Jump to navigation
Also on the site...
Sponsored by Alienware tracer
Advertisement

Now EA's on Euro Steam, but not UK News

PC News by Tom Bramwell

23 December, 2008

Electronic Arts and Valve now claim that a number of the former's games are available "to gamers in most of Europe, the United States and Canada via Steam".

However, the newcomers remain unavailable to UK gamers (and apparently those in Japan), despite reported availability across the rest of the continent.

The games in question are Spore, Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack, Mass Effect, Need for Speed: Undercover and FIFA Manager. The US store also has Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. (We originally said that Crysis and Crysis Warhead were among the new games, but these have been available for a while - apologies for the error).

EA and Valve have yet to comment on the UK hold-up.

Advertisement

Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!

Comments: 1-20 of 20 in total

Poster
Comment Low-scoring comments hidden. Log in to see them!
warlockuk
23/12/08 @ 09:37
#1
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
It's ok, we don't need it available to the UK. We can buy the games for less in an actual shop and still have change for a few beers.
Whizzo
23/12/08 @ 09:44
#2
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Indeed, Steam pricing is so out of step with UK online retailers you're better off with buying from them.
PearOfAnguish
23/12/08 @ 09:55
#3
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
They'll be along shortly for UK Steam users, probably just haggling over the prices.

Not that it matters because, as stated above, the cost of Steam games is so ridiculous that you'd have to be insane not to buy a boxed copy online.
BuckoA51
23/12/08 @ 09:57
#4
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"It's ok, we don't need it available to the UK. We can buy the games for less in an actual shop and still have change for a few beers."

Except the Steam ones aren't infected with SecuROM which I've personally seen f**k things up on more than one occasion.
UncleLou
23/12/08 @ 10:06
#5
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Indeed, Steam pricing is so out of step with UK online retailers you're better off with buying from them.

This really might be a reason. PC games seem to cost half of what they cost anywhere else in the UK. Yet you silly buggers all buy console games. You want to be ripped off! ;)
DiscoStu
23/12/08 @ 10:10
#6
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"Except the Steam ones aren't infected with SecuROM which I've personally seen f**k things up on more than one occasion."

Only they are.
spudsbuckley
23/12/08 @ 10:17
#7
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Yet you silly buggers all buy console games. You want to be ripped off! ;)

Factor in the cost of keeping your PC up to date and it's roughly the same or more than buying console stuff.

pauleyc
23/12/08 @ 10:31
#8
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Factor in the cost of keeping your PC up to date and it's roughly the same or more than buying console stuff.

You don't have to upgrade your PC every 3 months in order to play the latest games. But if you want to believe that then UncleLou's right. :-)
Edited 1 times, most recently on 23/12/08 @ 10:31
secombe
23/12/08 @ 10:47
#9
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Must be the pricing thing, I imagine a Euroland roll out is pretty straightforward, but adjusting those prices to good ol' sterling is probably currently part of lengthy dull discussions.
Ascardon
23/12/08 @ 11:39
#10
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"Must be the pricing thing, I imagine a Euroland roll out is pretty straightforward, but adjusting those prices to good ol' sterling is probably currently part of lengthy dull discussions."

hey, its Valve, so you will prolly get : 1$=1€=1£

Edited 1 times, most recently on 23/12/08 @ 11:40
steviepunk
23/12/08 @ 13:35
#11
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
"1€=1£"

Well, that part is pretty accurate at the moment!

The £ based prices that have been on Steam recently have actually been an improvement over what the $ prices were (given recent exchange rates), but as many have stated, the online stores have been even cheaper.

@DiscoStu - The reports I've read state that SecuRom is not present on Spore and a few others (though not confirmation that it's all of the games)
Bitkari
23/12/08 @ 13:40
#12
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Securom code is present in Steam versions of those games, despite the lack of disk check.

More DRM fail.
canuter
23/12/08 @ 14:53
#13
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
SecuRom is no longer the disc-based protection it used to be. Now its that plus online activation. So yes, Steam versions can still have SecuRom (Bioshock, Mass Effect have it).
warlockuk
23/12/08 @ 15:19
#14
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Don't forget the steam games are often a little behind in the update department, too (Plus you can't re-sell 'em on eBay once you realise they're shite)...
BuckoA51
24/12/08 @ 00:21
#15
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Huh? EA Said there was no SecuROM on the Steam versions, did they lie?
mr_ruberfon
24/12/08 @ 09:43
#16
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
yes, crysis warhead and others have it.
penhalion
24/12/08 @ 12:34
#17
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@warlockuk

+1

You've just stated the single most compelling reason not to touch steam with a very long pole.

Sar
24/12/08 @ 21:23
#18
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
Mass Effect and Spore don't have Securom DRM via Steam.

EA did not lie.
callum9999
24/12/08 @ 22:33
#19
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@secombe: My PS3 was around £200, how much does a decent gaming PC cost? Exactly.
IronCladChicken
25/12/08 @ 09:45
#20
0
You buried this comment
Comment below viewing threshold
Show
@callum9999
Since the gaming PC is also a normal PC (web browsing, word processing, etc...) - You'll need to include the price of your computer as well as that of the console... How much did your PC cost?

Btw.. Where did you buy a PS3 for £200?

Comments: 1-20 of 20 in total

Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!

Statistics
SwapGame
About Eurogamer
The Network

X View gallery