Battlefield 3 Steam release in negotiation?

By Fred Dutton Published 5 October, 2011

EA, Valve in "late-stage talks" - report.

EA and Valve are currently in "late-stage talks" to secure a Steam release for the PC version of Battlefield 3, according to an alleged insider.

BF3blog's source claimed the two parties are close to reaching an agreement which would see the game arrive on Valve's Steam store in time for the game's 28th October launch.

As detailed back in August, EA decided not to sell the game through Steam because of Valve's "restrictive terms of service" regarding patching and DLC.

We've asked the relevant parties for comment and will update if we get a response.

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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (38) Latest comment 8 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • the_dudefather #1 8 months ago

    "It will have TF2 hats that are fancier than the ones in your wildest dreams!'

  • arcam #2 8 months ago

    Oh WTF.

    I know I have to pre-order to get the 'Back to Karkand' pack (grr), so whatever they decide, they better decide quickly.

    How late can I leave it? If I pre-order the day before release do I still get that pre-order bonus?

  • dsmx #3 8 months ago

    Maybe EA realised that letting CoD not really having any competition on steam was a bad idea.

  • Koozer #4 8 months ago

    I doubt this news. Fear my opinion.

  • dirtysteve #5 8 months ago

    Waiting for "UPDATE - didn't check thoroughly,got fooled again. sorries"

  • dsmx #6 8 months ago

    I really can't see steam letting origin run in the background in BF3 and since the battlelog uses a separate friends list anyway I can't see any issues in origin being separated from BF3.

  • Tiiti #7 8 months ago

    I bloody well hope so! I have been holding back my pre-order for this. Origin is ok but my 70ish digital games catalogue exist on Steam...

  • dsmx #8 8 months ago

    pffft fair weather fan only 70ish games? My 193 games laugh in your face.

  • ajaxpliskin #9 8 months ago

    Origin is so buggy it's not true... much like Steam when it first came out.

  • DapperGent #10 8 months ago

    In my Origin preorder they had a 14 day refund policy under EU law. Just FYI. I will definately cancel and order on steam if this goes through Origin looks like a bad project I did in college 10 years ago.

  • Tiiti #11 8 months ago

    @dsmx

    How many have you played and completed out of interest? I'm probably at 50ish played for more than 30mins and around 20 completed. Damn sales :)

  • deadstoned #12 8 months ago

    If it releases on Steam it'll be after or on launch day I expect, so not much chance for "Back to Karkand pack" for those of you waiting it out. It's typical EA dealings with Steam.

  • ectotropic #13 8 months ago

    The steam version of GFWL games (e.g. Batman: Arkham Asylum) require both Steam and GFWL clients running and signed in - would not be a surprise to see Origin required for a Steam version of BF, they are unlikely mutually exclusive.

    However the Steam overlay could be useful, given it runs a web-browser in there it could run battlelog (or whatever it's called). Course that will never happen - why make things easy and/or useful for the people who pay for the game?

    Bah!
    Edited by ectotropic at 05/10/11 @ 20:31

  • Gunship #14 8 months ago

    Origin is spyware at the moment, as far as I'm concerned. I'd much rather it came out on Steam. Doubt EA will do it (if they want to compete with Steam, they need to bring people in with exclusive blockbusters like BF3 and ME3).

  • Der_tolle_Emil #15 8 months ago

    If this is true then this is the best news I've heard all day! Sadly EA refuse to recognize my email address as a valid one even though it works everywhere else and thus I have not been able to create an Origin account. Yes I could easily create a new email address but I cannot be bothered. Yes I know this is stupid/lazy.

    At the end of the day I really prefer Steam anyway. I was able to skip the beta so I hope I will be able to hold until the full version appears on Steam. At least I have a few hopes again that it might happen someday!

  • MattyD #16 8 months ago

    I hope this works out, I'd even pay full price just so I don't have to use Origin. It's a horrible piece of software, stalls my computer when it loads up and regularly fails to connect to the servers.

  • cheeky_pete #17 8 months ago

    Considering BF3 doesn't use origin for anything more than updates and a glorified shortcut I would expect it would run on Steam fine. Battlelog is still like trying to wrestle a greased pig at times, needlessly confusing and a real pain.

  • Kelduum #18 8 months ago

    @dsmx - I still win then, 287 so far. DAMN YOU, STEAM SALES!

    And if they do this, then I'll be buying the Steam version, rather than retail (no chance im buying the Origin one at at least half as much again as retail).

  • therealbatman #19 8 months ago

    @dsmx

    193. Ha thats nothing. My 225 laughs in the face of your 193.

  • arcam #20 8 months ago

    EA should release it on Steam for full price, then discount it by a fiver or so on Origin. Give people a reason to choose their service instead of being forced to accept it begrudgingly.

