Gabe Newell on Valve-EA ordeal

PrincessFrosty said:
I think you underestimate the potential popularity of BF3.
Click to expand...

In particular because it is one of the big shooty franchises (the other being CoD of course). We know shooties are popular, they are the most popular game type these days. As such it'll be popular just for that alone. People want to play the new big name shooty.

You are also correct about people being excited for it on the PC in particular. EA has gone to lengths to make it a good PC game, giving PC gamers things they want like DX11 support, larger player counts, dedicated servers and so on. That too will increase interest.

Even if the game ends up being total crap, it'll probalby have a good bit of sales from preorders and BF/shooty fanboys. If it is a good game, and it seems like it will be from the tests/previews, it is likely to sell real, real well.
 
fps4ever said:
Glad to hear Valve is taking the high road on this one...EA certainly hasn't.
Click to expand...

:rolleyes:

When can I buy Left for Dead on Origin? The only digital download service that seems to have a problem with EA is Steam. I think that its kind of obvious who the problem is with.
 
Sycraft said:
EA did not pull those games, Valve did. Go to Impulse or Direct2Drive or Gamer's Gate and notice you can get BF3 there. EA has not pulled their new titles from other digital distributors. The other DDs appear to be fine with the idea of EA doing DLC sales and with Origin. Hell they are fine with selling Steamworks games too. It is only Valve that has decided that is not ok, and thus pulled EA's new games.

That is where my argument comes from, and also the fact that Valve sells its games only on Steam and retail. You cannot buy them on Impulse or D2D or GG. Those are the facts of the matter and where I get my conclusion from.
Click to expand...

Wait, so Valve pulled the EA games from Steam? Where are you getting this info? That certainly isn't what Gabe said.
 
BababooeyHTJ said:
:rolleyes:

When can I buy Left for Dead on Origin? The only digital download service that seems to have a problem with EA is Steam. I think that its kind of obvious who the problem is with.
Click to expand...

The only publisher that has a problem with Steam is EA. Why can't I buy Activision games on Origin?

See how this works?
 
LeninGHOLA said:
Wait, so Valve pulled the EA games from Steam? Where are you getting this info? That certainly isn't what Gabe said.
Click to expand...

The fact that they are available on other services, not Steam. I'm sure Newell's view, or at least his PR statement, is that Valve didn't "pull" the games, it was that evil ole' EA wouldn't do what Valve wanted to the games had to come off. Sorry, but that means EA pulled the games. They had their reasons, but it is still the fact that Valve said "You have to do this," and EA said "We will not," and so Valve doesn't have the games on Steam.

The claim that EA is removing their games from non-Origin services is not substantiated by the evidence. The claim that Valve is requiring you to use Steam for all DLC for anything on Steam is substantiated by the evidence. Further, Crysis 2 was placed on Steam at one point, and EA still has all their other titles on Steam. As such the logical conclusion is Valve pulled the new EA titles because EA wouldn't do as they demanded.


As for Activision on Origin, currently it is 100% EA only and they make no bones about this. It grew out of the EA Download Manager, and the EA Store (they sell physical games, as well as download). It is a service for their games. Now they have stated they plan on adding support for selling games from other publishers, but currently they are EA only and they claim nothing else.
 
LeninGHOLA said:
The only publisher that has a problem with Steam is EA. Why can't I buy Activision games on Origin?

See how this works?
Click to expand...

No, its Valve that pulled these games from Steam, not EA. Thats the difference.

See how this works?

Sycraft said:
The fact that they are available on other services, not Steam. I'm sure Newell's view, or at least his PR statement, is that Valve didn't "pull" the games, it was that evil ole' EA wouldn't do what Valve wanted to the games had to come off. Sorry, but that means EA pulled the games. They had their reasons, but it is still the fact that Valve said "You have to do this," and EA said "We will not," and so Valve doesn't have the games on Steam.

