Modern Warfare 2 refused by digital distribution retailers; Steamworks to blame

by JC Fletcher { Nov 6th 2009 at 9:22AM }

PC gamers aren't the only ones angry about the way Modern Warfare 2 is shaping up. PC retailers, starting with IGN's Direct2Drive download service, have made the bold move to leave piles of money on the table by refusing to sell it. It's not in protest of the dedicated server issue or the multiplayer cap, but rather the fact that the game relies on Steamworks for updates, saving and Achievements; and Direct2Drive isn't thrilled about selling a game that requires the bundling of a competitor's product.

"At Direct2Drive," the statement on what would be the Modern Warfare 2 product page reads, "we believe strongly that when you buy a game from us, you shouldn't be forced to install and run a 3rd party software client to be able to play the game you purchased." The site offers an Amazon link to purchase the game, and a $5 coupon for other Activision titles on Direct2Drive.

Impulse and GamersGate won't be offering the Modern Warfare 2 either. Impulse tells VE3D that "the most obvious issue is the forced inclusion of a competitor's store that blocks us from carrying the game."

[Via Gamasutra]

Tags: activision, call-of-duty, digital-distribution, direct2drive, gamersgate, impulse, infinity-ward, modern-warfare-2, steam, steamworks

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 6th 2009 9:25AM

Somehow, I doubt most PC owners care.

Matt @ Nov 6th 2009 9:49AM

F MW2.

F it in the A.

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2009 10:00AM

Funny how perspective changes things. If IW hadn't started eating dicks for breakfast, I probably would have been all over how much IGN sucks and Steam rocks. Now IGN's middle finger at MW2 feels like a small victory, another chance that MW2 on PC will fail and IW will desperately cave into our demands to try and save their game's longevity.

I can dream, right?

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2009 10:02AM

Fuck, vote down my second comment, comment system seems to hate me lately.

Mark C @ Nov 6th 2009 10:09AM

@Azerael unfortunately, I think if MW2 fails on PC (and I hope it does), IW will just blame it on piracy.

All the while ignoring the fact that the 360 version has been available for about a week now.

FNG @ Nov 6th 2009 10:13AM

NEW MW2 TRAILER UP.

http://www.modernwarfare2.com/games.php#/videos?id=8

Not that you guys want the game anymore...

hfm @ Nov 6th 2009 10:17AM

I must not understand what the big deal is, maybe it's because I've bought a few games off Steam and I don't understand why I would care about it's inclusion in the game. Steam isn't malware. It isn't going to put a dent in that multiple gigs of HD space you have.

The internet connection argument is moot, what gamer that's buying MW2 doesn't have internet access?

I just can't jump on this bash train, it doesn't seem like it has a whole lot of merit or usefulness.

rickjamess04 @ Nov 6th 2009 10:19AM

It really seems to me that IW is just looking for an excuse not to make PC games anymore

freaparn @ Nov 6th 2009 10:42AM

One wonders why they even needed an excuse in the first place, however. All this passive aggressive bullshit against the PC crowd makes me wonder why someone at IW couldn't just man up and state: "Look, we want to focus on core profitability on a more secure platform, i.e. consoles. So, thanks for getting us this far, and fuck you."

Seriously. This has been the most drawn-out high school break-up EVER.

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2009 10:52AM

Let them blame it on piracy. I'd rather not see their games on this platform at all than gimped the way MW2 is.

Besides, it would probably be true. Scorned PC gamers turn to bittorrent, it has always been thus.

jedimacfan @ Nov 6th 2009 11:26AM

I can't wait to be upset over this when it gets ported to the Mac in five years, long after it's $5 on Steam and Modern Warfare 3 is out.

/sarcasm

TwistedBishop @ Nov 6th 2009 11:53AM

@ hfm:

It's not an issue with Steam from the consumer's point of view, but from a competitor's. I imagine Modern Warfare 2 will work much like Dawn of War 2 does: you have to launch it from inside Steam itself. It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario. Either you lose sales of a title entirely, or you help direct your customers towards a major competitor's service. While I love Steam and use it regularly, this is going to be a major problem for the industry moving forward.

