Infinity Ward responds to Modern Warfare 2 dedicated server petition
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Oct 20th 2009 at 4:00PM } 
"We're just prioritizing the player experience above the modders and the tuners," West explained. The duo had received countless complaints from PC Modern Warfare players who were unable to find a match online that wasn't riddled with cheaters, "insular" clans and enormous skill disparities -- problems they hope IWNet will eliminate. When asked why both matchmaking and dedicated servers couldn't both exist, West explained that this practice would "bifurcate the community."
The implementation of IWNet will likely make the game more accessible to casual PC gamers -- however, we worry that Infinity Ward might be ignoring the timeless adage of "make new friends, keep the old, one is silver and the other gold." What do you think, dear readers? Is this a smart move or a brilliant mistake on Infinity Ward's part?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
waynski1457 @ Oct 20th 2009 4:04PM
First StarCraft 2, now MW2.
WHAT THE HELL IS KOTICK SLIPPING INTO THE PUNCH?
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 20th 2009 4:26PM
It rhymes with "perm".
the_pop @ Oct 20th 2009 4:35PM
What the hell is berm?
iHavepants {SteamPSN: Arkanti} @ Oct 20th 2009 4:36PM
Lasagne?
time @ Oct 20th 2009 4:44PM
"Look at all the asshats that paid one penny for World of Goo."
best penny I ever spent
XGM @ Oct 20th 2009 4:55PM
Yea well I guess that one more game ill be saving on this year. Thanks Infinity Ward and Blizzard.
Mr.ESC @ Oct 20th 2009 5:22PM
Sorry to kidnap the first post but look who is on the subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vOMuAhz6rE&feature=popt14us04
RKN @ Oct 20th 2009 5:25PM
He's slipping PC haterade.
fffunfarm06 @ Oct 20th 2009 5:42PM
NOBODY BUY THIS GAME. SPEAK WITH OUR WALLETS AND LETS PIRATE THE BITCH
RKN @ Oct 20th 2009 5:58PM
Pirating won't help, it'll just give them more excuse to fuck over PC gamers in their next game releases.
Pirating looks tempting and I'm betting they want us to just so they have an excuse to stop making games for PC altogether.
Edge @ Oct 20th 2009 11:27PM
The "Silver/Gold" adage doesn't make sense, especially when the industry is stuck in a "more hardcore than thou" mentality... and PC gaming is the worst of it. What happens when games start catering to the most hardcore segments but not everyone else? The industry collapses under it's own weight.
IW is doing the right thing, believe it or not.
I can guarantee you, games like Halo 2 and 3 would not have risen to such popularity if they implemented the standard server browser instead of a robust matchmaking system.
bAsH @ Nov 13th 2009 2:30PM
These people seem to have forgotten how the gaming communties were made. It should be a matter of choice. PC complaints about cheaters and skill disparity, that's such an awful example. Dedicated servers are self regulated, not one server I've played in regularly, tolerates any type of cheating. Skill comes with time and practice, and you don't get much better playing against other beginners. Now we have to find a new FPS. Thanks IW!!
tsunami1080x2 @ Dec 3rd 2009 2:16PM
All this is, is an excuse for Infinity Ward to make more money. Its become all about the money and no longer about the games. There is a specific differentiation between PC gaming and console gaming for a reason. No true PC gamer wants to play without a console (~ key) or a match making system. FPS games were originally made for the PC and thats where they are meant to be played. Infinity Ward you are ruining the future gaming of FPS games for the PC. You are a greedy, money hungry company with no morals for the gaming community. You are lucky there are so many ignorant people out there that will buy your game, even though they want to petition it. Otherwise you would be bankrupt right now. I shun my head in disgust to you're atrocious company.
Obie @ Oct 20th 2009 4:05PM
While I see what they are doing, is it really that much trouble to let players run dedicated servers paralel to that new IWNET stuff?
JXCgunrunna @ Oct 20th 2009 4:16PM
That is exactly what I want. I would love to be able to just sit down and jump into a game but other times i want to host my own lan servers and have 3 on 3 tactical tournaments. I can't do that if they mess with this. Plus that means no mods and mods are half the fun.
Obie @ Oct 20th 2009 4:18PM
Ya know, I am certain the game will have LAN support, I bet hackers will hijack the LAN system and implement it on outsourced rented servers.
