EA Gets Ready to Throw Down With Steam - UPDATED

[Gefft]

i don't really agree with this at all, they are saying to all steam users. would you prefer to have two online distribution programs, or keep steam and pirate the rest. i bet ME3 and BF3 will be the most pirated games of the next two years if they are origin exclusive. maybe ill get a ps3 instead of a new pc....

 

[Burck]

i could just avoid origin buy buying, you know, a disc? ever heard of it EA?
If they pull this shite with BF3 and ME3, i will be visiting PC world more often!

Only problem is, EA is offering BF3 for $40 on Origin as a digital download, but on disc (yes, for PC) it costs $60.... wait...

I can't seem to find it being posted at $40 anymore... I could've sworn I saw it posted at a discount on Origin... Hell, maybe it was $50, but I can't find it anymore.

Well, there goes my argument.

Guess I'll be hoofing it to my local Best Buy come release.
(I hope they don't read this, but if they mandate Origin to play in the beta, I will throw a self-righteous fit. [Sarcasm aimed at myself)

 

[Gefft]

you don't think they will use origin like steamworks?

so you buy the game and HAVE to use origin to play it?

i can see that coming. they'll be shooting themselves in the foot but its totally possible

 

[Thumper17]

This is a shame. I was looking forward to the old republic. Guess I wont be playing it now.

 

[Polock]

Steam already runs awesomely for me.

I love it.

...Why do I have to download another service for most of the time meh EA games?

I'll stick to Steam, keep my eye on this Origin thing.

 

[Vigormortis]

Can't tell if they're covering their asses or if it's true that this is a Steam decision, not one of theirs. [http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20071213-1/updated-eas-crysis-2-new-alice-game-gone-from-steam/]

So the story on IRC is it happened something like this. Crytek signed a deal with EA to only support the Origin version of Crysis 2 with future updates (bug fixes) and DLC. Rather than sell a game that is gimped and won't be receiving updates or any more support from it's developer only because of the fact it's on steam. Valve decided to remove it from their catalog.

Wow. Really? I was wondering what kind of new "rule" Valve had in place that required them to bring down the ban hammer on Crysis 2. It just seemed odd and, frankly, a little unorthodox from Valve's usual behavior.

I had feared it was something petty. Say, other DD services being able to put Crysis 2 on sale while Steam could not. If it had been something like that that had forced Valve's hand, I'd have been very disappointed.

However, if what you say is true, then good on Valve. That deal between Crytek and EA is one of the most bullshit, idiotic things I've seen a while. Talk about giving a big 'ole middle finger to your customers.

 

[TitsMcGee1804]

I am always apprehensive about buying EA games, because I believe they are more interested in share prices than true gaming experiences, thats why im a Valve/blizz fanboy

I never buy EA published titles on launch day, i will either wait till they drastically fall in price or they are critically acclaimed and a must-play, and even then it takes a bit of pushing

Now, EA will have made the decision for me! If its their steam clone exclusive, i CANT play it, yay, no more dissapointment for me!

Saying that, i would still buy it from retail, but if i find it requires that stupid piece of software I would straight up not buy it

God, I hate the blacksuits that run these companies, they dont give a damn about customer convenience, just as long as they get as much margin as possible

Silly, silly people

 

[Lizmichi]

Ok fuck you EA,I've bought all my BioWare games on steam and it seems I may very well have to buy a hard copy of Mass Effect 3. There's no way I'm going to a wantabe Steam for a game. I see this failing hard and I hope it does. All they're doing is pissing off the people they're trying to service.

 

[Blunderboy]

Oh EA.
I think GLaDOS summed up my feelings perfectly.

[claps slowly three times]
GLaDOS: Oh good. My slow clap processor made it into this thing. So we have that.

 

[quhouv vhqwiufv qwiu]

I'm not aware of any EA title which can come close to the quality of Valve games. I certainly won't stop using Steam because of this.

