EA Gets Ready to Throw Down With Steam - UPDATED

[ultimateownage]

Thoughts before update: EA's gonna lose respect for this. And I understand why; they're being idiots.

Thoughts after update: Valve's gonna lose respect for this. And I understand why; they're being idiots.

 

[Sean Strife]

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah... this idea's gonna tank. And tank horribly. They'll wind up going back to Steam once Origin fails miserably.

The 1st clue it was going to fail was that it was made by EA and thus will have more security leaks than Sony (High Fives) while maintaining all the functionality of the Titanic post iceberg (Double High Fives)

So kids, the moral here is. If you actually plan to support this idea expect to find you're personal details, credit card info and so on, on the internet before you can say "Lulzsec" while the software crashes because it is only half baked... like everything EA does.

Not to mention I guarantee you EA's not gonna implement into Origins what makes Steam a success (their awesome sales and customer service). Good ol' Corporate Greed will take hold of this, they'll try to milk every last cent they can, and it'll go belly up within a year or two, if that.

 

[Dragunai]

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah... this idea's gonna tank. And tank horribly. They'll wind up going back to Steam once Origin fails miserably.

The 1st clue it was going to fail was that it was made by EA and thus will have more security leaks than Sony (High Fives) while maintaining all the functionality of the Titanic post iceberg (Double High Fives)

So kids, the moral here is. If you actually plan to support this idea expect to find you're personal details, credit card info and so on, on the internet before you can say "Lulzsec" while the software crashes because it is only half baked... like everything EA does.

Not to mention I guarantee you EA's not gonna implement into Origins what makes Steam a success (their awesome sales and customer service). Good ol' Corporate Greed will take hold of this, they'll try to milk every last cent they can, and it'll go belly up within a year or two, if that.

EA are the patron saints of "We'll patch it later" and "I'm sorry but we cant help you with this tech issue over emails, please phone this £3 a minute tech line and wait for 10 minutes to get connected to an Operator who will know fuck all about your problem,"

I sincerely hate them with a passion and wish they would go bankrupt. They, like Activison, are the epitome of everything that is bad about the commercialized world.

 

[shrekfan246]

Nope, I'm pretty convinced that steam is offensively overpriced.
A quick look at their main page shows the following in the Australian region:
The witcher -$74US
Duke Nukem -$79.99US
Brink -$89.99us
red faction -$79.99
Even the rip off local department stores generally match those prices (or beat if you consider the cost of bandwidth), the more reasonably priced independent stores charge closer to $60au (~$63US) (which is well under the steam prices, and still more expensive than ordering overseas for $50au and paying a few $$s postage).

Snipping the rest

Whoa, whoa, you're using the Australian version as an example? You mean the country that historically has the most overpriced and arbitrary edit: censorship system of video games in the history of gaming? Don't you remember when Yahtzee payed $100 for Mirror's Edge, because he lives in Australia?

 

[jmarquiso]

EA is only just starting out with this project whereas Steam has expierience with this sort of process, WIN to Steam.

EA has attempted to do this twice before, both times failing while being the sole source of exclusive DLC. Win to Steam.

FTFY

 

[darkcommanderq]

LMFAO. Well I was planning on playing or at least trying KOTOR, but I guess that idea is in the toilet now. If its not on steam I dont plan on buying it. Tnx but no tnx EA. You will NOT take over and RUIN online distribution like you have the many companies you have absorbed into your wrinkled festering mass.

 

[synobal]

Thoughts before update: EA's gonna lose respect for this. And I understand why; they're being idiots.

Thoughts after update: Valve's gonna lose respect for this. And I understand why; they're being idiots.

Wow you actually were fooled by that line EA fed Cnet? You do realize that's a public relations guy speaking public relations speak? The only people who lie better than they do while not actually telling an out right lie is politicians.

"It's unfortunate that Steam has removed Crysis 2 from their service. This was not an EA decision or the result of any action by EA," the company explained. "Steam has imposed a set of business terms for developers hoping to sell content on that service - many of which are not imposed by other online game services. Unfortunately, Crytek has an agreement with another download service which violates the new rules from Steam and resulted in its expulsion of Crysis 2 from Steam."

