“We always want to be sure we provide this content and service at the highest possible level of quality. To ensure this, any retailer can sell our games, but we take direct responsibility for providing patches, updates, additional content and other services to our players,” wrote David DeMartini, Electronic Arts’ senior vice president of global E-commerce. “Unfortunately, if we’re not allowed to manage this experience directly and establish a relationship with you, it disrupts our ability to provide the support you expect and deserve.”
DeMartini said that this arrangement was suitable in EA’s partnerships with GameStop, Amazon “and other online retailers,” but implied that it was unworkable “under extremely special circumstances,” implying such circumstances were conditions set by Steam.
DeMartini added that, except under those circumstances “We offer our games to every major download service, including Amazon, Gamestop, and Steam.”
In mid-June, Crysis 2 went missing from Steam, though it was available on other download services, including Origin. EA insisted that Steam’s “business terms” forced Crysis 2‘s removal, adding that “Crytek has an agreement with another download service which violates the new rules from Steam and resulted in its expulsion of Crysis II from Steam.” While unspecified at the time, taken with DeMartini’s comments it sounds like a conflict over post-release support and its approval.
David DeMartini: At EA We Respect Consumer Choice … Your Choice [Electronic Arts]
Cody
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 11:45 AMSo, they still haven’t explained it. God I wish these dickheads would stop dancing around the topic and just spell the fucking thing out. We don’t have all day to read these braindead contentless fucking PR releases.
Akra
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 11:56 AMErr. Did you read it?
EA wants to use Origin to supply Crysis 2 users with content (patches DLC ect). All the other digital Distribution platforms said “Sure”, Steam said “Not In my backyard you’re not!” and kicked it off of Steam.
Simple really.
Cody
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:17 PMI read it. That’s not what was said in it. You’re leaping to a bunch of conclusions.
Ribsi
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:35 PMIt’s just as likely the opposite happened, EA wants the revenue from owning the entire supply chain. Buy a struggling Steam competitor, release the games you’re publishing through your own channels and deny the competition access to them.
Pretty sad day when EA is successfully pulling off the ‘little guys standing up to big bad Valve’ act.
But maybe I’m wrong, Steam has had its share of unsavory moves lately.
Reoh
Friday, July 8, 2011 at 12:42 PMI read it, and thats exactly what it said (paraphrasing notwithstanding).
tj
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 11:54 AMSo, steam has auto updates and origin has/will, what? I’m not familiar with the system but is this some thing to increase store traffic in the hopes they can distract customers with shiny while they’re searching for their patch?
Valk1r3
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 11:55 AMCan i still download the copy i bought from steam before this happened or did i just lose 100 dollars
Switch296
Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 12:30 AMIt was never on Steam. Ever.
Ribsi
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:00 PMWell I guess brick-and-mortar retailers will be happy if battlefield 3 doesn’t appear on steam.
SuperFred
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:02 PMIf Steam are pulling a Xbox and only allowing patches and updates that hit their approval and release schedule, then they’re in the wrong here.
I hope it’s not like that, but if it is, fuck Gaben.
greatpieeater
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:29 PMI’m pretty sure Steam has had a policy for some time of requiring the patch ahead of release so they can test it and make sure it won’t cause any issues with Steam.
I can’t remember which game it was (might have been Blood Bowl) but it had a patch repeatedly delayed because it kept failing the Steam tests.
It may be that Steam have tightened the patching rules, but I think it’s more likely that EA didn’t want to play ball anymore.
Mr Waffle
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:09 PM“Unfortunately, if we’re not allowed to manage this experience directly and establish a relationship with you, it disrupts our ability to provide the support you expect and deserve.”
lol what a wank. How about instead of trying to “establish a relationship” with me, you quit all this social networking bullshit and actually patch game bugs. You know, what we WANT you to do.
Cody
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:17 PMI wish we could upvote comments. You’re spot on.
Dundee
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 3:34 PMTrue that, I would even go as far to say that EA are resopnsible for grinding more games, with more more potential, to their untimely and undeserved grisly deaths than anyone else could take credit for.
this is
Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 12:48 PMa truth right here. i couldnt actually stand burnout paradise or any of those games with that autolog shit cause it took too f*$&ing long to get in to the same, i just get bombarded with crap.
Chazz
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:21 PMSo in other words EA are going to give Origin priority on all DLC and patches and the other platforms will only get them when EA are good and ready to hand them out and Steam were the only ones who chose not to be EA’s bitch?
Justin
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:53 PMTB honest i don’t care what happens about crisis 2 as long as EA release Mass Effect 3 on Steam.
Paul
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 5:37 PM+1. If its not released on steam and/or its priced to be anti-competative against steam, it will not be gotten. What EA is doing is trying to play catch up.
I really cant see them providing the same inovation that steam has been renound for. Additionally if its not freezone with iinet why would I get it off Origin. EA Australia is renoun for not really being competative and I cannot see them really getting this type of stuff looked at. Looks like no more EA games for me until this behavour is finished. Also with these big companies I have noticed that once a product doesnt work to their advantage they simply abandon it (Hello Microsoft)
Also these in game purchases are rubbish eg ME2 additional content) where I have to go to another site then punch in codes pay via there own system of payment, jump in 3 circles twice (total of 6 circles), email tech support (and be ignored) then wait 2 weeks ect…. I want to buy my DLC from the same site I bought the game. Couldnt be that hard huh?
Rant over.
Lone Wolf
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 1:02 PMStrip away the PR speak and media restraint, it sounds like EA require updates, DLC and patches need to be hosted on their own servers and through their services, while Steam requires patches, at the very least, be uploaded or applied through their servers.
This is only my impression, but it’s my understanding Steam prefer to have support for games as long as the game is played through their service, even if the original company dissolves or cannot offer that support.
So, even if they can’t sell the game, people can still play the game under the best conditions possible.
Ryan Keepence
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 1:23 PMDo a little research and you’ll find that crytek has given exclusivity to gamespy for providing dlc. Steams stance is perfectly acceptable in my eyes.
Ryan Keepence
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 1:30 PMUhh, and the link to this nugget of info: http://www.poweredbygamespy.com/2011/05/17/crysis-2-dlc-sales-redeem-codes-and-more-with-gamespy-direct2game/