Or maybe they just won't give a shit. Considering the way they treat PC gamers on a regular basis, I'd assume the latter.

Stevetrop @ Nov 6th 2009 12:43PM

Jesus cap I don't know whats more funnier. How long that comment was or the fact all I could do is hear captain planets voice saying it.

Dreaded Fear @ Nov 6th 2009 12:56PM

Stealing is never the answer, you are not entitled to anything. Once you start justifying pirating a game, you go down a slippery slope and start making excuses of why you should pirate every game.

Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Nov 6th 2009 1:07PM

No one said anything about pirating. I'm telling people to STEAL this game. Go to your GameStop, Walmart, BestBuy, etc and physically STEAL this game. Fuck Activision. Fuck IW. And fuck Kotick.

whiskeyseven @ Nov 6th 2009 1:30PM

keep crying, pc gamers. soon you won't have any games to play. if i were a developer, why would i waste my time trying to please an audience that can NEVER be satisfied? all the console owners will enjoy the game, and the devs/publisher make a bunch of money. win/win.

it's a game. a game which, by most accounts, looks to be of very high quality and will probably be really fun. the devs at IW have clearly worked their asses off here. get over yourselves. if you're not into modern warfare, don't buy it, everyone has their own tastes. if you aren't buying it because of some silly ass nitpicky pc-gamer evangelism, you're an idiot, and you're damaging your community.

Taco_Hell @ Nov 6th 2009 4:29PM

Oh yes, because standing beside your PC-brethren who are getting the shaft is such a stupid idiotic move that will DESTROY the gaming community rather than strengthen it.

AnteSim @ Nov 6th 2009 5:19PM

The real problem is that in order for MW2 on PC to be rampantly pirated, someone needs to buy it in the first place. I feel sorry for him/her, *salute*

WINterfang ( Now with the power to piss you off ) @ Nov 6th 2009 9:27AM

That really sucks for the PC that just want to enjoy the game, they don't even want to sell it.

WINterfang ( Now with the power to piss you off ) @ Nov 6th 2009 9:45AM

Now that I read it twice, I realized it wasn't a big deal, just IGN butthurt because everybody is jumping in on Steam with it's great deals and secure downloads.

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2009 10:03AM

PC gamers that want to enjoy the game are going to have to play a different game.

Filthy Assistant @ Nov 6th 2009 10:18AM

Have you ever made a comment with correct grammar? I don't think you have.

The Baron @ Nov 6th 2009 11:06AM

Not everyone's first language is english. But I wouldn't really say that Steam is always so great - in the UK games are often sold on it for £5-£10 more than online retailers and shops. Given the nature of the platform the whole point should be to undercut retailers since there's higher profit margins, which would in term be much more tempting to gamers, leading to higher sales. Everybody wins, except the high street. And who wants GameStop to win?

Hedgeson @ Nov 6th 2009 12:16PM

I don't know about his grammar, but I don't understand what he's trying to say.

English is my second language, so what?

Traceur_Ryuk [Founder of The Anti-EMCB(tm) and co-leader of ATDF] (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Nov 6th 2009 12:54PM

@Hedgeson: Either you're a total idiot or just a dick, I understand what he's saying perfectly. Hell, I know Americans who write worse than him.

Look At This Suit @ Nov 6th 2009 9:30AM

I was completely and utterly behind this move until they revealed WHY they did it.

Mr Khan @ Nov 6th 2009 9:44AM

Like they're going to do it in some display of benevolent solidarity to the PC gamers or something?

But ultimately, they've achieved that anyway, if only through their own greed.

Kleptomaniac @ Nov 6th 2009 9:31AM

I really don't like this trend of games being bought at retail and other DD vendors using steam for stuff like registering the game and achievements. If I buy a game at retail it means either I don't want to have steam or I don't have a steam account.
Thankfully I am on steam but when I bought Empire:Total war at retail I was pissed off when I got home and was told I was required to sign into steam to register it. What if someone didn't have internet access? Though would be fucked anally without a way to play their game.

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2009 10:04AM

Would you prefer securom?

Veko @ Nov 6th 2009 10:17AM

No internet in 2009, yet you're playing the newest games? I suspect that's a very tiny segment of the population.