Here is what they are saying in this little blurb. "Crytek made a deal with EA to use the Origin service, there are terms in that Deal which violate the deal they made with Steam. We aren't going to tell you what those terms are but you can be sure we knew that they would break their deal with Valve. But we didn't make Crytek sign that deal *wink wink nudge nudge* so Crysis 2 getting removed from Steam is all Valves doing they are evil!"

Seriously I've a friend who does public relations and campaign management for a state senator and let me tell you he's as bad as a politician when it comes to spinning stories and news.

 

[jmarquiso]

Honestly, I like competition. Steam is not my sole Download client, but damned if Steam doesn't make it easier to load up a Steam game than, say, loading up Mirror's Edge (though I love the game).

The question is what will Origin be? Will it have the staff and support to be an online retail store?

Steam didn't begin as a store, but a patching/DRM system that was useful for Valve. They repackaged and resold this to publishers, and suddenly it's this odd cash cow store. It had its growing pains, and was computers became more powerful and internet connections more ubiquitous and faster, and the more Valve optimized Steam, the better it became. It's now a useful social network across PC (and now PS3) gaming.

Further, when it started, CS:S gamers didn't like it. They felt it was forced down their throats.

Then that changed.

Origin is starting roughly the same way, and I want to step back and see where it goes. From what I understand, Alice: Madness Returns requires it always on (even the retail version), unlike the Steam one time activation.

Further EA is publicly traded, which means it needs to justify its actions to shareholders. The reason why EADM and the EA Store never really worked was because it lacked support. A staff would be required, and profitability proven for it to work, and thus the EA Store got its ass kicked by Steam every time. Origin is there way of organizing against it, and proving to the shareholders that it's a potentially profitable project.

Making certain games exclusive, however, that's the opposite of competition.

 

[thedarkfreak]

Everyone seems to think this is going to fail....I don't see how or why.

Steam may be the biggest service, but it's horribly flawed and generally way overpriced, it has apparently has restrictive limits on what developers can release (hence crysis being pulled). Assuming EA aren't flat out retarded, there service will succeed, at least as a medium for their own titles...If battlefield 3/the old republic/the sims/any of EAs other massive franchises are origin locked a lot of people will get origin.

Steam can be flawed all you like, but it's not so overpriced as you say. And for the restrictive limits of what Valve publish n it, Crysis 2 is the very first game they are pulling out. The story that Valve did so because the game signed up is distribution with another online down loader is fishy, as Steam is not the only one, and many other posses on their list the AAA game.

Nope, I'm pretty convinced that steam is offensively overpriced.
A quick look at their main page shows the following in the Australian region:
The witcher -$74US
Duke Nukem -$79.99US
Brink -$89.99us
red faction -$79.99
Even the rip off local department stores generally match those prices (or beat if you consider the cost of bandwidth), the more reasonably priced independent stores charge closer to $60au (~$63US) (which is well under the steam prices, and still more expensive than ordering overseas for $50au and paying a few $$s postage).

As for steam being flawed, while I'm sick of constantly pointing this to fanboys, it:
-Has a terrible update system that installs files from packages that have not been completely downloaded (ie A game cannot be paused mid download and played)
-Does not store any user credentials on the machine (cannot re-log in if it's cache is cleared).
-infrequently (but frequently enough to be significant) crashes. This wipes the systems cache....
-forces its advertisements on users
-constantly updates
-reverts settings to 'default' options on some updates (including the 'do not update this game automatically option- great fun if it starts updating a single player game that you want to play but don't have the bandwidth to fully update).
etc.

Crysis 2 is not the first game to have been hurt by the conditions of steam. Usually, developers choose to use steam and submit to its agreements (as it's the biggest fish) and neglect the smaller platforms. That is why so many titles are absent or only have limited availability on the smaller platforms.

And, Ea is being a dick with is (PC) customer from so long that it's like they are trying to aid the piracy, let's forgot their commercial campaign [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2794-An-Open-Letter-to-EA-Marketing], the fact that they don't sale you game but license -that they *have* the right to take away from me-, and usually look their customer as dork [want to see my inbox on the Ea forum? Well, you can't because I was banned because I start modding Dead Space 2!], on the Origin term of use there is politely write that blocking the download of the game more than 3 time in a time laps of ten day end up wasting a license for the game.