The claim that EA is removing their games from non-Origin services is not substantiated by the evidence. The claim that Valve is requiring you to use Steam for all DLC for anything on Steam is substantiated by the evidence. Further, Crysis 2 was placed on Steam at one point, and EA still has all their other titles on Steam. As such the logical conclusion is Valve pulled the new EA titles because EA wouldn't do as they demanded.


As for Activision on Origin, currently it is 100% EA only and they make no bones about this. It grew out of the EA Download Manager, and the EA Store (they sell physical games, as well as download). It is a service for their games. Now they have stated they plan on adding support for selling games from other publishers, but currently they are EA only and they claim nothing else.
Click to expand...

Yeah, pretty much. EA was open and honest about this from the onset, unlike Valve.

One other thing that I can add about EA is try their customer service. Then try contacting Valve.

Whats the phone number for Steam customer service? Their live chat link?

Valve isn't perfect.
 
He probably used a poor example there. But the main point is that you can buy EA games from neutral vendors, such as D2D, but not Valve games.

Regarding your previous post about who pulled the game, it is hinted at in the article in the op -

http://www.develop-online.net/news/38470/Newell-We-have-to-convince-EA-to-come-back

Last month industry sources speculated that the issue hinged on EA's desire to sell DLC directly to Steam customers, as opposed to hosting content through Valve's own portal.

Valve takes a revenue cut from all content sold through Steam, meaning that EA's alleged strategy - if true - could allow it to circumvent those payments.

Certain EA-published games have been removed from Steam on days that coincide with the release of new DLC. Electronic Arts has also launched the Origin service for PC; something that is categorically a competitor to Steam.
Click to expand...

This has always been the general speculation since the shortly after things occurred. EA has always maintained that the decision was Valve's, and Valve has never denied this.

People however have always been speculating that EA pulled the games solely to make more money via selling through Origin due to preconceptions (whether right or wrong) leading to bias.
 
BababooeyHTJ said:
No, its Valve that pulled these games from Steam, not EA. Thats the difference.

See how this works?



Yeah, pretty much. EA was open and honest about this from the onset, unlike Valve.

One other thing that I can add about EA is try their customer service. Then try contacting Valve.

Whats the phone number for Steam customer service? Their live chat link?

Valve isn't perfect.
Click to expand...

Ha...yeah EA has always been looking out for their customers best interests...remember when they...oh wait, never mind.

:p @ EA fanbois calling Valve evil!
 
Hornet said:
yet EA went ahead and made it so.
Click to expand...
picard.jpg
 
martinje said:
I used to love steam until they did a fiber upgrade at my house. I went 3 days without internet, and I was no worries I log in in offline mode to play my games. Steam gave me a Big FU*K YOU and it will close up. It did not let me play my games in off-line mode. I kid you not my wife was laughing at me when she saw me playing plants VS zombies for 3 days. Since then I have made more room and allowed Origin into my life. So I will see if Origin will let me play my games in offline mode on the next internet outage.
Click to expand...

use steam in offline mode all the time on my laptop. Never had an issue
 
kuyaglen said:
P.E.B.C.A.K. I have no problems with Steam's Offline mode.
Click to expand...

Well I always said the people that always complain that they could not play their games in offline mode are idiots. I was, what so hard on clicking Off-line mode. Well this is what I was getting after clicking on OFFLINE MODE




When you click Ok Steam will close. I tried to load up the games manually by going to steamapps folder, and then steam will load up and say FU*K YOU again.
 
I don't blame Valve or EA in this instance; both are 100% correct in what they did. Valve is trying to get into the F2P market so they made their rules for selling on Steam to reflect this. EA wants to continue doing business as it has been done in the past and there's nothing wrong with that.

Valve isn't willing to make special agreements with EA on DLC sales as they see this as the future of revenue. They are hosting the games, paying for the bandwidth, and expect to make money off the total sale of a game; not the initial purchase only. Remember the F2P games that have no initial sales and only thrive off DLC sales. I see this as them thinking outside the box and preparing for the future.

EA has a vast network of digital and brick and mortar sales and doesn't want to change the way business is done. They are 100% right to choose the way in which their games are bought and sold. They are not obligated to sell their games on Steam. They don't have to share DLC sales as long as they haven't signed an agreement to do so.