LE RESISTANCE!
copa @ Oct 20th 2009 4:27PM
Infinity Ward is not concerned about 'bifurcating the community'. They are dropping dedicated servers to fight piracy. Requiring authentication to play online is probably the most effective anti-piracy method out there.
I love playing games on player-run servers, but I also recognize that piracy of PC games has gotten absolutely redonkulous.
I don't want to hear about "PC piracy would go away if games were more reasonably priced." Look at all the asshats that paid one penny for World of Goo.
JXCgunrunna @ Oct 20th 2009 4:37PM
But what we are saying is let there be an option to go through IW.NET to find dedicated servers set up by the same people that set up servers for Call of Duty 4, Call of Duty 2 and CoD for the past 6 years. If valve can do it with TF2, IW can do it with MW2
fffunfarm06 @ Oct 20th 2009 5:38PM
CoD started on the PC. now they are stabbing them in the back.
jackal @ Oct 20th 2009 6:02PM
Copa,
That would be a legitimate argument if the game didn't need to be registered with Steam. If you're going to use DRM (while Steam can be cracked, it's been a much more successful form of copyright protection than SecuROM or Tages) to verify the authenticity of a game (constantly), why would you then cripple online connectivity options to meet the same end? To do both is complete overkill and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone else will to go to those lengths. "To stop piracy" is the answer you used, but let's be honest with each other. If people are savvy enough to pirate an MMO like WoW and find methods of playing it online without using Blizzard's servers, there's not a damn thing Infinity Ward can do to prevent a MW2 pirate from doing the same. For every dumbass who gets popped on IWnet for having a pirated copy of the game, you'll find at least 10 other people who were smart enough to fool the game in order to use pirate servers to play online. You know it, I know it, they know it. All of this "it's to streamline the experience for casual gamers" and "it's to fight both piracy and to preserve the integrity of the game from cheaters" crap they've been spewing for the better part of a week is simply an attempt to white wash their goal of consolizing our experience (which means they want to sell us shit they wouldn't have been able to in the past). I do not condone piracy at all (anyone who's read my previous comments is painfully aware of what I think of anyone who torrents a game) but I'm tired of anyone remotely sympathetic to a developer's plight automatically screaming, "It's to fight piracy!" when an important feature (or, in this case, many features) is gutted from the game. If a car manufacturer removed everything but a bare bones AM/FM radio from their entire lineup (even though all of the previous year's models sold for as much despite having all of the features that were cut), would you believe them if they were to say, "It's to prevent auto theft"? No, you'd realize they removed those features because they want you to pay extra for them.
enderwiggin13 @ Oct 20th 2009 6:09PM
I don't understand that correlation between dropping dedicated servers and pinging an authentication server. Please explain. I play TF2 which has dedicated servers AND authenticates with Steam....what's the difficulty?
BananaBoat @ Oct 20th 2009 6:29PM
Let's get real here. They didn't do this to combat piracy, they did this so that they could sell DLC to PC users. When modders have created hundreds of new maps, modes, weapons, and everything else, how do you sell DLC to the PC community? Further complicating it is the ability for PC users to play on LAN games without authentication (think Hamachi) which means that they can use the DLC maps without paying anyway. This is a calculated move to sell DLC to PC users (not just for MW2, but for Activision games going forward probably) and it really stabs PC users directly in the back for all of their support.
For anyone that isn't a PC gamer, dedicated servers are how the community has been set up for years. You'd find a server you liked, and then play there for years. When a new game came along, your friends from the server (which often includes friends you know IRL) migrate to the new game, and the process continues. Dedicated servers are also how clans function, and I can't see competitive gaming thriving with the pings you are likely to see with non-dedicated servers.
This is a disaster, and that they don't seem to recognize that is aggrivating to say the least. I guess they know that pissed off PC gamers are likely to buy the game anyway. I'm not sure which platform I'm going to buy it for yet, but I hope that someone figures out how to make dedicated servers work with IWnet (someone on the podcast where this whole debacle started suggested putting a graphics card in a dedicated server, and running a private game from there. It doesn't seem practical though)
I've been defending Activision for a while now, but this is the king of dick moves.