 

[Spindleweed]

Jumping in late without reading the whole thread, but this must be said. I would never use use an EA distribution service. I like EA games, played a lot since BF2, inc Crysis, ME 1 & 2, Dead Space 1 & 2, blah blah. But every game asked me to sign up to EA to get perks or in game items or similar. EVERY time it failed to allow me to tie my games together so I ended up with about 9 EA accounts, one per game. And ofc, a lot of lost ingame perks/items (still want my ME2 dragon armour!). So no, EA, keep your games offline. Compared to steam you don't know what you are doing.

EDIT: spelling and punctuation

 

[TitsMcGee1804]

Okay i did some more reading and here is what i make of it (i might be wrong)

Crytek signed a deal to only support Crysis 2 with patches via Origin, this meant that copies of Crysis 2 on steam (existing and new) would not receive any updates

Therefore valve thought it wasnt fair on customers (especially ones paying for new copies) so they took it off the system as they didnt want people paying money for a product that would be unsupported (not to mention counter-productive to steams values - continuous updates etc)

People with copies of Crysis 2 already on their steam it seems have three options

1. Using their CD key on steam and uploading it via Origin.
2. Continue playing the unsupported version. (there might be a work around via messing with the steamapps files when a patch gets released on origin, i dont know)
3. Consider this a gigantic breach of trust and the final nail in the coffin for loyalty with EA

Alot of people are flaming valve as it was THEY who removed the game, which was drastic and perhaps in the short term a bit spiteful, but really I see removing the game as them basically saying:

'You wont be patching this game on steam anymore? Fine, take your game and fill your boots elsewhere. We dont want our customers paying for a game that wont be updated'

<3 steam

 

[Hristo Tzonkov]

Wow...What a major pile of fanboys you all are.Wait and see how the service looks like before bashing it.And boycotting their digital sales because they don't like the business getting monopolised?Cmon you're gonna miss out on awesome games that are likely also going to be on some wicked sales just because of Steam.STEAM.Jesus.

Also Crysis 2 was pulled off by Steam because of some contract breach.It had little to do with EA games.

 

[Onchei]

I long ago realized, as most gamers did, that the more EA was involved in a project the more likely that everything peripheral about the game - the menus, the support, the multiplayer client, the patching, the DRM - would be utter crap. I need a second Steam about as much as I needed Silverlight, and I want the version these clowns will come up with about as much as I want ebola.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

I need another Steam type service like I need a new asshole. Jesus, every game now needs it's own digital distribution site?

I'll buy Hard copies of EA games if I have to. Unless they are planning on people having to have Origin open to be able to play their games(even physical copies), in which case, that's just spiteful.

 

[PettingZOOPONY]

Wow...What a major pile of fanboys you all are.Wait and see how the service looks like before bashing it.And boycotting their digital sales because they don't like the business getting monopolised?Cmon you're gonna miss out on awesome games that are likely also going to be on some wicked sales just because of Steam.STEAM.Jesus.

Also Crysis 2 was pulled off by Steam because of some contract breach.It had little to do with EA games.

We already have used their service, they just changed the name to origin.

 

[MeatMachine]

Anything that hurts EA makes me enjoy life just a little bit more.
Especially if it is of their own doing.

I came.

 

[qeinar]

I hope bf3's on steam. :/

 

[Lazyjim]

EA has basically realized that PC is still a viable platform, and Steam is the largest community on that platfrom.

They have decided that they should have thought of that idea first and want to make their own.

Pity it won't work, having only EA titles will doom Origin. And other publishers will be very hesitant to put their products on a service so closely related to EA. Companies like Activison, THQ, and Ubisoft will be much more likely to make their own services. Which will be equally pointless.

In time all these ventures will flop and Steam will still be there. Steam is not invincible though, it just has a truly epic head start in this arena.

I could totally see a well put together service that featured content from all the major publishers and indie devs overtaking Steam, especially if it had more competitive pricing. (With say Amazon.)

 

[Callate]

Well, I know I'm looking forward to this. Because as a PC gamer, if there's one thing I love, it's more little icons on my taskbar cluttering up my system resources, more constantly changed EULAs to parse through, more programs updating things on my system at a whim and conflicting with each other, more passwords to remember, and more companies mining my personal information for valuables!

Now if you'll excuse me, these pins aren't going to work themselves under my fingernails!