EA explains why Crysis 2 was pulled from Steam

Jos

Posts: 3,073   +97

There has been some speculation about a possible break-up between EA and Valve, after Crysis 2 was pulled from the Steam platform and appeared on EA's new storefront sporting a misleading "only on Origin" tag. Although many of us saw this as a power play to draw people into using their service, EA was quick to clarify that in fact the decision was not theirs, but rather the result of a business requirement from Valve to make DLC packs available through Steam.

EA's David DeMartini, who now heads the Origin platform, sought to explain the publisher's position in a blog post this week: "We want our products available to as many players aspossible, which means we make them available in all the places that gamers go to download games and services. […] But we take direct responsibility for providing patches, updates, additional content and other services to our players. You are connecting to our servers, and we want to establish an ongoing relationship with you, to continue to give you the best possible gaming experience."

crysis steam valve origin ea digital distribution

DeMartini goes on to explain that, at present, there is only one download service that does not allow them to manage this experience directly, and that they are working diligently to find a mutually agreeable solution. He doesn't mention Steam by name, but speaking with Gamasutra he states in no uncertain terms that Crysis 2 was taken down because of downloadable content being available through Direct2Drive, but not Steam.

Except under 'extremely special circumstances' EA promises to make games available on every major download service. Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of those extremely special circumstances, as the company has already said they're trying to build an audience for Origin with exclusive content. According to DeMartini, there may be other Origin exclusives in the future, but it will be the exception rather than the norm, as they are also interested in reach.

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@EA:

Please repeat after me: "I will learn to share my toys with Valve."
Now repeat: "Valve is not my enemy; high prices are."
And lastly: "EA is a good company that it is making some very bad noise right now."
 
I think EA has a right to pull off of steam for that reason. They are a company and they own their games in their entirety. Should they not be able to have entire control of the game regarding its patches and DLC? Although using Steam's wouldn't be a bad idea because it helps with anti-piracy. But they should have a right to control their content how they please.
 
What a load of crap, EA's had the agreements with Valve since the beginning, DLC content availability is not new to them.. you don't think when they were developing origin, they didn't see this and say "this is a great way to make Valve look like the bad guy and give EA a way out and smelling like a rose..". Problem is your trying to get people with more then a 50 IQ to believe that you needed to take exception to Valve supporting it's customers and users and that it was critical to do so, JUST as you launched origin..

please, EA, your a bunch of tossers. 1/2 bil. in banked profits last year was not enough for you? i certainly won't be buying another EA game any time soon.
 
@Treetops: What ads? The ones telling you about new games, I love that. You must be naive to think EA won't do the same.
 
This sounds very reasonable to me, I can't understand how you are so butthurt over this decision that EA has made.
I guess it's the new big thing to bash anything Crysis 2 related whenever you are given the option?
 
Wow, a bunch of steam fanboys. In case you've all forgotten, Valve did the exact same thing to Microsoft for Portal 2. Sony gave them complete control over everything related to the game, and so Valve gave every PS3 Portal 2 purchaser a PC code for a free Portal 2 copy. 360 users were left out because Microsoft has their own set of rules that Valve would have to play by for updates and DLC and the like.
 
I'm so angry with EA these days, it makes my face twitch every time I see those 2 letters in that particular combination.

I have to say though, Blizzard did it first (as far as I care), with their new Battle.net @%#&! I wasn't happy about that, and I still haven't bought Starcraft 2 even though I want it. I know they're gonna do the same thing with Diablo III, of course, and then I'm just gonna have to dance to their tune. But, we excuse Blizzard, don't we? Because their games are so insanely awesome, yes? Hmf.

All the big companies want to do the same now. They'll make more money that way and it is a business after all. I've heard all the good and the bad arguments here, and I'm still in a hissy-fit about it. Why? Because I'm a Steam-user. I'm in no way a Steam-fanboy, but I do have a consolidated games library worth... well, a lot, in Steam. I have no wish to have my achievements spread out over a bunch of different "services."

Greed is changing the world of gaming, and I don't like the way it's going.
 
example1013 said:
Wow, a bunch of steam fanboys. In case you've all forgotten, Valve did the exact same thing to Microsoft for Portal 2. Sony gave them complete control over everything related to the game, and so Valve gave every PS3 Portal 2 purchaser a PC code for a free Portal 2 copy. 360 users were left out because Microsoft has their own set of rules that Valve would have to play by for updates and DLC and the like.
Valve wanted to give Xbox 360 users free updates for Portal 2 just like on Steam and PS3. Microsoft requires any updates to be sold for money (not free). Basically any updates for Portal 2 would be a DLC that requires money to get. Valve did not want to charge people money for minor game updates.
 
Per Hansson said:
This sounds very reasonable to me, I can't understand how you are so butthurt over this decision that EA has made.
I guess it's the new big thing to bash anything Crysis 2 related whenever you are given the option?

EA ignored the PC with Crysis 2 and is generally just a bad company. Most of their money comes from console sales and they really aren't paying attention to PC. However, almost all of Valve's revenue comes from PC gamers. I'm sure Valve has the best interests of PC gamers in mind whereas EA wants to shove out a whole bunch of console ports. People hate Crysis 2 because it represents everything that is going wrong with the gaming industry. Weak story line's and sub-par gameplay. If we're lucky we get some higher resolution textures with our port and tolerable controls. Ever play assassins creed on PC(just as an example of how bad ports can get)? It's near impossible because they put NO thought into the controls.

BTW, if you were paying any attention at all to the article you'd notice it was VALVES decision, not EA's, to remove Crysis 2 from the steam store. How EA is playing with the DLC from Crysis 2 is BS anyway. I'm tired of all these companies trying to force us into their own proprietary software to strengthen their market share.

When playing with these companies we have to vote with our wallets. I voted for steam and try to avoid buying EA titles as much as possible. The only time I do buy one is when I can get it for cheap on steam.
 
they should just keep it on steam and make it like $10 cheaper on origin or something, that'l solve both their problems
 
hello ...

well too bad, being a PC enthusiast for most multiplatform games & buying mostly where my country is supported, means i will buy only a console exclusive from EA & no more PC games from them :S ...

Steam is my second home, you'd better change your mind EA, like me there are heavy steam dwellers & we are not happy with you right now.

cheers!
 
This sounds very reasonable to me, I can't understand how you are so butthurt over this decision that EA has made.
I guess it's the new big thing to bash anything Crysis 2 related whenever you are given the option?


DeMartini goes on to explain that, at present, there is only one download service that does not allow them to manage this experience directly, and that they are working diligently to find a mutually agreeable solution. He doesn't mention Steam by name, but speaking with Gamasutra he states in no uncertain terms that Crysis 2 was taken down because of downloadable content being available through Direct2Drive, but not Steam.

I agree Per, lots of reasons to be pissed at Cervat and co, but this isn't one of them.
 
In 2004, in the dawn of CS:S and HL2, most people hated STEAM. This was back in the day when internet was slower and less reliable. People wanted to buy games offline and not have to have internet to play. Then STEAM and ISPs improved and now everybody loves it.
 
@veLa: We know this, and now we're happy with the way things are. EA isn't reinventing anything, like Valve did when they launched Steam. EA is just making a Steam clone. Screw EA.
 
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