What Valve is saying is we think our service generates such large sales numbers that EA should reconsider selling on Steam again. But if EA does they will have to share in the DLC sales as the agreement has changed to reflect the ever changing online sales climate. They understand why EA doesn't want to join them yet, but they welcome them back.

So what they are going to do is see if EA makes the sales numbers that they project BF3 sales should be. Then compare them to what they actually sold. The difference in those are the lost Steam sales and of course other factors. Also they will compare what they sold directly via Origin to what they sold normally via Steam for other franchises such as Crysis 2, DA2, etc.

We will know the outcome when EA does their shareholder report. That will be our way of gauging who's ideas won out.
 
cageymaru said:
I don't blame Valve or EA in this instance; both are 100% correct in what they did. Valve is trying to get into the F2P market so they made their rules for selling on Steam to reflect this. EA wants to continue doing business as it has been done in the past and there's nothing wrong with that.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying I blame Valve, I am just saying that they are responsible for removing EA's games. EA decided they wanted to require their own service, something Valve themselves do, for their games though they'd still sell on other services, something Valve will not do. Valve said that was not ok and pulled their games.

That is fine, that's Valve's choice, but let's be straight that it is their choice.

What I tire of is the people who want to make Valve out to be some glorious freedom fighter, who stands up for the gamers against evil. That is not at all the case. Valve is a company like any other, in it to make money, and they do, hand over fist. They aren't the "good guys" here. Neither are EA, there aren't good and bad guys in this. I'm just trying to help people understand the situation and counter the fanboy crap of "Valve good, EA bad."

Also I want people to examine their own positions. I am shocked at the number of people I've seen who love Steam and say it is the only way they'll get games but hate Origin. I cannot understand this stance that somehow Steam is fine, but nothing else is. I understand wanting to get games digital, I buy all my games that way these days, but I can't understand hating on a distributor that works well, and Origin does, works just as well as Steam.

Finally I get real tired of people saying EA is evil for trying to use a big game to push Origin, and yet being ok with Valve, who did the same thing. Heck in the case of Valve and Steam and HL2, it was a complete disaster. Steam didn't work right in the beginning and people who bought retail were locked out of their game for a time. They fixed it, of course, and Steam is a great service these days but let's be straight about the beginnings.

It isn't a matter of trying to blame Valve (or EA) it is a matter of trying to get people to stop being hypocritical, stop, think about the situation for a moment, and realize not only is their room for more than one distributor, it is what we as gamers want.
 
fps4ever said:
Ha...yeah EA has always been looking out for their customers best interests...remember when they...oh wait, never mind.

:p @ EA fanbois calling Valve evil!
Click to expand...

No, I just find the Steam fanboys that go into every thread about any other digital distribution service saying "Oh, if this was only on Steam" or "Does this register on Steam" annoying. Just because I'm not some diehard Valve fanboy and appreciate competition doesn't make me an "EA fanboy".

No one is calling your hero evil, I am saying that Valve isn't perfect and its in our best interest that the industry doesn't revolve around one company (Valve).

Twist that how ever you want.
 
Sycraft said:
I'm not saying I blame Valve, I am just saying that they are responsible for removing EA's games. EA decided they wanted to require their own service, something Valve themselves do, for their games though they'd still sell on other services, something Valve will not do. Valve said that was not ok and pulled their games.

That is fine, that's Valve's choice, but let's be straight that it is their choice.

What I tire of is the people who want to make Valve out to be some glorious freedom fighter, who stands up for the gamers against evil. That is not at all the case. Valve is a company like any other, in it to make money, and they do, hand over fist. They aren't the "good guys" here. Neither are EA, there aren't good and bad guys in this. I'm just trying to help people understand the situation and counter the fanboy crap of "Valve good, EA bad."

Also I want people to examine their own positions. I am shocked at the number of people I've seen who love Steam and say it is the only way they'll get games but hate Origin. I cannot understand this stance that somehow Steam is fine, but nothing else is. I understand wanting to get games digital, I buy all my games that way these days, but I can't understand hating on a distributor that works well, and Origin does, works just as well as Steam.

