AfterDawn: News

Digital stores will not sell Modern Warfare 2 due to Steamworks

Direct2Drive, the PC gaming digital distribution service, has said today that they will not be selling the expected blockbuster Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 because it includes rival Valve's "Steamworks."

Steamworks includes auto-updating, anti-cheating, Achievements and Steam Cloud technology.



D2D calls the technology DRM however and says they will not sell the game because "we don’t believe games should force the user to install a Trojan Horse."

As an alternative, D2D will offer a $5 USD off coupon for other Activision titles and says they will never support any products with Steamworks, due to its forced nature.

After D2D made its decision, many other digital stores joined in the boycott, including GamersGate and Impulse. Says Impulse: "We share some of the same concerns as Direct2Drive over the bundling of the Steam client with the game. The most obvious issue is the forced inclusion of a competitor's store that blocks us from carrying the game."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 7 Nov 2009 1:56

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• 15 comments

• Kane3162

  Quote:After D2D made its decision, many other digital stores joined in the boycott, including GamersGate and Impulse.. Says Impulse: "We share some of the same concerns as Direct2Drive over the bundling of the Steam client with the game. The most obvious issue is the forced inclusion of a competitor's store that blocks us from carrying the game."
  HAHA that was really funny, isnt that the pot calling the kettle black? ever heard of the games Stardock (cough impulse) carries? guess what? on all newer games YOU HAVE TO INSTALL IMPULSE TO PLAY ONLINE/GET UPDATES JUST LIKE STEAM (also D2D/Gamersgate DO also have the same issue, in order to get updates for a game i bought from D2D... GUESS WHAT HAD TO INSTALL THEIR CLIENT)
  
  if this isnt the biggest load of crap (like the IMPULSE platform itself) i REALLY dont know what is

  7.11.2009 02:52 #1

• KSib

  LOL TOO BAD! Hypocrisy ftl.
  
  Weird how you still managed to sell SPORE when it first came out though with all of its lovely DRM. I do give you bonus points for refusing to see CoD: MW2 though even if your reasons are stupid as hell and inconsistent with your own practices.
  
  [obvious]This isn't about DRM at all[/obvious]

  7.11.2009 04:38 #2

• ZippyDSM

  I think what really the issue is its a consolfied port(and a neutered consolfied port at that) and they don't want to fool with it.

  7.11.2009 10:10 #3

• scorpNZ

  Quote:Quote:After D2D made its decision, many other digital stores joined in the boycott, including GamersGate and Impulse.. Says Impulse: "We share some of the same concerns as Direct2Drive over the bundling of the Steam client with the game. The most obvious issue is the forced inclusion of a competitor's store that blocks us from carrying the game."
  HAHA that was really funny, isnt that the pot calling the kettle black? ever heard of the games Stardock (cough impulse) carries? guess what? on all newer games YOU HAVE TO INSTALL IMPULSE TO PLAY ONLINE/GET UPDATES JUST LIKE STEAM (also D2D/Gamersgate DO also have the same issue, in order to get updates for a game i bought from D2D... GUESS WHAT HAD TO INSTALL THEIR CLIENT)
  
  if this isnt the biggest load of crap (like the IMPULSE platform itself) i REALLY dont know what isAwwww someone get their nose out of joint.lmao

  7.11.2009 13:48 #4

• H08

  Originally posted by KSib: LOL TOO BAD! Hypocrisy ftl.
  
  Weird how you still managed to sell SPORE when it first came out though with all of its lovely DRM. I do give you bonus points for refusing to see CoD: MW2 though even if your reasons are stupid as hell and inconsistent with your own practices.
  
  [obvious]This isn't about DRM at all[/obvious]how is it "stupid as hell"? why would you ever sell a product that would help your competitor get more of the market share?

  7.11.2009 14:09 #5

• scorpNZ

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: I think what really the issue is its a consolfied port(and a neutered consolfied port at that) and they don't want to fool with it.Ok can you translate that into english,i assume the software locks a port or something for that software,tried a web search on what a consolofied port & can't find anything same goes for neutered
  
  EDIT: Better make that english for dummies..lol..

