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D2D, Impulse, Gamersgate boycott MW2 News
PC News by Robert Purchese
Digital distributors Direct2Drive, Impulse and Gamersgate have decided not to sell Modern Warfare 2, as the game requires installation of Valve's Steamworks tools.
"We don't believe games should force the user to install a Trojan Horse," D2D told Kotaku.
Steamworks was announced for Modern Warfare 2 just weeks ago. Infinity Ward's mammoth shooter is Valve's most glamorous supporter yet. The tools fulfil an array of functions: game authentication, auto-patches, updates, achivements, anti-cheating and persistent player saves via the Steam Cloud.
But D2D - unhappy with the forced installation of software from its rival - will continue to boycott Steamworks games until Valve "decouples its retail marketplace" from the tools.
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Comments: 1-41 of 41 in total
Poster
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Mooglepies
06/11/09 @ 12:21
+22
It seems nothing is going right for the PC version of MW2. Shame it's not going to matter.
*Is predominantly a PC gamer* |
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+2
Its was begining to get a little ridiculus how everywhere steam was getting, I know it works well but you still need some competition.
And yes I have steam but also Impluse as that were I get my Sins of a Solar Empire updates etc, the PC is all about choice (unless its Modern Warfare 2 where its instead we've already chosen for you choice) |
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+13
A couple of points:
1. By boycotting the game altogether, D2D are driving potential customers right into the lion’s (Valve) mouth. Isn’t that what they wanted to avoid? 2. IW chose Steamworks for a reason. D2D’s issue should be with them, not Valve. Calling Steamworks a Trojan Horse seems a bit rich. |
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absolutezero
06/11/09 @ 12:42
+17
Installing a game that uses Steamworks on a PC that has no former Steam installation will fully install the Steam client. Most poeple will launch said game by opening the Steam client and clicking on the short-cut in the Games tab. Now when you first open Steam it opens on the Store Page, much like when you first turn on a 360 it loads up the Welcome page. Factor in the weekly sales of silly prices and the amount of people launching Steam everyday and looking at the new deals will increase sales by some margin. This is a good thing for Valve but a bad thing for everyone else trying to sell games in a Digital fashion. Not stocking a game at all is rather foolish however because those people are going to get Steam either way.
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Teamallstar
06/11/09 @ 12:44
-4
How sad. It is like they are hammering nails into their own coffin.
It is like a small child throwing a tantrum. |
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+9
Steamworks enables features which wouldn't have been included if they had to developer there own bespoke system from scratch. They are just worried that once Steam is installed on the system, they'll probably use that in future instead of there own distribution method, which is fair enough. You wouldn't expect GAME to put your purchase in a Gamestation bag.
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0
Sounds like they're stuck whichever way they turn. Either they sell it and give Steam free promotion or they don't sell it and lose out on sales (and probably drive consumers onto Steam anyway). Either way they lose.
I wonder if they felt emboldened by the vocal complaints about MW2 on the PC? They maybe decided that making a stand with an "unpopular" game would give them some street cred and free publicity, particularly by painting Steam as some sort villain in this.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 06/11/09 @ 13:03
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StooMonster
06/11/09 @ 14:17
-3
"Installing a game that uses Steamworks on a PC that has no former Steam installation will fully install the Steam client."
Can't say I know any PC gamers who buy games who do not have Steam already installed on their PC, how does this make a difference? |
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General_Zod
06/11/09 @ 14:44
-4
I have bought every 3rd party game that has used steamworks I will not be buying MW2 though. I can see where they are coming from, Steam is in a dominant position right now and getting games like MW2 on board will only increase their market share. If Valve wanted to be extra nice they would release a version of steam with no store front and only used the steamworks services. The words cold, day and hell spring to mind when I think of that scenario though.
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DaemonSpawn
06/11/09 @ 14:46
+1
Funny. As if people who want to buy MW2 will not buy it if the some second tier digital distribution systems (mostly Impulse) refuse to sell the game. They will just go to retailers or (more likely) to Steam itself. Job done.
Their position is understandable, but methods are close to idiotic. If you don't like Steamworks - gather together and develop open independent online platform of same functionality and quality. Then create support team and diverse licensing programs for different developers (from indies to Activision-likes). Then market it accordingly. And then fucking bitch on Valve! Valve used its own funds for Steamworks development so why should they promote some other DD systems after all? |
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0
And D2D downloads always have DRM preserved! I'm amused that they call Steam a "trojan."
On the other hand, Batman Arkham Asylum on Steam has DRM of its own alongside Steam, which seemed excessive to me. As in it seemed completely absurd. As in, will games I buy in the store soon start coming with two DRMs jammed in there? And the box covered in that infernal plastic they use on new music CDs? |
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Teamallstar
06/11/09 @ 15:08
+2
@Pirotic
Gamestation is a part of Game Group Stores Ltd, which also owns GAME. They are the same company with the same head office with the same depot where all the games come from... Sorry to destroy the illusion... |
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cairbre1977
06/11/09 @ 23:36
-1
Steam is too expensive. You can buy Dragon Age in HMV for €40 but steam sell it for €49. That just does not make sense to
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-1
Well, I like the services Steam provides. But if some people want to get together and produce a decent rival then I am all for it. Gabe has probably done a War Meeting already, so I wait to see the retalitary strike. Still, more money for Valve with hopefully some diverted to free DLC for their games out already.
I rarely buy games from Steam that I can get from stores, but I think I can see their reasoning why they decide to charge slightly more. Not saying I agree, but more of a guess why.
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 07/11/09 @ 00:33
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0
You shouldnt have to install a full steam client to play a game, there should be a distribution version for this kind of scenario
Seriously it would be like Asda selling a game with a leaflet in the box with a freephone number to buy games direct from sainsburys, retarded.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 08/11/09 @ 02:06
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hiddenranbir
08/11/09 @ 12:25
0
Solidarity brothers!
Games need to be neutral among distributors. Yes, it is great money maker to lock a gamer into your store but I'm sure as this industry grows, laws will catch up and bring fairness back into it. Services need to be content neutral(except first party ofc)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 08/11/09 @ 12:27
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Comments: 1-41 of 41 in total
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