Finally I get real tired of people saying EA is evil for trying to use a big game to push Origin, and yet being ok with Valve, who did the same thing. Heck in the case of Valve and Steam and HL2, it was a complete disaster. Steam didn't work right in the beginning and people who bought retail were locked out of their game for a time. They fixed it, of course, and Steam is a great service these days but let's be straight about the beginnings.

It isn't a matter of trying to blame Valve (or EA) it is a matter of trying to get people to stop being hypocritical, stop, think about the situation for a moment, and realize not only is their room for more than one distributor, it is what we as gamers want.
Click to expand...

QFT
 
To everyone that claims they don't want to support more than one digital service: You are all bloody fools and that dream will only fuck every PC gamer in the long run. It doesn't matter if it's EA, Gamefly, Gamestop, or Valve anyone holding a monopoly on how we purchase and play our games digitally will screw over the consumers. You are all fucking delusional to believe otherwise.
 
BababooeyHTJ said:
:rolleyes:

When can I buy Left for Dead on Origin? The only digital download service that seems to have a problem with EA is Steam. I think that its kind of obvious who the problem is with.
Click to expand...

You can buy Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 right now on Origin :)

http://store.origin.com/DRHM/store?Action=DisplayProductDetailsPage&SiteID=ea&Locale=en_US&ThemeID=718200&productID=131113000

http://store.origin.com/DRHM/store?Action=DisplayProductDetailsPage&SiteID=ea&Locale=en_US&ThemeID=718200&Env=BASE&productID=126579600
 
Derangel said:
You can buy physical copies because EA is the retail publisher. You can not buy digital copies of any Valve game on any service except Steam.
Click to expand...

Is that because most physical valve games you can register on steam and use their download servers?

I don't blame EA for pushing Origin...

I blame EA for pumping out shitty sequels and buying IP and good companies and turning them into junk.

I'm avoiding BF3 and ME3 until long after release...
 
ValeTudo said:
Is that because most physical valve games you can register on steam and use their download servers?

I don't blame EA for pushing Origin...

I blame EA for pumping out shitty sequels and buying IP and good companies and turning them into junk.

I'm avoiding BF3 and ME3 until long after release...
Click to expand...

No it's because Valve refuses to allow other digital distributors to sell their games. Valve is rather anti-competitive in that area.
 
BababooeyHTJ said:
:rolleyes:

When can I buy Left for Dead on Origin? The only digital download service that seems to have a problem with EA is Steam. I think that its kind of obvious who the problem is with.
Click to expand...

Um, your point about Left 4 Dead being on origin.....there are NO non-EA games on Origin. Steam has games from every dev out there, EA is just trying to muscle in on Steams action. When Origin has other publishers games, then you can talk shit, but for now your point is moot. Matter of fact is that EA is the only one having a problem with Steam, not the other way around.
 
It has already been mentioned he did not use the best example. Again the situation is this, EA games are sold digitally on neutral digital distribution services, Valve games are not.
 
Sycraft said:
...
Also I want people to examine their own positions. I am shocked at the number of people I've seen who love Steam and say it is the only way they'll get games but hate Origin. I cannot understand this stance that somehow Steam is fine, but nothing else is. I understand wanting to get games digital, I buy all my games that way these days, but I can't understand hating on a distributor that works well, and Origin does, works just as well as Steam.

Finally I get real tired of people saying EA is evil for trying to use a big game to push Origin, and yet being ok with Valve, who did the same thing. Heck in the case of Valve and Steam and HL2, it was a complete disaster. Steam didn't work right in the beginning and people who bought retail were locked out of their game for a time. They fixed it, of course, and Steam is a great service these days but let's be straight about the beginnings.

It isn't a matter of trying to blame Valve (or EA) it is a matter of trying to get people to stop being hypocritical, stop, think about the situation for a moment, and realize not only is their room for more than one distributor, it is what we as gamers want.
Click to expand...

