Call of Duty: Black Ops dedicated servers hosted exclusively by GameServers

by Griffin McElroy on Sep 11th 2010 6:00PM

Diehard PC gamers celebrated the news that, unlike the previous game in the series, Call of Duty: Black Ops would have support for multiplayer matches on dedicated servers. However, this group will probably be decidedly less thrilled by Activision and Treyarch's decision to partner with GameServers.com, which will have complete exclusivity rights for renting out the game's dedicated servers.

Treyarch community manager Josh Olin explained the partnership will allow administrators to "Kick, Ban, and Configure it the way you see fit," adding that Ranked servers will have fewer configuration options than their Unranked counterparts. GameServers' pre-order page prices 18-player Ranked servers at $14.95 a month with discounts for three, six or twelve-month payments. Unranked servers will be offered at $0.99 a month per player, with a maximum of 24 players. Of course, Treyarch's servers will be free -- provided you don't mind being part of the mainstream.

Source: IGN

Tags: activision, Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops, pc, treyarch

Reader Comments (74)

Sucks for people who want their own dedicated servers :(

@Doctor Who

Also, off topic, anyone know why I can't seem to upload a picture for my avatar? It says it works, but my picture never changes from the j-block

@Doctor Who 100 x 100 images worked for me.

@Doctor Who

Why does it suck? Gameservers isn't bad at all from my experience. My clan uses them primarily for our voice and game servers. My personal ventrilo server is also with them.

@Doctor Who

I had the same problem. Use firefox to upload it. It's the only one that seems to work.

@Doctor Who No different than BFBC2

@Shadowbender

Tried 50x50, but that didn't work :(. Do they have to be custom made?

@Doctor Who

Try uploading it using firefox. I had the same problem

@Prboi

Ok, it worked. Thank you Prboi

@Doctor Who

So, does it not update posts I've already made, or is it supposed to?

@FlareSama
Some people, like me, like to run our own servers from our own dedicated server. So we can freely do with it as we please and not pay a monthly fee for it.

@Doctor Who
Maybe in a few years PC gamers will earn the upgrade to allows the users to choose their own dedicated server providers. Who am I kidding, Activision probably has some deal with them.

I can't get behind anything with the words Activision involved in it these days. And this kind of shit proves exactly why.

@Cleric Why does this "suck?" Other than being strangely restricted to one provider.

Paying for server hosting is how PC gaming has always been with games like this- for years. It was like that with every game in the PC CoD series, all the Valve shooters, Battlefield, etc...

You are aware of that right?

@VIDEOGAMES
It's not terrible since we're still getting dedicated servers and GameServers have good quality servers, but GameServers doesn't cover the entire world and those who would prefer to run a server on their own box on their own connection can't. If people had access to the dedicated server files, they could set up their own server and play with less lag if GameServers didn't host servers in a database near where they lived.

@einhanderkiller

Not the mention the artificial monopoly that is created. This is basically the monthly fee Activision wanted so badly. But only limited to the people who rent server.

want this game NOW, agh well still playing reach

@ferid

Because you and your little pirate hat stole it? Or you got it early?

@oJMan240o Ironic avatar.

@Shadowbender

Ironic and telling.

He pirates good games and plays terrible ones like maple story.

This is the same path DICE took for Bad Company. Why try to blast Activision now?

Well thats convenient

I dont see whats so bad about it

@Faenix

Neither do I. They get what they wanted & just because it's not exactly what they wanted, they get a pissy about it

Hey I not into PC gaming at all so can someone explain why having your own servers is such a big deal?

@kives343
Admins are able to kick/ban hackers or unwanted troublemakers from their own servers. Owner can also govern the rules of their own server, what map is playing, and what mode.

@kives343 It's like owning your own house compared to living in an apartment. You can do whatever the hell you like in your house and always invite your good friends over vs. being locked down by routine and rules and always got strange people barfing on the stairway.

@kives343

Communities, play-styles and gametypes all used to form around dedicated servers. As restrictions on servers increase, change and innovation has to trickle down from the developer much more than it used to.

Its a had issue to parse, though. Games used to also have a couple years between sequels, at least, so you could count on people being in your favorite server. The yearly release schedule almost makes dedicated servers a waste, if everyone's just going to jump ship as soon as the next game comes out.

