BioShock gets Steamed, also heading Direct2Drive

by Ross Miller { Aug 16th 2007 at 1:25PM }

If you need to play BioShock at the absolute earliest time possible and have exhausted your other options (e.g. Toys 'R' Us, Joystiq, X3F), both Valve's Steam and IGN's Direct2Drive service are offering pre-sales for downloading the anticipated title.

Although Direct2Drive is offering a $5 coupon to be used on a later purchase, they also write that you will be able "download and play BioShock on approximately August 21." If the word "approximately" scares you, Steam lays out their plan more directly: "pre-load now, purchase when ready, play as soon as the game is available."

European gamers can pre-order BioShock via Direct2Drive here, due out "approximately August 24."

Pre-order from Steam
Pre-order from Direct2Drive

Gallery: BioShock

Tags: 2k, 2kgames, bioshock, direct2drive, ign, irrational, steam, valve

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ali @ Aug 16th 2007 1:31PM

So will they pull a Tomb Raider in Europe again?

Jose @ Aug 16th 2007 1:36PM

Love me some Steam!

I just need the demo to be dropped on the service to see how it runs on my PC.

Chris Gregg @ Aug 16th 2007 2:07PM

@ Hose:

Thats exactly what I was thinking.

Chris Gregg @ Aug 16th 2007 2:10PM

Oops, sorry. I meant Jose. : )

Jose @ Aug 16th 2007 4:35PM

Same thing ;P

Not really, but I never bothered to figure out how to type letters with accents.

mr nimblewick @ Aug 16th 2007 1:41PM

Oh, take THAT stores... that are trying to sell this game...

SeNiLe911 @ Aug 16th 2007 1:49PM

Demo please!!!

panzerjedi @ Aug 16th 2007 1:54PM

I'll be buying from Direct2Drive. =D

rivaldi22 @ Aug 16th 2007 1:56PM

Maybe if you get the Limited Edition from Steam, they'll give you a Big Daddy desktop widget instead.

Who wouldn't kill to see the little guy maul your Recycle Bin?

Make you go "aw" every time.

FrankTheCrank @ Aug 16th 2007 1:57PM

It's stuff like this that keeps me from buying a 360.

I can't wait for Falcon, but with GOW, Lost Planet, Geometry Wars and Bioshock on the PC...what's the sense of spending $349 when I can get all these games for less than $150.

I seriously can't wait for FALCON!! Let's go MS.

FrankTheCrank @ Aug 16th 2007 2:00PM

SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST!

felixlighter @ Aug 16th 2007 2:14PM

I do not accept your apology.

FrankTheCrank @ Aug 16th 2007 1:59PM

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Aug 16th 2007 2:51PM

Games on PC's suk so STFU! Mouse and Keyboard? Give me a break. Damn Nerds!! Nobosy cares what you think I have my 360 and love it =) I dont need to upgrade this and that on my PC. That all I hear about PC games "Oh I wonder if my rig will run it"? Stop wondering and get a console and play on a huga a$$ f*cking screen like mine. Jerkoffs!

d-pad @ Aug 16th 2007 3:31PM

FenixKnight,

Do us all a huge favor and take a jog with some scissors.

James @ Aug 16th 2007 2:20PM

I'd only buy an FPS for a PC. And since there's no demo so I can see how the game would run on my machine, I'm not bothering with it. SOZ.

razer @ Aug 16th 2007 2:30PM

I'd rather cut my arms off and shove them up my arse then play games on the PC. I hunch over a PC all day at work, why would I want to hunch over it again for my gaming.. I guess I don't have that uber-nerd PC stamina.

Curmeo @ Aug 16th 2007 2:36PM

lol so much for "exclusivity". virtually all of the "must have" 360 games are or will be on PC shortly.

Phranctoast @ Aug 16th 2007 2:49PM

that little fact, and the rrod is whats keeping me away.

UT3 having m+k support, and me having a 60"HDTV will make it the first fps i buy on a console instead of the pc version (ill prob still get pc version as well)

Boss Tempo @ Aug 16th 2007 3:30PM

Yea because hunching over a PC at your desk is almost the exact same experience as being comfortably kicked back on your couch, enjoying games without updating drivers, video cards and checking the latest version of directX. Why would I want to spend money on a 360 when I can cause my gaming experience to suck even more? Because I'm broke and have convinced myself that PC gaming is just as good as 360 gaming, that's why.

Don't worry...there's always Crysis, but oh wait...360 will probably get that too.

Avatar @ Aug 16th 2007 4:39PM

Actually, Tempo, you should see some office desk chairs you can get. Or those Sumo lounge bag chair things. And frankly, paying for those upgrades is what provides us PC gamers with better performance. Plus I've never found a practical use for a console. (i.e. I can't type up a paper or create game mods or do anything as far as media creation is concerned) Most console gamers probably have a computer too, even if they don't use it for gaming. PC gaming just streamlines everything and puts it all in one place, instead of spread all over the house.

borland502 @ Aug 16th 2007 2:52PM

While I am a proud PS3 owner too Curmeo, the "PC" is essentially owned by Microsoft. So they take a lesser cut with the PC; they still get our gold.

shamgar @ Aug 16th 2007 5:09PM

Umm thats whats so great about the PC...no one gets a cut except the people who make and publish the game. Why do you think 360 games cost more? They have to pay royalties.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Aug 16th 2007 2:53PM

Exactly!! Screw PC games!

steve @ Aug 16th 2007 4:54PM

who the hell rattled your cage, console boy?

