EA Blames Dragon Age 2 Disappearance on Valve

[WolfLordAndy]

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!

As far as I'm aware, the F2P games all have steamworks intergrated into them, so that buying through them, Valve still gets a cut, because they've basicly made the ingame money>gamecurrency stuff for all the F2P games.

Infact, I think its all the same currency between the F2P games (including TF2) that you can spend on all of them? Not 100% certain on the last point mind you!

 

[Hagi]

I actually think this might just be Valve being a dick and enforcing a part of their ToS that's not enforced on other games exactly because EA is releasing origin.

Valve already got all the big DA2 sales. It's not going to be a classic game going by the general reaction so there's not likely to be many more buyers at all.

Removing it doesn't hurt Valve much at all. Removing it hurts EA quite a bit, both by lost sales through later steam deals (Valve just doing a deal on something else, earning them the same money) and by the general reaction to this news.

I mean if this is all EA's fault then they're basically saying that they like being a dick so much that they're willing to lose money over it. And frankly I think they're too greedy for that.

 

[esplode]

This sounds like EA is basically trying to make Valve look like the bad guy in this when it seems like they're doing all of this for some reason.

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.

Hear Hear! Lowly console players UNITE!

I envy you guys some times. =D

 

[Riobux]

Ah, so it begins. Anyone want some popcorn? I can tell this company fight will be entertaining.

 

[Xannieros]

Basically EA went and started saying "Origin Exclusive" and using DLC downloads that aren't purchased from Steam itself. It's a dirty business practice to maximize profits. I can see why Valve removed it.

That and ever since EA introduced Origin I saw a storm coming.

"At EA, we offer our games and content to all major download services including GameStop, Amazon, Direct2Drive and Steam," EA's David DeMartini told IGN. "Unfortunately, Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to sell downloadable content. No other download service has adopted this practice. Consequently some of our games have been removed by Steam. We hope to work out an agreement to keep our games on Steam."

And not many publishers besides EA has DLC that skips around Steam. And must be purchased from the publisher itself. EA is the villain to me in all of this. Not being a steam fanboy, just trying to create a theory on why this is happening.

 

[Sunrider]

EA, you accepted the ToS when you signed up your games on Steam. Valve retains the rights to make changes to these terms at any time, without telling you, and without your consent. You violated them, Valve removed your games.

Kind of like how if we violate your terms, you remove our games from us.

Sucks to be on the receiving end, doesn't it EA? THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS YOU FUCKS!! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET FUCKED BY SOMEBODY BIGGER AND STRONGER THEN YOU?! NOT VERY FUN, IS IT?!?! THIS IS WHAT WE DEAL WITH ALL THE TIME FROM YOU YOU FUCKING PRICKS!!

This must be the first time I actually like caps lock. This was hilarious AND true.

OT: Sorry, Valve / Steam fanboy here. Can't give an unbiased opinion.
Steam > Origin.

While it's obvious that Valve puts their profit at #1, as any company would, they are FAR better at helping the developers and having reasonable terms. Listen to this podcast:
http://darkzero.co.uk/game-podcasts/podcast-76-meet-team-meat/
as referred to by this post:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111771-Team-Meat-Doesnt-F-cking-Care-About-Pirates

See what they have to say about Steam / Valve and EA, and you'll understand why Steam is, and will continue to be, superior to EA. The part I'm referring to is somewhere around 1h5m. If you are even slightly interested in this topic, listen to around 1h13m or so.
I could just type out what they are saying, but that part is REALLY worth listening to, so PLEASE listen to it. You'll understand that Valve REALLY ISN'T AN EVIL CORPORATION, unlike EA.

 

[TheGuy(wantstobe)]

And not many publishers besides EA has DLC that skips around Steam. And must be purchased from the publisher itself. EA is the villain to me in all of this. Not being a steam fanboy, just trying to create a theory on why this is happening.

Microsoft does (GFWL games), Ubisoft does(GR), Capcom did(SS4AE), EA still does with titles that wouldn't be a huge seller on origin like Alice: Madness returns (the DLC is sold in game and came out after any changes in the TOS). The list is much larger but those are the ones off the top of my head.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

There is no way the profit lost through this alleged DLC restriction is greater than the money they will lose by not having their product on steam at all.

 

[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)