It isn't that people hate Origin for moving in on Valve's DD service. It is what happens when the other publishers follow suit. Origin is EA only, they are not like Steam in that Steam sells other publishers games, they help market, distribute, and sell a variety of titles from small 1 man developers to huge megapublishers. So what happens when you have EA, Ubisoft, Activision, Valve, and every other mid to large publisher or developer pushing their own DD service? This is what many gamers fear. If all these publishers allowed us gamers to choose who to buy from as well as where to install the games to, i.e. on Steam, Origin, Uplay, etc...then that would be an acceptable format for the majority of gamers since it gives us a choice which is all the majority of us who complain want.

I don't mind, nor do I believe others mind, competition but lets not fool each other. EA is not a competitor to Steam. If it was they would open up their site to other publishers and Indie developers, that is what competition is. EADM and Origin are good at what they did and do, distribute EA only games without having a lot of bloat going on. Steam is good at what it does, it provides a comprehensive all in one solution but the byproduct is more bloat, but it is minimal in todays computing world. People bitch about Steam being horrible but it is the only DD service that offers what it does. Is there room for improvement in Steam? Sure, nothing is perfect and there are a lot of services and options I would like to see added but that is beside the point in these debates.

You say as gamers we want more than one service and I don't agree; as we don't want every publisher launching their own DD service and locking us into those services. What we do want, I believe, are choices and alternatives that let us keep track of multiple games from different publishers with a variety of options such as cloud saves, VoIP, friends list, achievements, etc...etc...Sites like D2D, GoG, GMG, and others that are pure DD sites without any bias are fine, but it is when publishers start locking stuff down so that only their services are offered that things get complicated. Having a system that lets you install games from multiple DD sites or at least list them would be ideal and currently only Steam offers this function that I'm aware of. This is perhaps why there are so many supporters of Valve and Steam.
 
TheToE! said:
Not really concerned anymore. I did not want to play Bad Company 3 anyways.
Click to expand...

I didn't want to get into BF3 either until the recent Caspian gameplay trailer blew my mind. It certainly got my interest. On the other hand I really don't like the idea of not being able to use Steam. I'd rather just have one portal for all my games. Not two or eventually more.
 
I don't like either company. EA has always been the dickishly horrible company that they are, but Valve and Activision's recent string of cockery has simply made EA seem less douchy. In the end, they're all giant video game companies that reek of greed. Of them, I like Valve the most because it at least gives a decent window for indie games to get out there.

I don't want more than one digital distribution program on my computer. But if EA starts offering up other developer's games, and can compete with Steam's crazy low sale prices, I may change my mind.

If this doesn't happen, then I guess the last EA game I'll buy for a long while is going to be ME3 (and most likely for the PS3).
 
I can't see myself purchasing BF3 because of Origin. It has quirks that won't allow me to install games properly and DA1 Ultimate Edition has all the DLC locked for me even after 40+ hours of EA trying to troubleshoot it for me. So there's no way I would risk $60 on praying Origin works for BF3.

I don't particularly like much that EA publishes. If EA were selling other publisher's games like Steam, D2D, Impulse, etc I would consider it an alternative to Steam. Selling EA games exclusively doesn't excite me as I avoided their franchises for years. I don't like the way they handle the Madden games, Tiger Woods, deactivating old games from online play, etc. Thus I don't support them in general.

So having to install Origin that doesn't work for me and support a publisher that I don't like to play a game that I absolutely adore is a [H]ard choice to make. I think I can pass on it easily and play my Steam backlog until EA comes back to Steam. Only loser here really is DICE as I think they are a pretty cool developer. Wish their game wasn't tied to Origin though; would be a first day purchase just on their good name.
 
Dion said:
Valve does the same with every game after HL2. Don't be a hypocrite.
Click to expand...
Katalysis said:
Fixed that for you just to say "how soon we forget."

I've used both Origin and Steam, and they both have their pros and cons. I own BC2 through Origin, and Origin doesn't have to launch when I want to play it, online or offline. The only time I even turn Origin on is when I bought something.