@wcarnation,
that's the perfect description right there.

"Lol no one uses dedicated servers and they're expensive so we removed them"

"We love our fans so when we heard they actually like dedicated servers we chose to bring them back because we're so nice, you'll have to pay for it though"

These people are complete assholes. Take something away, then bring it back but more costly. Standard dickbag borderline scamming tactics.

@Mehbah

Dedicated servers are rarely free. When they are, its almost beside the point.

The reason people want dedicated servers is so they can create a permanent home for themselves and their clanmates. Their gametypes, their rules, their favorite maps and, in a kinder time, their mods.

When dedicated servers are doing what they're supposed to do, they're being paid for by the players. All Activision is changing here is the variety you'd usually get when finding a server to pay for.

@Mehbah You know those super-popular PC games like:

TF2 - Valve doesn't pay for any of the servers
Counter-Strike - Valve doesn't pay for any of the servers
Battlefield Series - EA doesn't pay for any servers

The list goes on an on.

All the people complaining must not be PC gamers, because this is how it has been, and how it likely always will be.

Exclusivity to one server provider is different though, admittedly.

@VIDEOGAMES - This is an assumption, but if they have exclusivity for private servers, it probably precludes you from running your own server. Some of us have enough bandwidth to handle doing so, and if this keeps us from doing it, and makes us have to pay instead, it is a pretty lousy thing for Activision to do to its customers.

Again though, this complaint is completely reliant on that being the case. If it isn't, then they've just upset anyone with a preferred hosting company (most of these people are on PC anyway...but that is another topic)

@VIDEOGAMES Valve actually does have some TF2 and CS:S servers, just not nearly enough to fill demand for the game. I think in TF2, I saw them numbered as high as 49.

Protip: people have ALWAYS rented dedicated servers, try not to give Treyarch and Activision shit for it this time.

@Frank Lee
Not me. I ran my own HL DM, CS 1.6 /CZ, and many more servers. All VERY well populated. I hosted my own L4D2 and TF2 server. Not very well used often, so I closed those down.
I hate renting servers. It's just such a waste.

America's Army has been doing the renting of dedicated servers for many years now.

kives343- You set the rules and such for your server you are running. Not everyone can come into it. You can boot anyone for any reason.

I remember how much people bitched about there being no dedicated servers for MW2. Pointless petitions and what not. Complaining how they couldn't do whatever the hell they wanted to with the game anymore. Thing is, the PC people that throw the bitchfests need to quit complaining about that kind of stuff. They already pay $10 less for games and there really isn't much in the way of stopping them from stealing it for free if they want to anyways. Last time I checked they don't have to pay to play these games if they don't want to, unlike the 360 players who have to.

So someone wanted you to play what they spent two years working on. So what? If you worked on a game for two years would you not be a little upset if people went in changed it on the very first day? I would be. Point is, you are paying for their work, not the right to mess with their work (regardless of whether or not it makes it better), and they have the right to do whatever they want with their product and it shouldn't matter. If they want you to actually play the game then just shut up and play it. It's not the end of the world just because you don't get exactly what you want.

The PS3 people didn't start petitions against Activision or Treyarch or the Call of Duty franchise when it was announced that DLC would come to the 360 first, why are PC people justified in doing so just because they actually have to play, and not just mod, a game? DRM, bitch away... I agree. Dedicate servers, they don't really matter that much in the grand scheme of things. There is no potential for you to not be able to play the game without dedicate servers.

@oJMan240o *don't have to pay to play online.

@oJMan240o Not our fault you're enough of a sucker to pay $10 more for games and let people charge you for online play, hey, don't be stealing away the foundation we've been playing on.

@oJMan240o

tl;dr

@oJMan240o There are so many countless problems in your post. I'll point out some of them:

1. The jerk-offs over at Activision raised the price on the PC version of MW2. So "paying ten dollars less" does not compute well with this article.

2. 360 gamers HAVE to play games they don't want to? Are you out of your wits? I have all 3 consoles, so that makes me a 360 gamer as well as PS3 and Wii gamer, and never do I ever play games I don't want to.

