Dragon Age II is the latest game from Electronic Arts to mysteriously disappear from Steam, but the publisher of the game is pointing a long finger back at Valve Software. The game has been removed from Valve’s digital distribution platform on the eve of the launch of the new downloadable content, Legacy, to boot.
Electronic Arts is blaming Steam owner Valve for the disappearance - or more precisely, a new Steam policy:
"At EA, we offer our games and content to all major download services including GameStop, Amazon, Direct2Drive and Steam," Electronic Arts SVP of Global E-Commerce David DeMartini told IGN. "Unfortunately, Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to sell downloadable content. No other download service has adopted this practice. Consequently some of our games have been removed by Steam."
"We hope to work out an agreement to keep our games on Steam," he added.
You may recall that Crysis 2 was also pulled from Steam after downloadable content was released for the game on other digital distribution platforms last month. EA claimed at the time that it was due to a distribution deal for the DLC that violated Valve's agreement. EA has been quietly battling Steam since the launch of its own digital distribution platform Origin. While the company continues to say that it will support any and all platforms to get its game into the hands of gamers, it sure seems like Steam is starting to become an option that is no longer viable in EA's eyes.
Valve Software has not publicly commented on this story.
Source: IGN
Comments
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
This game sucks why is it a major story? This game was no where near as good as Orgins. It was rush released within a year
It did have some difficult decisions like either force yourself to be gay or get negative points because you wouldn't start a homosexual relationship with a Gay Terrorist name Anders. Yes before the real life Anders committed a terrorist act there was the DA II Anders who is a terrorist himself
I can go on and on about the games faults but that is my line in the sand I know its the decision from the Left most of the Democratic Party that you should try to be gay and accept it but its like someones creepy uncle wanting to get with you. A game that makes you lose points if your not gay why wasn't this on Fox News?
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
Wow I think you hit half of Fox new's talking points in there. Video games encouraging love of a gay terrorist created by the leftmost side of the Democratic party. I bet throwing in a few more adjectives, proper nouns of major Democrats, as well as "taxes", "agenda" , and "liberal media" you could basically make all their negative news stories.
I don't even know why you chose to go off on this tangent, the story isn't about the games content at all, just that EA is clearly getting it's panties in a bunch over not being allowed to steal users from steam as easily.
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
hmm it appears to be something along the lines of valve doesn't want you to have downloadable content that you can't get through steam for a game, aka we are offering your game on our system and let you patch through us, we just want a little part of the DLC price as well rather than have you circumvent it with your own store....
I don't really know who's right here, though I think EA is being a bit more of an jerk and using it as an excuse to make publicity about steam being "restrictive" when in basically every other way it is on the less restrictive end.
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
hmm it appears to be something along the lines of valve doesn't want you to have downloadable content that you can't get through steam for a game, aka we are offering your game on our system and let you patch through us, we just want a little part of the DLC price as well rather than have you circumvent it with your own store
If that were the case then Valve would of pulled Mass Effect 2 before now.
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
they are allowing games that already had it to keep it, a grandfather clause if you will.
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
So... does anyone know what the conflict is? What are they trying to do that Valve doesn't want them to do?
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
The conflict is this:
Valve's Steam is the big cheese of digital stores. EA wants to be that. What other way to get there than s¤%ttalk the opposition?
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
What, will their excuse change to 'joint decision', then to 'superior service' and then back to 'valve oppresses our dlc limiting ideals' again?
It didn't work so well last time EA. Try the TRUTH for once, maybe people will hate you less. (though I doubt it)
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
It seems EA doesn't like not being the most hated publisher anymore. Well with decisions like these they'll sure get back on top in no time!
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Randi Tastix - http://randomtastic.com
Re: Dragon Age II Disappears From Steam, EA Blames Valve
"Unfortunately, Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to sell downloadable content. No other download service has adopted this practice. Consequently some of our games have been removed by Steam."
Translation:
"We want to promote Origin, so we're taking our games off Steam one by one and blaming Valve."