Begun the Digital Distribution wars have. Now that EA has its own online ‘Steam’-style store, it’s gone and pulled Crysis 2 from Steam, and is selling the game ‘exclusively’ via their own ‘Origin’ service.
But a quick check of other downloadable services shows that Crysis 2 is still available on other sites, such as Direct 2 Drive and Gamersgate – is this a sign that EA’s exclusivity is simply an attempt to out-muscle Steam and define their own online store in the process?
Other EA properties are still available on Steam, but its worth noting that Battlefield 3 and Mass Effect 3 may end up being the dual Trojan horse EA needs to truly solidify the Origin service. It’s a stark possibility that PC gamers will have to buy these games exclusively on EA’s store as it attempts to solidify the Origin service. Ultimately, we could be looking at a future where EA sells their own properties exclusively on Origin.
Will other publishers eventually follow suit? It’s difficult to say. EA has been building the foundations of a strong online, service for years now – in every sense of the word. Facebook development, mobile development, and now Origin, it’s clear that EA is attempting to build for new methods of delivery and new ways to engage users – as a company EA is clearly ahead of the game in that sense. We see this Crysis 2 move as an experiment on the part of EA. It’ll be interesting to see the results.
Via Neogaf.
I cant believe anyone is arguing that this will drive up competition. Yeah because it's so competitve to sell a product and refuse to let anyone but you sell it. Fuck EA
Steam is awsome.
I see it as a central point for PC gaming just like PSN and XBL are a central point for thosde consoles.
Steam gave PC a gaming focus point and EA should stay there and offer their own service. They still get my money from steam sales.
IDIOTA!
does that mean that there wont be any future dlc or support/patches for crysis 2?
Well that just means I'll buy ME3 at Target. EA won't get more money than necessary from me.
Sure, it may be a good business move by EA, but it will definitely piss people off, like myself! I don't think Steam is overly wonderful, but I like the fact 99% of my PC games are in one place and that I have an established friends list and can talk and chat with those people anytime. I don't want to segregate my PC gaming over multiple platforms :(
Well, since I was planning to buy phsyical copies of those games anyway it doesn't bother me too much.
Sure, I may have to set up an Origin account, but if there are any problems with their Digital Distribution by the time BF3 and ME3 hit the shelves then I won't have to put up with them.
Unless they're stupid enough to have the phsyical copies just be a disc with the Origin installer and a code so that the program knows you paid for the game, but that'd be sheer insanity.
Although... there was that whole Dante's Inferno thing they did so...
Welp, looks like I'm never buying an EA game again.
So does this mean we will haft to buy it agien
Already ordered BF3 from overseas at $40.
No thank you Steam/Origin/WhateverCompanyTriesToStartPriceGougingNext
It is moves like this that promote piracy...
Been using steam since 2003, will continue to use
Doesn't EA own Valve, and then by extension, Steam?
This is bat-shit crazy
Nah, but they do distribute Valve games in Australia. Which is almost as stupid a situation, but not quite!
Because selling your own games is in anyway going to make you a competitor to a giant like steam that has multiple publishers use it and use it well.
End of EA + Valve relationship. I hope Valve threatens to break it's contract with EA for them to distribute their games at retail, as EA is just pissing on Valve, when Valve helps promote EA's games on steam all the time and EA makes bucketloads from distributing Valve's games at retail.
Steam is quota free on iinet. Until its quota free on origin I am not going to buy.
Also I want all my games on one system, EA bad move for PC gamers as Steam has it all.
You will lose.
Lovely, guess I'm back to pirating EA games, no biggie. I'm going to start with pirating Alice which was released yesterday.. Go die in a hole EA, I am going to pirate Alice, add it to steam, play it take screenshots and shit. Can your shitty ass Origin platform take insta screenshots and upload them? Nope.avi
So wait, what about people who have it on Steam? Does this mean if they need to re-install at some point they'll have to somehow switch to 'Origin'? ... or even buy another "copy" of the game from EA ?
This seems like a bad idea to me. PC Gamers love their Steam. I know I like it pretty well.
EA became a fail nothing of theirs works propaly and their 3rd party developers are lacking big time
Only Crysis 2 was pulled from Steam, and EA has stated it's because of an agreement the developer (Crytek) made with another distribution service, that wasn't compatible with their agreement with Steam; in short, it had nothing to do with EA.