  • Fiinyx #21 8 months ago

    @arcam - Incredibly sensible idea tbh. I think most people would still use Steam, but a good idea all the same.

  • bad09 #22 8 months ago

    "Origin is spyware at the moment as far as I'm concerned"

    You do realise every single DRM out there is spyware of some sort don't you? The industry has given itself the right to watch our computers and gaming habits for a while now.

  • thiagots85 #23 8 months ago

    225*? XD my 860+, counting steam only, are having a real hard time laughing.... And I'm not kidding...
    Edited by thiagots85 at 05/10/11 @ 21:21

  • hiddenranbir #24 8 months ago

    I hope not. Battlelog is the key here. Why add STEAM as a running program as well when they already do Origin.

    This is the reason they went off Steam, the only way this will work is if Valve let EA run the game WITHOUT running it through steam.

  • thiagots85 #25 8 months ago

    it could work through the steam browser, and so not needing to minimize the game to choose another server... I don't know.. just an idea

  • DyingAtheist #26 8 months ago

    I won't install Origin. You want my money you put it on Steam. I realise my single purchase is meaningless in the millions of sales to come, but I like to think it represents a significant market of people who feel the same but haven't commented.

    ps to all the guys comparing Steam game totals, please just meet up and get your dicks out for comparison. No not here. I SAID NOT......jesus....

  • curryking3 #27 8 months ago

    I'll buy if it's on Steam, and I don't have to use Origin. Not that I hate Origin or anything, I just don't want more programs for my games.

  • evilrobot #28 8 months ago

    Post deleted at 22:12:53 08-05-2012

  • Blazewamp #29 8 months ago

    you know it dosnt matter youll prob still need origin to play. am not saying i know but its most likly as battlelog and orgin are linked
    Edited by Blazewamp at 06/10/11 @ 00:49

  • digitalash #30 8 months ago

    If you're really serious about beating MW, EA, you need all the help you can get.

  • Lamb #31 8 months ago

    I got 8. Now turn it sideways...no, I'm not going to say what the Rock says! :p :D

    (In Rock voice) It doesn't matter how many games you got!

    More important is if you are enjoying any right now or have enjoyed the last one.

  • HiredGoonage #32 8 months ago

    Sign me up for Steam only as well. Tried Origin BF3 beta for a whole 2 days, and I've flushed that turd.

  • mvrander #33 8 months ago

    If this happens it's the only way I'll be buying BF3. The last week of utter failuers by EA to get the game installed on PCs via Origin due to the seemingly random inability to install the GDC dll through Origin on some computers has been pathetic to watch.

    No way in the world I'm shelling out if it isn't confirmed in advance that the game will actually install.

    PES2012, Dark Souls and the CS:GO Beta will keep me more than amused I should imagine.

  • tankboi #34 8 months ago

    My fingers are so crossed they look like a twirly whirly...

  • Agent_Orange #35 8 months ago

    Wait, isnt it better just to pre order it from shop 2 or play or something for cheaper, and you get a disk and the pre order bonus anyway? Then you could avoid origin if it didnt come out on steam?

    Please point out if im missing something (ie having to use origin to do some things with the disc version)
    Edited by Agent_Orange at 06/10/11 @ 09:41

  • Spekingur #36 8 months ago

    Just to point out: The way that the Battlelog system is set up has nothing to do with Origin.

    It would be nice to see BF3 on Steam. It means more sales, something BF3 needs if/when going up against MW3.

  • Toothball #37 8 months ago

    All you lot comparing sizes, are you going by your Library or Profile? The count on your profile includes DLC after all, so can be a little misleading. (Also I might be able to assist anyone looking to boost their count...)

    I wasn't planning on signing up for Origin, but then it seems that EA converted and old account that I had forgotten so I figure I might give it a whirl one day. Wasn't all that likely to get BF3, but I'd still like to see it on Steam.
    Edited by Toothball at 06/10/11 @ 10:41

  • ectotropic #38 8 months ago

    A few people seem confused about what Origin is.

    Origin is EA's version of Steam - any (new) Origin enabled games from EA will be much like Steam games from Valve (i.e. Origin will be required to run the games (will need to run when game is running), even if you buy a disc Origin will be required/included). Origin also includes in-game stuff just like Steam. On the other hand, Battlelog is simply a different way of doing server browsing, match making, etc for BF and has nothing to do with Origin. Finally the reason for the problems between EA and Steam is down to EA wanting to provide DLC/patches through their own process without using Steam (i.e. DLC would not go through Steams store) which Valve don't want to allow.
    Edited by ectotropic at 06/10/11 @ 11:29