Dan @ Aug 16th 2007 3:05PM

What's with all the PC hatin' out of nowhere? Intre-console fanboy rivalry wasn't enough for you, so now you flame PC gamers too?

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Aug 16th 2007 3:15PM

Actually I stay away from console "flame Wars" as they call it, since they will never end. Anyway I just cant get playing games on the PC. My bad yo!

FrankTheCrank @ Aug 16th 2007 4:10PM

Fenixknight..

That's cause your PC sucks. And if I ever went against you in a multiplayer game, I would take you out, because you cannot beat the keyboard and mouse for control. It works perfectly.

steve @ Aug 16th 2007 4:49PM

I think it's because most console "fanboys" are just angry little boys, prone to start a fight about anything. That's why there's always those fights over which console is better. Honestly, I never really understood the need to violently promote some rich company that's not paying you a damn cent. Maby PC gamers are just that much more mature.

anonymous @ Aug 16th 2007 3:35PM

Why would you play videogames on a console?! First of all, the controls suck. Second, the precision sucks. Third, the resolution sucks. Why would I want to play on my 65" 1080p Sony WXRD when I can play on my 30" Apple Cinema Display that runs my game in 2560x1600? That's REAL resolution and my mouse and keyboard provide superior results. I own all three consoles and enjoy them, but for first person shooters, strategy, MMO and RPG games, they simply can't compete with the PC.

Also, you're going to get burned if you order from Direct2Drive. There is a REASON it says APPROXIMATELY. That reason is that Supreme Commander was a huge pre-order game and those of us who pre-ordered it didn't actually get to download and play it for about TWO WEEKS. They offered a number of explanations about how the company that made the game was still working on making it work with their DRM scheme or whatever... but the fact of the matter is still that the "pre-release" wasn't available until TWO WEEKS POST RELEASE.

Also, people who hate gaming on the PC tend to be the idiots who are new to gaming and couldn't operate their fucking toaster properly.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Aug 16th 2007 9:05PM

Mouse and keyboard? Precision controls? NO F*CKING SHIT!!!! You point and click! Wow must take great skill. Man your so full of sh*t with your 65" this and your 30" that. $1800 for a PC Monitor?? LOL!!! Your a f*cking moron.

Bishop @ Aug 16th 2007 3:42PM

I am hearing from sources up her in Canadiana, that the game is being delayed until September 2nd due to a bug caused by the pressing that is game breaking. Anyone know anything about it?

This is very disheartening if true.

Shawn @ Aug 16th 2007 4:10PM

What a bunch of pc hating fucktard trolls. Stay on your console news and keep those comments to yourself. It's bad enough the rest of the population has to read the pathetic sony vs. ms horseshit day in and day out on the net, let alone retard opinions on PC gaming. Go fuckoff.

To the subject at hand, this is great news for STEAM users like myself, and it looks like those who choose to pre-order on STEAM get to play the game before anyone else, maybe that's why the console fanboys are in a downward spiral of dumbfuckness. It's bad enough they have to use clumsy thumbsticks for their control scheme, I guess they'll have to wait too. What a shame.

hahnchen @ Aug 16th 2007 4:22PM

If you can't see the benefits of PC gaming, then stay on your couch with and carry on waggling on your joysticks. I'm actually surprised that the argument on cost above seems to have concluded that PC gaming is cheaper.

When was the last time anyone had to check the latest version of DirectX? Probably not as recent as the time you sent your Xbox back.

isoproplex @ Aug 16th 2007 4:47PM

Consoles = cheap toys with anemical build quality that you have to send back to the manufacturer once a year because they break down. Also, clunky gamepads with limited controllability ("Oh noes, we can't allow the player to do that because we've run out of buttons :(").

WiNG @ Aug 16th 2007 5:06PM

I primarily play PC b/c of most of the reasons listed here. I don't play sports or fighting games so there you go.

I got a wii b/c it was the only console that did something a PC can't normally do, plus it has IPs I will never see on a PC. Meanwhile every big 360/PS3 game will come to PC or just be a clone of an existing game. So, IMO Wii/PC is the best option. Wii for party games, motion, laid back stuff and magical Zelda kinda stuff. PC for FPS, RTS, MMO games that frankly suck on Console.

oh yeah and Dreamcast > PS3

Tom @ Aug 16th 2007 5:57PM

I want to play it for my PC, because I feel like I have superior control with a mouse and keyboard....also, i feel like it is a bit more immersive because you are closer to the screen.

The only problem is that while my PC is decent, it is 2 years old and probably won't be able to run the game all that well.

So that is why I'm buying it for the 360.

Vetinari @ Aug 16th 2007 10:12PM

Sally sold Sea shells down by the sea shore.. i saw it.

GTMoogle @ Aug 16th 2007 10:43PM

From my 2560x1600 desktop, I must say...

Totally worth every one of those 125000 pennies. (You can get deals on the Dell 30")

That said, I may have to buy a 2nd 8800GTX for bioshock... gotta make sure I don't drop any frames. :)

Anyway, I was a huuuuge System Shock 2 fan (I don't think I've played through any game more). I hope bioshock lives up to its spiritual predecessor.

GTMoogle @ Aug 16th 2007 10:46PM

Doh, that was supposed to be a reply to anonymous and fenix up there. Lost it trying to figure out what to allow to run java. Degrade more gracefully please joystiq! :)

AdamC @ Aug 17th 2007 9:05AM

Here is a couple questions: If I buy the boxed retail version, can I register it on Steam, like I did with HL2? If I preload the game on Steam, will my install from a retail version be quicker? Or should I just give up my old ways and commit to using Steam?