place.

 

[Irony's Acolyte]

This sounds more like 'Valve wouldn't let us side-step them and abuse their servers, so we're gonna throw a hissy-fit.'

More like 'Valve didn't like how they weren't getting money on everything and so they threw a hiss-fit.'

Both of the Dragon Age games have had it so you can buy DLC in game, exactly what Valve doesn't seem to like because they don't get any money for it. I'm not sure if this is why DA2 disappeared, but it does make some sense.

Also wow, I see alot of people in this thread that immediately jump to Valve's defense. I don't know if that's because I believed EA way to easily or because people don't like to think that Valve and Steam aren't an amazing company who can't do wrong (beyond the usual 'Valve time'). Maybe both.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

What "restrictive terms of service" was there exactly that prevents download off of Steam? I've got to call BS on EA on this part. It cannot possibly be purchasing downloadable content in-game, because many other games allow that including the just added new set of Free-2-Play titles that Valve ENCOURAGES!

because OBVIOUSLY steam is infallible, right?

ah, so steam shows its true colors now? its going to savage the competition and just sit back and watch the hordes of mindless fanboys that is the es[redacted]t and all PC gamers jump to its defense

steam is not a prophet of chirst (which the greater PC gaming community believes valve to be), if they do something questionable or bad it means they're just as fallible as any other game company!

This sounds more like 'Valve wouldn't let us side-step them and abuse their servers, so we're gonna throw a hissy-fit.'

More like 'Valve didn't like how they weren't getting money on everything and so they threw a hiss-fit.'

Both of the Dragon Age games have had it so you can buy DLC in game, exactly what Valve doesn't seem to like because they don't get any money for it. I'm not sure if this is why DA2 disappeared, but it does make some sense.

Also wow, I see alot of people in this thread that immediately jump to Valve's defense. I don't know if that's because I believed EA way to easily or because people don't like to think that Valve and Steam aren't an amazing company who can't do wrong (beyond the usual 'Valve time'). Maybe both.

just read my above post. you'll get the idea.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

Valve Cars for its customers/players, Look at what it did for the polycount people in tf2 IT PAID THEM, not a few bucks A LOT OF CASH!

Look at the community maps for L4D2! Its even helping with one! They even promote modding! Holy Crap I KNOW!

and it supports free to play games (and the humble indie bundle) and even made tf2 F2P.

Valve cares. What about you EA? How do you care for your customers?

And screwing them up the arse isn't caring.

it was valve's decision to start taking down EA games, not EA. stop [redacted sexual reference involving this poster and valve] and start realizing VALVE IS NOT INFALLIBLE! they're a corporation just as much as any other and money is the first thought in their minds.

My money is on a publicity grab for Origin.

After all, what better way to draw attention to your own Digital Distributor than to pick a fight with the king of the hill?

Exactly, there is no way it is a coincidence that EA decides to make its own digital distribution network and then suddenly Steam has crazy restrictions, especially since not a singe other company has voiced concerns over these alleged restrictions

take your tin foil hat off and just realize that Valve can be just as greedy as EA. this is no conspiracy theory, stop trying to facilitate it as such and just go off of the hard evidence.

Steam took down Dragon Age 2.

that's the evidence. there's no conspiracy, just deal with it.

 

[theriddlen]

If this is really because Valve doesn't allow DLC's to be sold ingame... well Valve, it's a dick move. However thanks to it I now can say that I'm not a Valve fanboy and give this as a reason.

 

[KeyMaster45]

Hmm, it's a real pity for me to hear that. I may have bought DA2 at some point in the future if a steam sale brought it down enough. Though now I guess EA just won't get my money. Their loss I suppose, guess I'll just sit back and wait for their Origin service to slowly explode in their face due to their typical draconian bullshit DRM.

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

You know, this whole Origin vs Steam, EA vs Valve thing is one of the few times I'm glad to be a lowely console player. I don't have to worry about where I will get my games.

EDIT: I'm not anti-PC gaming at all. I'm just saying that "Not having to deal with DD services is a plus for me"

I definitely get where you're coming from, because this is starting to get to be a pain in the ass. I wish they'd just keep everything available from all the stores, both digital and physical, and we could choose based on who has the best price or special bonus features or whatever else makes any given person happy, instead of doing this crap that just makes our lives difficult as customers.

On the other hand, you're not entirely safe on consoles, either, with things like the way Microsoft requires everyone to use their network services through Xbox Live, which has hurt (or even resulted in the cancellation of) some MMOs and free DLC and things like that. Everyone seems to want control over their platform/games if they can get it, usually as a way to get more money out of it, not because it's in our best interest.

 

[Something Amyss]

The first rule of PR is...Well, the first rule of PR seems to be "deny there's a problem." But right up there, maybe number 2 or 3, is "blame the other guy." Ea's been rather restrictive themselves, it seems easier to believe they were at loggerhads due to EA's terms rather than Steam's.

However, both are evil empires. One's just got a friendlier face at the moment and offers kill sales.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

Valve Cars for its customers/players, Look at what it did for the polycount people in tf2 IT PAID THEM, not a few bucks A LOT OF CASH!

Look at the community maps for L4D2! Its even helping with one! They even promote modding! Holy Crap I KNOW!

and it supports free to play games (and the humble indie bundle) and even made tf2 F2P.

Valve cares. What about you EA? How do you care for your customers?

And screwing them up the arse isn't caring.

it was valve's decision to start taking down EA games, not EA. stop [redacted sexual reference involving this poster and valve] and start realizing VALVE IS NOT INFALLIBLE! they're a corporation just as much as any other and money is the first thought in their minds.

My money is on a publicity grab for Origin.

After all, what better way to draw attention to your own Digital Distributor than to pick a fight with the king of the hill?

Exactly, there is no way it is a coincidence that EA decides to make its own digital distribution network and then suddenly Steam has crazy restrictions, especially since not a singe other company has voiced concerns over these alleged restrictions

take your tin foil hat off and just realize that Valve can be just as greedy as EA. this is no conspiracy theory, stop trying to facilitate it as such and just go off of the hard evidence.

Steam took down Dragon Age 2.

that's the evidence. there's no conspiracy, just deal with it.

Really? Well heres some "evidence" for you. If you pre-order via Steam you save money. If you pre-order from origin, they charge you. Example THE OLD REPUBLIC

So.... how much they charge for a game automatically makes Valve innocent in taking Dragon Age 2 down? That's what I'm getting from that argument.

 

[Catalyst6]

It's funny, I was half-thinking about buying Crysis 2 and DA2 when they dropped in price on Steam. I would *never* pay full price for them, but Steam's been good to me and it usually gives good deals eventually.

...

Guess I'm not buying C2 or DA2!

 

[Xanadu84]

I...am biased. I love Steam, so really I don't have a credible leg to stand on. But I can't bring myself to take EA seriously here. I personally have spent money in EAs store, through both Dragon Age AND Mass Effect 2 which I bought on Steam. No one else is complaining like this. And this is timed so conveniently after they released there own DD system. I REALLY wanna hear what Valve has to say about this, because they have a lot more credibility.

Also, it's worth repeating: I was going to buy Battlefield 3. If it's not on Steam, I won't. Simple as that.