Frankly, I think Steam has more wonky bullshit in it than Origin does (Steam has more depth to it, but there are lots of problems with it) and Steam was a massive pile of fail when it launched. All these BF3/Origin threads are literally mirror images of the HF2/Steam arguments.

I haven't pre-ordered BF3, but the fact that I have to install Origin once is no big deal to me.
Click to expand...

Steamworks. Valve games, as well as other games like DNF uses Steamworks services. Regardless of whether you like Steamwork services like cloud-base saves and VAC protection, the point is those features are required by Steamworks title.

BF3 doesn't need Origin like Steamworks title needs Steam. Apart from requiring Origin, you are also required to install Punkbuster because Origin doesn't provide anti cheating protection. BF3 also have its own Battle log for social services. Origin is just a redundant service to BF3.

What feature of BF3 requires Origin? :confused:
 
EA would be pretty naive to believe Origin will ever be what Steam is, and IMO they only stand to lose sales of BF3 by NOT offering it via Steam. Which makes me think this was more Valve's doing than anything... Just my opinion...
 
NukeDukem said:
EA would be pretty naive to believe Origin will ever be what Steam is, and IMO they only stand to lose sales of BF3 by NOT offering it via Steam. Which makes me think this was more Valve's doing than anything... Just my opinion...
Click to expand...

And like many, it's quite wrong.
 
I admit I don't know the facts of the matter. I just don't see how this can possibly be a good business decision on EA's part.
 
NukeDukem said:
I admit I don't know the facts of the matter. I just don't see how this can possibly be a good business decision on EA's part.
Click to expand...

By pushing more people towards origin they will widen it's install base which initially is very small, that gives them a key audience to market other games to and sell digitally without another company like Valve taking a cut.
 
I do understand that point, I just think they're going to lose a ton of pre-orders, initial and total sales of BF3 by doing this. I suppose it remains to be seen if the gambit to push Origin works, granted if there's one pub who could pull it off it's EA.
 
Climber said:
EA, Ubisoft, Activision, Valve, and every other mid to large publisher or developer pushing their own DD service?
Click to expand...

What would it matter? So you have several digital stores you buy games from, how is that a problem? You have to have an account for every forum you post at, for web stores you shop at, for each bank you have a credit card with, for companies (like cable) you do business with. Multiple accounts are a fact of life, how does it matter if it applies to game downloads too? I don't refuse to shop at Amazon.com because I have a Newegg account. I have a Discover Card even though they require an account separate from my bank. I eat at more than one sandwich shop even though they won't use each other's loyalty card.

I don't mind, nor do I believe others mind, competition but lets not fool each other. EA is not a competitor to Steam.
Click to expand...

Well perhaps we should give it a chance. Steam was nothing but an authentication tool for HL2 when it came out, and a badly broken one at that. Wasn't until after that when the first 3rd party titles started to appear on Steam. EA has stated they want to gte 3rd party titles on Origin.



Sites like D2D, GoG, GMG, and others that are pure DD sites without any bias are fine,
Click to expand...

Ahh but there aren't many pure DD sites. Steam isn't, it is Valve of course. GOG isn't, it is CD Projekt. Notice how it is all old games... Except for the Witcher 2. That's because the same company is behind both. That is also the reason why only GOG had a DRM free version of Witcher 2 when it first launched. Impulse I suppose could be argued is at this point but it wasn't, Stardock created it and indeed it grew out of Stardock Central which like Steam was originally something for them to update their programs. Still it is the only DD where you get Stardock games. The DD services are often heavily tied in with publishers. If people wanted an "unbiased" service then Direct2Drive would be the big one, since it is run by Gamefly, and IGN before that.

but it is when publishers start locking stuff down so that only their services are offered that things get complicated.
Click to expand...

But that is PRECISELY what Valve does. All Valve games from Half-Life 2 on are Steam only. They use Steamworks for protection, and so require Steam to be installed and running to play. They are sold only via Steam, not any other DD. Valve has locked things down so only their services are offered more than any other company.