Valve have been dicks to PC AND console games for some time. Remember the german kid they deceived into thinking he had a job then had arrested? How about them blasting PS3 gamers as inferior? What about starting the trend of forcing draconian drm on gamers with steam?. Yes, EA have a track record of being assholes, but criticizing them for the "you don't own the game" train of thought while simultaneously defending valve is absurd - When steam first cropped up only a tiny portion of its users purchased their games through it, the system was designed as a DRM that forced users to register their game online and effectively stopped them from being able to trade in or resell their copys of half life 2. It worked rather well....

Again I say, while valve have successfully forced steam onto consumers, even convincing many that the service is a good thing (which, despite it's flaws, it probably is) there's no reason why EA can't make their system workable (provided they are not stupid). People will buy popular EA franchises just as they bought the popular half life sequel. If the system is good[footnote]By good I mean "not so shit that it's completely unusable" (like games for windows live).[/footnote], and they are forced to use it anyway then it's hardly going to fail.

First, Valve aren't the ones that determine prices on Steam. The publishers of each individual game does. Complain to them for overpriced games.

For the "bad features":
First, is there actually a game digital distribution system that lets you play the game before it's finished downloading?

Second, you claim that it doesn't store user credentials on the PC, and if the "cache is cleared", you can't "relog in" (I'm assuming this means offline mode.) You do realize that the cache IS storing user credentials, if it lets you log in offline? And by deleting the cache, you're deleting user credentials? Which will make you unable to log in offline?

Now, the system crashing is an issue, I agree. And they should try to make the system as stable as possible, though I very rarely, if ever, have had Steam crashes.

And if you want to remake the cache, just go online again to connect, then switch to offline mode right away.

"Forces its advertisements on its users" you can turn the sale popups off in the options.



Valve have been one of the better developers to their customers for some time. They didn't say PS3 games were inferior, they said it was a much more difficult platform to develop for, which is true, due to the nature of the system. And how exactly is the DRM in Steam "draconian"? You seem to be under the impression that all DRM is automatically "draconian", and that's simply not true. "draconian" means "rigorous; unusually severe or cruel", neither of which I find Steam's DRM to be, considering that it lets you install and play all your games on as many computers as you want. If there's a game that restricts the installs to a certain number of computers, that's the GAME'S PUBLISHER doing that, NOT STEAM.

 

[Flig]

I'm kind of glad that there's a shot Steam won't be the only major digital download service out there anymore. They need some competition. Hopefully EA doesn't fuck this up.

 

[coheedswicked]

I dont see how origin can compete with steam... if theres a game thats only on origin and people want to play that, theyll just download and use origin, if theres a game thats only on steam they want, theyll just download and use steam... if they want to play both... *gasp*.. theyll just use both. No one is gonna just stop using steam because origin has a game they want. Its a really, really, stupid idea. Steam is already well established and provides good service, anything else is just superfluous.

 

[Sebster 105]

I'm going to use origin. I'm going to use Origin to play BF3 and I'm going to damn well enjoy it

Seriously, I hate EA, but they are a PUBLISHER
not a DEVELOPER, sure EA takes some of the prize but consider this: Dice, Bioware etc they'll need your money.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

valve DOES have a monopoly on the digital distribution side of sales when it comes to PC games

This statement is unjustifiable. To begin there are other digital distributors such as Direct2Drive which ensures that right now Valve does not have a monopoly. Also Valve nor any other online distributor has ever released statistics regarding their market share, however it is estimated at 70% for Steam, which is not a monopoly.

then what makes a monopoly? because i'm sure microsoft doesn't have THAT many people using their PCs when i see plenty of ironic 20-somethings using macs.

mo·nop·o·ly
   /məˈnɒpəli/ Show Spelled[muh-nop-uh-lee]
?noun, plural -lies.
1.
exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices. Compare duopoly, oligopoly.
2.
an exclusive privilege to carry on a business, traffic, or service, granted by a government.
3.
the exclusive possession or control of something.