  7.11.2009 15:13 #6

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Originally posted by ZippyDSM: I think what really the issue is its a consolfied port(and a neutered consolfied port at that) and they don't want to fool with it.Ok can you translate that into english,i assume the software locks a port or something for that software,tried a web search on what a consolofied port & can't find anything same goes for neutered
  
  EDIT: Better make that english for dummies..lol..Argghhhh sowwy my zippy speak to English translator broke again 0-o
  :P
  
  What I was getting at the game was so neutered and dumbed down for the consoles that there is little reason to sell it on the PC.

  7.11.2009 16:57 #7

• strykertc

  Whatever...the Steam client sucks anyway. Just like the 'Gay'mes for Windows Live...who the hell downloads full games other than torrent anyway? ...oops did I say, TORRENT?
  

  Proud member of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team 2003-2006.

  7.11.2009 23:00 #8

• BLAZE1973

  THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this WARNING. I have STEAM ERROR that still persist on my pc for over a year now, I spent over $500 for the games I purchased through STEAM which is all useless now because I can't play them because of the STEAM ERROR.
  
  Steam - Error
  
  Could not connect to Steam network.
  This could be due to a problem with your Internet connection, or with the
  Steam network. Please visit www.steampowered.com for more info.
  
  
  
  I just lost my hard earned money to STEAM FOR NOTHING

  8.11.2009 04:46 #9

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by BLAZE1973: THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this WARNING. I have STEAM ERROR that still persist on my pc for over a year now, I spent over $500 for the games I purchased through STEAM which is all useless now because I can't play them because of the STEAM ERROR.
  
  Steam - Error
  
  Could not connect to Steam network.
  This could be due to a problem with your Internet connection, or with the
  Steam network. Please visit www.steampowered.com for more info.
  
  
  
  I just lost my hard earned money to STEAM FOR NOTHINGand its rather easy to fix you make online/offline seamless games will function in single player mode offline when online you can get updates and play on the online severs. Authentication of course is mandatory online but thats done at install and update so there is no real issue with not being able to access your stuff..... of course thats a far to consumer friendly system....

  8.11.2009 12:25 #10

• DXR88

  Just one of the many reason i prefer a physical, copy over a downloaded one.
  
  Steam is a great way to get games that are not on shelf anymore. Steams interface is a lot easier to use and strait forward.

  8.11.2009 12:58 #11

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by DXR88: Just one of the many reason i prefer a physical, copy over a downloaded one.
  
  Steam is a great way to get games that are not on shelf anymore. Steams interface is a lot easier to use and strait forward.That's all wonderfull and all, but you will curse the games when the servers go down (they go down a lot) and you will curse it again when the server has a glitch and looses your account. Steam is junk.
  
  That said, I still want to get the night vision edition of the game.

  9.11.2009 00:47 #12

• DXR88

  Quote:Originally posted by DXR88: Just one of the many reason i prefer a physical, copy over a downloaded one.
  
  Steam is a great way to get games that are not on shelf anymore. Steams interface is a lot easier to use and strait forward.That's all wonderfull and all, but you will curse the games when the servers go down (they go down a lot) and you will curse it again when the server has a glitch and looses your account. Steam is junk.
  
  That said, I still want to get the night vision edition of the game.One word Pacsteam and that's all im going to say.

  9.11.2009 11:23 #13

• senator29

  steam prevents the resale of your used games.
  
  other then that steam is awesome. truly sad steam doesn't allow selling our used games. really sad.... no really REALLY ANGRY!!!

  14.11.2009 01:14 #14

• KSib

  Quote:Originally posted by KSib: LOL TOO BAD! Hypocrisy ftl.
  
  Weird how you still managed to sell SPORE when it first came out though with all of its lovely DRM. I do give you bonus points for refusing to see CoD: MW2 though even if your reasons are stupid as hell and inconsistent with your own practices.
  
  [obvious]This isn't about DRM at all[/obvious]how is it "stupid as hell"? why would you ever sell a product that would help your competitor get more of the market share?Because that's not the reason they gave. They CLAIM to not be selling it because of DRM; which is STUPID considering it's DEFINITELY NOT the first game they've sold with DRM like this on it. That's exactly why I said this isn't about DRM at all, it's more about what your saying about profits. See? We can both agree :)

  14.11.2009 04:35 #15