Again note, EA has not pulled BF3 from other download stores (Impulse, D2D and Gamers Gate all have it), they are just requiring their client (to what extent is unclear). So they are doing what Valve does, but at least selling other places, whereas Valve will not.


Having a system that lets you install games from multiple DD sites or at least list them would be ideal and currently only Steam offers this function that I'm aware of.
Click to expand...

Well two things:

1) Origin offers just that. Take any recent (say 2008 or newer) EA game from any source, retail, online, whatever, enter the key in to Origin and it'll activate there and allow you to download. It plays nice too. So if you activate a game, but then install it from CD, Origin notices the install and shows the game as available for play.

2) Valve doesn't actually do as you think. What they do is require you to register games on Steam is they are Steamworks protected. So buy a Steamworks game and you HAVE to download and install Steam and register the game on it. They aren't saying "Oh you can play this game from another service and we'll let yo have it here too." They are saying "You HAVE to use our service to play and update this game, even though you bought it from somewhere else." There are very few exceptions where you can register a random game and get it on Steam, that isn't Steam works (UT3 is one of the few I know). For example if I try to activate Assassin's Creed Brotherhood or Grand Theft Auto 4 on Steam, it doesn't work. I own both retail, and Steam sells both, but Steam won't let me activate them, they aren't Steamworks titles.


That's my point with all this. Valve has not been a "play nice" company when it comes to digital distribution. EA seems to be playing far nicer, and yet people are mad at EA. My point also is that people seem to be acting like EA "pulled" their games when all evidence indicates that is not the case. EA took actions that caused Valve to pull their games. Very different case.

Also, with regards to providing services, that seems to be part of the reason EA wants BF3 on Origin (the other part is to push Origin I'm sure). For Bad Company 2, you have to log in with an EA account (same unified account as Origin) to play online, get your in game friends, have stats, and so on. I think they want to move that over to Origin, rather than have a per-game system.
 
That Brian guy in the comments on that site is a collossoal fuckface.

I can't stand these people that refuse to buy anything that isn't on steam, even if there is no reason. Refuse to try Origin! Why? Because slurp slurp gag steam slurp.

Fucking morons throwing their toys out of the pram.
 
Sycraft said:
What would it matter? So you have several digital stores you buy games from, how is that a problem? You have to have an account for every forum you post at, for web stores you shop at, for each bank you have a credit card with, for companies (like cable) you do business with. Multiple accounts are a fact of life, how does it matter if it applies to game downloads too? I don't refuse to shop at Amazon.com because I have a Newegg account. I have a Discover Card even though they require an account separate from my bank. I eat at more than one sandwich shop even though they won't use each other's loyalty card.
Click to expand...

Competition is when you have 10 different stores, and one same product that is available on all 10 stores. When you have 10 stores selling their own distinct product, that's not competition, that's segregation.

I'm all for EA having their own store to add to the competition, but when they stop selling their products on other's store, that's anti competition.

Hypothetically speaking, if all publisher starts selling their own game on their own store and stop selling them elsewhere, is that a competition? That's a disaster.

So you see, the problem here is not so much about EA having Origin, but its about EA taking away other options. Mind you, for certain regions the only place for a DD copy of BF3 is Origin (we cannot get ANY EA titles from Impulse, D2D, GG, etc).

This is something that I've always dislike about EA's policy, not something that I only dislike when they came up with Origin. Before Origin, I can only buy their game on Steam. With Origin, they take the title away from Steam as well, and the only thing that's changed for me is the store. Still no option.
 
Hornet said:
I'm all for EA having their own store to add to the competition, but when they stop selling their products on other's store, that's anti competition.
Click to expand...

See that is the problem, that is THE THING I've been trying to get people to understand, and why I'm getting frustrated and accusing people of being Valve fanboys: EA did NOT pull their games from Steam. Valve pulled the games. This is Valve's choice, not EA's.

You can buy Battlefield 3 on Impulse, Direct2Drive, and Gamer's Gate (probably others). Do you really think EA would pull it only from Steam and not from the rest? No.