If Steam had a monopoly over the digital distributors, GOG, D2D, and even Amazon.com would not exist.

well its the most prominent, to be sure, and since even microsoft, ea, and a few other high-profile companies have called steam out as being a monopoly, i'm inclined to believe it.

now if you'll excuse me, i have a wedding to plan.

You can't make up meanings. Prominent does not mean monopoly. Microsoft and EA accusing Valve of something certainly does not make it true; in fact it is absolutely incorrect for them to be making those statements.

Also you should reference such a quotation.

Even if it's not a monopoly so far, it's well on its way. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_245/7285-Steam-A-Monopoly-In-the-Making

 

[KILGAZOR]

Does EA not want me to buy Battlefield 3 or something? First the stupid pre-order unlocks bullshit, now this. Fuck EA, they hamper the potential of great developers.

Also, I know how competition is a good thing because it encourages companies to improve their product, but unless Origin takes everything steam has and adds a decent in-game web browser, Steam doesn't need the competition.

 

[Continuity]

Well this is good news, all of EA's shitty games will be in one place so that will make avoiding them that much easier.

Tank and die EA, tank and die.

 

[ckam]

************, Steam is a good service. Making more of the same kind of programs is just stupid. Ugh, there's not much else I can put into words for my frustration over this.

 

[Loge]

While it is true, that Valve did the same thing when launching Steam, one must not forget, that the digital distribution market was a lot smaller. Steam effectively "kickstarted" the market into what it is today. If you want to open a new market, you need convincing arguments and a bit of positive pressure to get customers to change their habits.

Now the market is established and EA's move is a really bad idea in my opinion, especially with their customer service history.

 

[synobal]

While it is true, that Valve did the same thing when launching Steam, one must not forget, that the digital distribution market was a lot smaller. Steam effectively "kickstarted" the market into what it is today. If you want to open a new market, you need convincing arguments and a bit of positive pressure to get customers to change their habits.

Now the market is established and EA's move is a really bad idea in my opinion, especially with their customer service history.

You need to remember Steam didn't start out as a digital distributions service it started out as a patching system for Valves games. People hated it too, because it was typically less effective than just downloading the games patch and installing it. Then it started adding components and features until it's the amazing service we have today.

 

[ultimateownage]

Nah, I new they were trying to turn it their way. But it seems Steam is also going to not sell several other games in the future. Their competitors are forced to sell games that install onto Steam, I don't see why Steam shouldn't be willing to do the same.

And really, is market fragmentation really a factor if you never move from you chair while you hop from seller to seller?

I see where you're coming from, but I'm inclined to disagree. Imagine if Activision made a retail store; now if they had a store and they wanted it to get more popular, surely they would want exclusives? And they make games right? Why not make their games exclusive! Then Gamestop are down another publisher. Soon, EA follow. Then Ubisoft. And Take Two, Sony, and Zenimax. THQ.
See where I'm going with this?
This isn't fragmentation I worry about; it's saturation. No one wants to have to have an account on a piece of Digital Distribution Software for every single publisher they buy their games for.
The other outcome is that instead of developer exclusives there are just hundreds. Then you'd have loads, so you can get the best offers. But what would the Retail copies install to? This is why I like Steam being big; it means that I can pool most of my games in one place and it makes multiplayer miles easier.

I get a headache every time I think about the gaming industry, because between this and the Consoles, I really have no idea where it's going and what's going to happen. We're all just gambling at this point.

 

[Owlly]

In THIS situation the only reason you can justify a challenge for Steam, is that, with their monopoly as me ntioned earlier, could make/has made them lazy, otherwise, I can't see the merit in having another company challenge steam..i mean the prices will never be lower, as they are publishers, and the titles being exclusive means they can effectivly name their prices, and its gonna be really inconveniant for people who want to buy EA games, but who will now have to donwload a whole new set of what will essentially be poorly maintained bloatware, as we all know, EA is less than stellar when it comes to its tertiary systems and developments, so really, this will only cause problems for EA, in that their sale will drop with people mrefusing to download YET ANOTHER lump of software, for the customer who wants to buy games (lord, i hope BF3 isn't on Origin)

they really are shooting themselves in the foot for what is essentially a stab at inconvienincing players