Dedicated servers for Aliens vs Predator

By Games Industry.biz Published 20 November, 2009

Rebellion "always appreciated fan support."

The PC version of licensed shooter Aliens vs Predator will support dedicated servers, according to a new statement made by British developer Rebellion.

"Despite rumours, Rebellion has always been planning to support dedicated servers for Aliens vs Predator PC and we can now officially confirm that this is the case. Rebellion has always appreciated fan support," said Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley. "We're really looking forward to the release of Aliens vs Predator as much as you guys are!"

Previously senior producer David Brickley had remained uncommitted on the question, commenting: "You know what the internet's like. We're obviously used to getting things for free over the years. I guess on our side the thing we're focusing on is whatever your set-up at home, you get the best possible experience from it. We're just trying to use our time and resources wisely."

Brickley's comments were made just as the question of dedicated servers was becoming a flashpoint topic with PC users, following Infinity Ward's decision not to support the style of service. Despite a more than 220,000 signature strong petition Activision indicated it was "not overly concerned" at the backlash.

Nevertheless, other PC developers immediately made their position clear, with both Battlefield's DICE and Brink's Splash Damage committing to continued use of dedicated servers.

John Carmack of iD Software surprised many though, when he admitted that the forthcoming game Rage would probably not support dedicated servers and described them as a remnant of the early days of PC gaming.

Carmack even seemed appreciative that Activision had taken the initial brunt of fan outrage."The great thing is we won't have to be a pioneer on that," he said to Hollywood trade paper Variety. "We’ll see how it works out for everyone else."

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Comments (33) 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • trooperdx3117 #1 2 years ago

    Its a sad day when a developer has to simply confirm the existence of dedicated servers rather than it being a given for. Anyway good on Rebellion for showing they actually care about their community.

  • lunnyt00n #2 2 years ago

    +1

  • gjgjg #3 2 years ago

    even when its not about MW2 its about MW2 lolz.
    look4ward2 this one tho. +1

  • cianchristopher #4 2 years ago

    Ouch!

    Bobby Kotick's probably online through IWnet right now, knifing Rebellion employees who are also COD gamers in the back!!!

  • jambo74 #5 2 years ago

    All depends on the sales. bad sales - Dedi Servers for what 6 months?

  • Shakey_Jake33 #6 2 years ago

    ^Except with dedicated server support, players can take such a problem into their own hands.

  • booner #7 2 years ago

    Well I will be buying this

  • hiddenranbir #8 2 years ago

    This is fantastic news, although a bit of a funny sadness to it that developers feel they have to reassure us. The fact they do though? Awesome!

  • miiiguel #9 2 years ago

    developers feel they have to reassure us

    I'm not sure it's because "they feel they have to", I think it's more because they have the opportunity to stand out.

  • AphoticCosmos #10 2 years ago

    I feel sad that they had to reassure us, but AvP is one of only two games I am definitely getting next year [ME2 being the other]

  • shogo10 #11 2 years ago

    They were probably waiting to see how the whole MW2 fiasco panned out before doing this. I don't believe for a second it was even developed with it in mind.

  • JJrabbit #12 2 years ago

    It was clearly planned from the outset, but due to the MW2 fiasco, the marketing department decided they should spin it to make it look like they're 'listening to the community'. Not that that's a bad thing, mind, I like to see efforts being rewarded and this is one game I'm definitely looking forward to.

  • IneptPercy #13 2 years ago

    This game may just be something special... on the PC at least.

  • madgerald #14 2 years ago

    One of the many questions from the hardcore AvP gaming community we have been asked since the game was announced was "are there going to be dedicated servers?"

    Now we can say "YES"
    Edited by 1 at 20/11/09 @ 16:47

  • FooAtari #15 2 years ago

    @jambo
    All depends on the sales. bad sales - Dedi Servers for what 6 months?

    As shakey said, we can run our own dedicated servers, they don't have to be run by the developer/publisher. This means support for the game goes on as long as people are playing it. Unlike MW2... When IW turn off the matchmaking thats pretty much the end of it.

  • madgerald #16 2 years ago

    @FooAtari - you're right. There are still a hardcore that still play the original AvP and AvP2

  • the_mtfr #17 2 years ago

    What the hell is the deal anyway with this new trend? It's not difficult for the devs to implement user dedicated servers, but on the other hand I don't get what's the business advantage of cutting it out? There is always one when dicks like Activision stab gamers in the back, but I just can't see this one.

    Or is it a backstab we are getting just for their fun? Can't believe Carmack is on their tracks now. He used to be my idol.