So here's what happened: EA decided BF3 was going to need to use Origin. To what extent is unclear. Maybe just to get updates and DLC, maybe an "all time time" thing like Steamworks, we don't know. Regardless, they decided that was what they were going to do. Impulse, D2D, GG, all of them were fine with that. After all, they all sell Steamworks games, which need Steam. Valve decided they were not fine with that, and pulled BF3.

Thus if your issue is with Valve, not EA.

That is what is driving me crazy, this attitude that Valve can do no wrong, this assumption that EA is evil. Please remember when this all happened EA came right out and said what was going on. They said "We are going to require Origin for DLC and Valve isn't ok with that, we'll keep selling on any DD platform that is." Valve said nothing and now is saying they want EA back.

I support Valve's right to run their service as they see fit, but stop trying to pretend like EA decided to screw them. EA decided they wanted their games to require their service, same as Valve has done for 6 years. Gamestop (Impulse), Gamefly (D2D), and Gamer's Gate all said "No problem, we'd still love to sell your game." Valve said "No that's not ok, you have to use Steam for all DLC and can't require your service to sell on it."

Valve is the one being anti-competitive here.
 
Im now using using 4 digital distro's now. I used to be Steam only user until Steam gave me the Fu*K You. I now use Origin, Direct 2 drive, Impulse and Steam. Now I can play all my games without needing the actual app running accept for one. I will let you guess which one that is. Any takers??
 
Sycraft said:
See that is the problem, that is THE THING I've been trying to get people to understand, and why I'm getting frustrated and accusing people of being Valve fanboys: EA did NOT pull their games from Steam. Valve pulled the games. This is Valve's choice, not EA's.

You can buy Battlefield 3 on Impulse, Direct2Drive, and Gamer's Gate (probably others). Do you really think EA would pull it only from Steam and not from the rest? No.

So here's what happened: EA decided BF3 was going to need to use Origin. To what extent is unclear. Maybe just to get updates and DLC, maybe an "all time time" thing like Steamworks, we don't know. Regardless, they decided that was what they were going to do. Impulse, D2D, GG, all of them were fine with that. After all, they all sell Steamworks games, which need Steam. Valve decided they were not fine with that, and pulled BF3.

Thus if your issue is with Valve, not EA.

That is what is driving me crazy, this attitude that Valve can do no wrong, this assumption that EA is evil. Please remember when this all happened EA came right out and said what was going on. They said "We are going to require Origin for DLC and Valve isn't ok with that, we'll keep selling on any DD platform that is." Valve said nothing and now is saying they want EA back.

I support Valve's right to run their service as they see fit, but stop trying to pretend like EA decided to screw them. EA decided they wanted their games to require their service, same as Valve has done for 6 years. Gamestop (Impulse), Gamefly (D2D), and Gamer's Gate all said "No problem, we'd still love to sell your game." Valve said "No that's not ok, you have to use Steam for all DLC and can't require your service to sell on it."

Valve is the one being anti-competitive here.
Click to expand...

If that's the case then I stand corrected. But as of now, I'm not entirely convinced that this isn't what EA intended. Sure, they can technically come out and say they now want this and that, and it doesn't agree with Steam's agreement, and the obvious solution is of course to take those games off Steam, as you can't operate without a mutual agreement on the T&C.

But if Valve really wanted EA out of Steam, Gabe could have just told EA to sod off but instead, Gabe now comes out and say Valve is still looking forward to work something out with EA. The only thing for sure is there's a disagreement between them. But it doesn't mean Valve is trying to be anti competitive by kicking EA out. Just because EA said it was Valve who pulled the games, it doesn't mean that EA wasn't the decisive factor here. If you break the T&C, of course everything comes to a halt, but that doesn't mean that Valve was the one who wanted EA to break them just so they could kick EA out.

And the way I look at it, EA has everything to gain from this, and Valve has nothing to gain.

BTW, I'm living in those region I mentioned in my previous post, where all EA games are restricted on other DD services.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top