Kleptomaniac @ Nov 6th 2009 10:17AM

Well I've only ever read about securom but by the sounds of it no I would not want it on my computer. I'm not giving out about steam like I'm on it and I buy most of my PC games off it but I don't think it should be used as a validation program for retail games. I miss the good old days when you got your registration key in the manual and it was good for as many installs as you wanted on multiple computers.

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2009 10:54AM

Steam games are good for as many installs as you feel like, too.

The Baron @ Nov 6th 2009 11:08AM

I've never had a problem with Steam, its infrastructure, or the registration of games to my account. Plus, who can argue with those weekend deals?

Kleptomaniac @ Nov 6th 2009 11:24AM

@Thebaron

Yeah true I remember grabbing the Valve pack for like 60 euro and recently got S.T.A.L.K.E.R for a fiver! I guess what I'm saying is its a great service....but on its own.

Caboose @ Nov 6th 2009 9:32AM

it doesn't really suck.. it's not like by not selling steam will now raise the price... just means you HAve to purchase through steam.. if you want digital download.. i'm sure other platforms out there are selling it anyway..

pedasn @ Nov 6th 2009 9:48AM

well, you have to install steam if you want to play the game. Retail or Digital doesn't matter..... Steam is required in any case..... that's the problem. So if you don't have an internet connection, you can't register the game.

Caboose @ Nov 6th 2009 10:06AM

really i'm not sure that is accurate.. i was under the impression you needed steam for multiplayer.. i don't know anyone wanting to play multiplayer that didn't have the internet.. but does bring up another point.. i'm not sure if you don't have internet connection and just wanted to play this game for single player if it's worth the $60 ... i heard it's shorter than cod4.. and cod4 was short to me..

McWilly @ Nov 6th 2009 9:33AM

Quite happy to sell Empire total war though. : /

wormania @ Nov 6th 2009 9:33AM

And these companies wonder why Steam has a larger market share.

baby sea tuna @ Nov 6th 2009 9:34AM

So, let me get this straight...now after a year of PC owner diaper-babying there's no longer a boycott of Left For Dead 2 (which was like THE BIGGEST DEAL IN THE WORLD) but now somehow MW2 became the whipping boy. Well, that's it, I guess Activision is going to have to lower their financial projections down to a scant 8 million copies or so.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

baby sea tuna @ Nov 6th 2009 12:43PM

Aww the twuth, it buwwwwwwns!

deaftly (PSN,LIVE,STEAM) @ Nov 6th 2009 1:49PM

Its funny because its true!

XBL: xGeneral DEATHx PSN: Deeth82 [Planeteer | Power of General Hostility and Angst] @ Nov 6th 2009 2:20PM

Some people just hate Troof™. It's always a cycle...person/company gets positive reviews for job(s) well done, the praise floods in, eventually the praise goes to the person's/company's head, and then they do as they please...the praise-heapers cry and whine about how far their precious (insert person/company name here) has fallen, person/company falls off of pedestal; still sells millions.

Ganzor @ Nov 6th 2009 3:59PM

There is still a boycott on L4D2. The owner of the main group was bought off by valve and has turned it into a joke community. The majority of the members still have zero plans to play L4D2. I'm personally not even doing the demo.

Caboose @ Nov 6th 2009 9:34AM

they should have blamed it on lack of dedi servers.. and mod tools..because in a way.. it is to blame.. indirectly.. because the new IWnet uses steam and not dedi servers.. we can't sell this game... then pc gamers would love them.. and throw $$ at them.. man they messed that opportunity up!

XBL: xGeneral DEATHx PSN: Deeth82 [Planeteer | Power of General Hostility and Angst] @ Nov 6th 2009 12:20PM

Even I, someone who hasn't gamed seriously on PC's since the original Half-life, think it was a bad idea to remove dedicated server support...and that's saying something. If anything, they should've added dedicated server support for the consoles. How awesome would that have been?

EnergyPigeon @ Nov 6th 2009 9:37AM

w/e, I dont play PC games, so I dont care

LOL

Azerael @ Nov 6th 2009 10:05AM

You sound like pretty cool guy.

Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Nov 6th 2009 11:45AM

And by pretty cool guy he meant you're a used tampon.

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