BioWare title 'will require' one-time authorisation through Origin
Mass Effect 3 will not be available through Steam, EA has confirmed.
The publisher revealed that the latest sequel in the blockbuster Sci-Fi franchise would not be on Valve's digital distribution platform due to what it claims are a “set of restrictive terms of service” limiting how developers can interact with customers.
The game will instead require users of both the retail and digital PC versions to download EA's own e-store Origin to access the game.
“During initial release Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time,” said BioWare community manager Chris Priestly.
“Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content.
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“We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers.”
Priestly added that a one-time authorisation will be required through Origin, but there would be no limit to the number of installs, and that single player will not require a constant internet connection.
EA’s unsurprising shun of Steam comes after a long running feud with Valve over DLC sales policies and the rivalry with the publishing giant’s own digital e-store, Origin.
The dispute arose early last year after EA attempted to directly sell add-ons to its games sold through Steam.
Due to those actions being interpreted as a violation of Steam’s terms and conditions, Valve removed the offending games from its Steam Store.
Back in August EA’s Europe boss Jen Uwe Intat stated the company’s relationship with the Half-Life developer was not beyond repair, and also “didn’t see” that the publisher would only distribute its own games on its own platform.
This latest move however seems to show there is still a long way to go for the two companies to resolve their dispute.
Clearly Steam's terms of service are good enough for every other publisher and dev. EA are just making it blatantly obvious that they just don't want Valve taking a cut from their DLC. This will only come to bite EA on the backside when people don't bother getting it for PC and get it for consoles instead.
I agree, as a consumer, I have already chosen my digital distribution client in Steam. As I refuse to support or contribute to EA's Origin "service"I will not be purchasing ME3, a game that I have been waiting anxiously.
I am now in a position were I dislike EA, and hoping that ME3 will eventually be released on Steam or at least free of Origins shackles.
I hope this strikes the match so that more studios break away from publishers and publish their own games.
Mark
Why would people buying it on consoles cause EA problems? Consoles already sell more copies than PC on the majority of games, there is less piracy on consoles and publishers make more money from them. So why is that a bad thing for them?
All you do by not buying it on PC is put another nail in the coffin of PC gaming and drive more development for console lead games development.
Maybe because console copy sold via retail gives much less money to EA.
My reaction is that I will buy it only from Steam and if it takes 5 years for EA to stop acting like assholes, so be it.
EA will just make all of its games exclusive to its platform (Origin), just like how Microsoft makes Halo and Gears exclusive to their platform.
It's the cost of the console and the cost of the game to play Halo, it's the cost of the game on PC to play ME3//other EA Games. Eventually it won't even be an issue, and it will make sense the way exclusives do.