  • Machiavellian #18 2 years ago

    As shakey said, we can run our own dedicated servers, they don't have to be run by the developer/publisher. This means support for the game goes on as long as people are playing it. Unlike MW2... When IW turn off the matchmaking thats pretty much the end of it.

    I believe gamers and publishers/devs are probably not on the same page with this question. Yes, PC gamers can setup their own dedicated servers if the devs release the binaries for the game but what the devs might be considering is to go the EA route, provide their own matching servers or give the PC community the ability to host their own servers.

    The choices are not as simple as PC gamers believe. There isn't just the choice of DS and no DS. Now you have DS, but they can only be run on 3rd party servers, you can not totally get rid of DS like IW and provide listening servers and matchmaking or you can provide the PC community the ability to host their own DS.

  • Machiavellian #19 2 years ago

    What the hell is the deal anyway with this new trend? It's not difficult for the devs to implement user dedicated servers, but on the other hand I don't get what's the business advantage of cutting it out? There is always one when dicks like Activision stab gamers in the back, but I just can't see this one.

    The benefit for the developer and publisher is control. Without Dedicated Server binaries, it makes it harder for hackers to provide pirated servers that circumvent online authentication in order to play the multiplayer. For FPS games, usually the multiplayer is what get people who pirate a game to actually purchase the game. This is the reason I believe IW has gone the route they have and is why ID is considering doing the same thing. It is also why EA is using 3rd Party companies to host DS instead of giving the PC community the binaries to host their own.

  • Machiavellian #20 2 years ago

    LOL I'm gonna get hate for this but this is hilarious coming off the back of the whole MW2 dedi servers business.

    My last back to back post but it's also interesting that IW have stated that they have sold in one week more copies of MW2 then MW1. I believe it's evident that PC gamers are not showing IW/Activision the error of their ways.

  • Sunyavadin #21 2 years ago

    Pfft, dedicated servers are "So last-gen".

    Like Rumble.
    And DVD.
    And reasonable prices.

    Rebellion need to get with the times!

    :p

  • Zaiz #22 2 years ago

    @Machiavellian

    They've already got functioning pirated copies playing IWNet. It took about 3 days after launch. On the other hand, Steam has been releasing almost bi-daily "ghost patches" to the game that are not appearing on my patch notes. And it isn't steam cloud synchronization, it takes a little longer than that.

  • Machiavellian #23 2 years ago

    @Zaiz
    I heard those where shut down with the latest update from IW. It didn't take long for hackers to get in but it didn't take IW that much time to fix it either. I believe this will be a game that goes on for some time but a win in IW cap since the more updates pirates have to do to get functionality increases the person just getting the game so they can play.

  • jambo74 #24 2 years ago

    May as well go the whold hog and actually promise a working game as described. Unlke Codemasters OFDR game.

  • TheApologist #25 2 years ago

    Carmack in irrelevance shocker

  • BritishBlue1 #26 2 years ago

    It breaks my heart to see a PC developer call dedicated servers a remnant, they are the only way to deliver a optiumum online experience to the customer in my opinion. Xbox Live, and to a lesser degree PSN, has a lot to answer for.

  • Pablo2k5 #27 2 years ago

    Carmack is a c*nt.

  • neems #28 2 years ago

    The original AvP didn't have dedicated servers though did it? I distinctly remember having having to go through M-Player in order to play online. I have no idea about the second one.

  • drumbaby #29 2 years ago

    "The original AvP didn't have dedicated servers though did it? I distinctly remember having having to go through M-Player in order to play online."

    Great days though. :0)

  • Gearskin #30 2 years ago

    AvP2 lost its dedicated servers a year ago. People still play it, but it's fiddly to get working.

    I played AvP at the Eurogamer Expo... and it was a lot of fun. Novelity might wear off. But it was fun.

  • StooMonster #31 2 years ago

    AvP being a DirectX 11 game could be a reason to upgrade the GPUs in Q1-2010. :)

    Back on-topic, support for dedicated servers sounds great, and glad being supported here ... but I think are dying out because of freetard twats using them as means to circumvent DRM and play pirate copies. :(

  • butler` #32 2 years ago

    has carmack played mw2? :[

    the disparity between what you see/where you are/what you do as you die, and what happens in the resulting kill cam, should be nothing short of shocking for one of the guys behind Quake.

  • Chufty #33 2 years ago

    The thing is, MW2 is a crap excuse for a PC game anyway. Maybe a good quality game engine with decent netcode won't, in fact, need a dedicated server at all?

    Carmack, of all people, should know. I'm not going to throw any toys out of my pram before I've seen the results.