John jacob @ Oct 20th 2009 7:12PM
I guess you guys don't see why they decided to chop off dedicated server support, it is quite simple actually. They are doing this so that they don't have to give out free map packs. They will release map packs on the PC, just like the console, and they expect people to pay for them. If they had dedicated servers someone can just include those maps so that you don't have to buy them. That's right, its not about lowering ping, or preventing cheaters and piracy, its about squeezing every nickle out of your wallet. First the $10 price hike, then the charging for maps.
aristokrat @ Oct 20th 2009 7:32PM
I agree on the DLC front, but I must add that as a result of this they are only going to increase piracy (and in fact give the pirates a great incentive). Anyone who wants to play on a dedicated server will now have only a pirated version as one that gives them that option. Why would you force legitimate potential customers to choose between piracy or nothing at all if dedicated servers are a big deal?
I encourage everyone who is interested in this game for PC to pirate it, because that's the only thing that these big corporations have listened to (see: EA, SecuROM, and Spore). Not buying it won't help, but if the Modern.Warfare.2.Black.Server.Edition torrent is in the top 10 on every server, they'll get the message. I'm predicting (and hoping) that this will also happen with StarCraft 2, because people want LAN support and they shouldn't give in.
aristokrat @ Oct 20th 2009 7:34PM
And I'd add that nothing will bifurcate the community more than players who have their own version of the game, and I'd bet that IWnet turns into a community of noobs while anybody who knows enough to want more will either pass or pirate.
alinos @ Oct 20th 2009 9:04PM
Dedicated servers do not aid or prevent piracy
operation flashpoint dragon rising is using this listen server setup pirate copies work on it fine
Can people stop talkling about piracy in general because MW2 wasnt i cant say anything now a game that was going to be pirated to a point where it hurt the hip pocket
as jackal so rightly pointed out there are pirate WoW servers what makes you think that if pirates dont want to they cant make there own and newsflash when they do where do you think the communitys gonna go
As for whoever has been complaining(Total BS in my view ) about insular clans and skill disparitys matchmaking isnt going to get rid of skill disparitys everyone will get to max lvl soon enough and insular clans have a clan server for a friggen reason if you cant handle the competiition find another server no one is forcing you to play on that dedicated server this time theyll be forcing you to play on the listen server against a bunch of 3-4 guys that come in as a squad so dont expect much change there
the BS thing is theve taken us back to 16 players and we have to w8 for the server to fill before the game initiallises thats great :< not only is it hard enough to find an low ping server since im in australia on the listen setup its gonna take me 10min+ to get into matches depending on the time of day matches i may quit not 30 seconds after getting in or kicked for lagging all the US players
Run the dedicated servers through steam make it that steam initialises the connections and then your gonna need a working copy on steam to get to the servers works for all there games and while they might get pirated its better than outcasting the community
The community has already bifuricated a third are boycotting it then a quarter are the guys who havent heard the news and the rest are the guys who think it "MAY BE GOOD" or just cant be arse with the BS
just means instead of ingame bifurication people just arent coming
Xlr0 @ Oct 21st 2009 5:23PM
C-C-C-COMBOBREAKER
CheeziePotato @ Oct 20th 2009 4:05PM
Bad move, Infinity Ward, bad move.
Flit @ Oct 20th 2009 5:42PM
"We're just prioritizing the player experience above the modders and the tuners,"
Holy shit. That might be the most disrespectful thing said about the PC community i've heard from a developer.
Here's a Hint guys: if someone is still buying your games on a PC, they probably ARE a modder/tuner.
Thousands of people play TF2 online everyday on PC, with nary a cheater or complaints of mods.
These guys are just digging.
capt_carl @ Oct 20th 2009 6:00PM
@OP: Agreed. Infinity Ward is turning a cold shoulder to the platform that got their series started.
RKN @ Oct 20th 2009 9:20PM
Infinity Ward isn't the only developer who started on the PC and now is shatting on it.
Epic and ID Software come to mind.
Mark C @ Oct 20th 2009 4:07PM
From the Game Informer interview:
"Predictably, nerds across world took to the Internet with a wailing and a gnashing of teeth that would make the Left 4 Dead community proud."
Thanks assholes. Won't be reading anything your site has to offer anymore. Wonder if they realize they're a *gaming* site?
Joshua @ Oct 20th 2009 4:11PM
Just because you don't like the truth doesn't make it any less true...
All 99% of the complaints were was petty whining...