3. Developers make games for people to play. Therefore, why would the public just stand there on the sidelines as a developer ruins what people believe have the potential to be a good game. They can make a difference, so why wouldn't they? Besides, this is a multiplayer situation. In some aspects, multiplayer is meant to please an audience. The lead dev isn't being forced by petitioners to change his own story, they're asking to change an issue with MP. (But in some cases, multiplayer can have a story and and concepts that a lead developer wouldn't want to change. It's his idea, his piece of art. But anyway, back on topic.)

@oJMan240o

Ok, here's the thing you missed. Dedicated servers spawn communities. It's nice to know the people you are playing with on a regular basis. Clans and friendships are formed. Aside from a little drunkness now and then, everyone is pretty well behaved thanks to admin. Logging on to your favorite server is like sitting down on your couch. It's comfortable.

Compare that to the cluster f@#$ that is match-making. When I go online I want to play, relax and have a good time, not listen to children spew racial slurs and garbage.

@Shadowbender

It's really not even worth arguing with you idiots. I'm not defending Activision. Activision can suck my left nut. I'm defending the people who put make the games. The people who work long nights for years on end to bring you entertainment. If you're against them then you can suck my right nut before I stomp your face in.

At your number two, your an idiot. Where did I say that 360 owners have to play games they don't want? I didn't you put that in there yourself because you're an ass and a crybaby who doesn't want to accept the fact that he's wrong. You either made that up to make yourself sound better or you can't read. I said 360 owners have PAY to PLAY. God, I'm being insulted by a person who can't read. That's hilarious.

Also, you haven't played the game. How can you say they are ruining it? If they are ruining it, then don't buy it. It's pretty damn simple. If it's not worth your money then don't give them your money. I fail to see how you spending your money like an idiot is a hole in my argument.

Your argument against my argument is nothing but holes.

@Heston I agree with that, but you can always mute them. The children are a completely different issue entirely. They infect every game anyways.

@oJMan240o "your an idiot"

That one never gets old.

@oJMan240o

Oh no, all the people bitching about something that isn't automatically in the game voted my post down. Oh no, whatever shall I do?

@RadiantViper

Should I have used ignoramus instead? I am quite fond of that one.

@oJMan240o

"I agree with that, but you can always mute them. The children are a completely different issue entirely. They infect every game anyways. "

some people play games for the social aspect, muting every douche, while it does mute the douche, also takes away from the social aspect.

i would much prefer know that i can log into a server with 31 other people i regularly play with, that play Russian roulette with matchmaking for the chance to only have to mute 6/11 other people im playing with.

And even then, those other 5 people you left un muted, most of the times don't say shit.

@oJMan240o You can pirate the game almost as easily on 360 as PC. So I don't know where you're getting this "We have to pay to play you can pirate it" bull ****.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops dedicated servers hosted exclusively by GameServers

Reader Comments (74)

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:03PM Doctor Who said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:04PM Doctor Who said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:12PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:13PM FlareSama said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:15PM Prboi said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:22PM jynxycat said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:23PM Doctor Who said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:33PM Prboi said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:50PM Doctor Who said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:57PM Doctor Who said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:21PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 11:53PM Themoreyouknow said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:08PM Cleric said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 11:26PM VIDEOGAMES said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 12:44AM einhanderkiller said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 4:54PM context said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:23PM ferid said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:49PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:59PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 8:41PM BrianH said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:24PM jynxycat said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:30PM Nint3ndofr34k said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:30PM Faenix said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:32PM Prboi said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:33PM kives343 said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:07PM KillaPat said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:11PM wcarnation said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:14PM Chareth Cutestory said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:25PM vmenge said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:34PM Mehbah said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:18PM Chareth Cutestory said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 11:22PM VIDEOGAMES said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 8:03AM BananaBoat said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 12:51PM Powerlord said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:34PM Frank Lee said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:26PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:40PM Follisimo said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:43PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 6:45PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:03PM wcarnation said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:09PM Zacxx201 said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:11PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:16PM Heston said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:43PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:45PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:48PM RadiantViper said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:48PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 7:51PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Sep 11th 2010 8:38PM BrianH said

Posted: Sep 12th 2010 5:04PM DaRiste1 said

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