Mark C @ Oct 20th 2009 4:23PM
Actually I was referring to tone of this assclown Adam Biessener who did the writeup. They can leave the 'PC fanboy' this and 'nerd' that out of their 'news', thanks.
It's a legitimate complaint for PC gamers interested in MW2. They're nerds and fanboys because they're pissed they're losing something they had in the original MW?
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 20th 2009 4:29PM
Us "nerds" are what keeps these games going. Modern Warfare, while a great game, wouldn't survive had it not been for the community that set up countless servers and custom maps. Activision and IW can fucking smoke a dick for this move.
Mr.ESC @ Oct 20th 2009 4:38PM
GI is owned by Gamestop.
Gamestop sells retail games therefore they don't like this digital distribution thing a bit and who buys digital distribution games? ding ding PC gamers therefore they aren't cool people according to game informer.
Space @ Oct 20th 2009 4:44PM
yeah because you know everybody on 360 and ps3 just stopped playing MW because of the lack of custom maps.
mw wouldn't have survived if millions upon millions of console owners didn't buy it and it's DLC
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 20th 2009 4:54PM
Space, your lack of PC gaming knowledge makes me want to punch you in the throat.
Space @ Oct 20th 2009 5:04PM
@CP
you said MW would not have survived if it weren't for the online community setting up servers and custom maps.
here's a tid bit for you, this could not release at all on the PC and it will still be the biggest selling game of all time! how is that for "not surviving?"
you's a bitch
Discotheque @ Oct 20th 2009 5:10PM
Space, he clearly meant MW would not survive on the PC if it wasn't for the community support with mods and such.
So in reality, for not being able to figure that out yourself:
You's a retard
Space @ Oct 20th 2009 5:19PM
yeah it wasn't the awesome game that the devs built for you that helped keep the game survive. it was all the online community. they must've made billions off of you playing online!
we have you to thank for the success of this franchise!
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 20th 2009 5:39PM
I don't know why I bother replying to your dumbass Space but thank you to Discotheque for understanding and pointing out what I thought was a clear response to a PC GAME RELATED STORY.
No fucking shit MW would have done just fine had it come out on consoles only. You must be the smarted fucking person in the world for figuring that out.
SpaceFox @ Oct 20th 2009 4:06PM
Well, they have good reasons but I can't say I'm not disappointed.
Go BC2! At least that will have dedicated servers on all systems.
Jimbodawg @ Oct 20th 2009 9:06PM
All systems?
Did not know that.
I was already planning on picking this up next year and now I have even more reason.
Honestly though, having dedicated servers should always be an option for PC. Including a matchmaking system as well? Great!
That gives players a CHOICE for what they WANT. I thought developers listened to their community, they sure do brag about it a lot. Why pull this RIGHT BEFORE RELEASE!?
HollowYoshi @ Oct 20th 2009 4:06PM
MW2 is killing the advantages PC games... first they raise the price to $60 for the PC version and now they pull dedicated server support...
HollowYoshi @ Oct 20th 2009 4:07PM
**the advantages PC games HAVE
Somehow forgot a word there.
protofunc @ Oct 20th 2009 4:21PM
You could say that. But essentially it's a lose-lose situation. If they allow dedicated servers, cheating WILL occur. It's inevitable. No matter how sophisticated software is, there's always going to be an exploit. Vice versa with NOT running the servers. There is the crowd that won't be able to play on them at all. So on one side, it's put up with complaints about cheating. On the other, it's put up with complaints about no dedicated servers.
It's practically choosing between your left or right testicle.
Dawglet @ Oct 20th 2009 4:35PM
I think it's pretty obvious now that the Call of Duty franchise overall has just become much more geared towards console gamers.
Alphathon @ Oct 20th 2009 4:36PM
@HollowYoshi: $60...just be glad your not here in the UK, where it's £40 on PC, or $65US. Feel really sorry for the console guys though, as it's £55 (which works out at $90US). At least it's a bit cheaper on PC here than on consoles :s (normally PC games cost ~£20-30 though). Not to mention the hardened edition is £70 ($115US). Hate to think what the prestige edition costs :O
@Protofunc: True, but that still leaves the third option of having both.
Space @ Oct 20th 2009 4:51PM
"It's practically choosing between your left or right testicle."
is it really that bad? I mean Really?