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Activision Joins Steam (Updated)
by Chris Remo, Oct 12, 2006 10:59am PDTValve has just announced that major publisher Activision is the latest game industry company to pledge support for Valve's successful Steam digital delivery service. Recently, publisher Majesco made several of its games, including Double Fine's Psychonauts, available via Steam, and various independent developers have used Steam as a primary distribution channel for their games. Today's deal will see four Activision games on the service: Infinity Ward's Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2, Grey Matter's Call of Duty United Offensive, and Neversoft's GUN. Details such as pricing and availability dates were not revealed. "Activision has been a player on every major gaming platform dating back to the Atari 2600," said Valve co-counder and president Gabe Newell. "We're delighted to welcome them to Steam, and offer this legendary company's products." Update: Valve has provided Shacknews with pricing information for the games. Call of Duty, Call of Duty United Offensive, and GUN will all be priced at $19.95. Call of Duty 2 will be priced at $39.95. All four games are expected to launch this month.
Comments
Yes, the infrastructure and bandwidth to distribute have associated costs, but there is no way you are going to get me to believe it's the equivilant of paying for media, having the media burned, packaging and shipping it. Not to mention the other downstream costs of warehousing and shelf space consumption.
Even the older games released on Steam are about double what I see them for in a brick and morter bargain bin. I'm reminded of the old days when they said they would pass on the savings associated with moving from multi 3.5" floppies to a single CDROM. Never happened, if anything prices increased.
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Digital Distribution is good only if it offers independant developers the opportunity to make more money, take more risks in game design, and make cooler games that directly connect with their customers.
Big companies like Activisions can reach people already with giant marketing campaigns and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Activision being on digital distribution isn't going to change their method for making games, taking risks, or supporting the community. It just gives them another revenue stream (yay stockholders!).
Digital Distribution is only great for gamers and the industry if it allows creative, independant developers to make money on games that don't sell millions. Games that are riskier that big publishers will avoid.
We already have Call of Duty 2 through 6 coming. What does it matter if I download it or buy it at the store?
What I want is for the fine developers at Double Fine, and other indie studios to have a way to make great, creative games without having to be dependant on publisher's demands.
(christ, I could only come up with Double Fine as a talented indie. Irrational is no more, Bioware is giant corp...the world is scary)
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1) Global release for the english language.
2) I save money. $50 USD for a new game, through the exchange rate, is way less than what Australian stores charge.
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so retail is cheaper than online? what the fuck? you pay more for less physical stuff?
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However, I think this is a great move. Purchasing and getting it delivered is easy, it finally beats the 'easiness' of getting a game through pirate downloads, also making it extra easy for a guy like me (who's outside the US-EU axis) to get games in time -- I won't have to wait for the publisher's goodwill in releasing the game on my country.
The day we see an id game on Steam will truly be a historic day. It's getting closer.
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CoD2 from Steam in CAD = $45.36
Hot.
I can buy at play.com for 19.99 pounds, boxed version, and free shipping to my country. All this 'buy digital' were supposed to offer better prices. :/
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I've avoided installing Xfire all this time (I like to avoid unnecessary apps) , and Steam's friends list is pretty simple, yet gets the job done. I'd like to see it integrated into many of the games offered on steam, even if on a superficial level (this player is playing <GAME>, even though that game may not be multiplayer).
TL;DR - I want to play Quake Wars with the friends system.
I appreciate Steam as a distribution utility, not as a copyright protector.
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Damn this is cool. I'm getting all excited and hope more pubs get on board in the future.
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I like Steam -- it's not obnoxious and it works. The big thing with me is that I'm not willing to install 9000 Steam-like apps so I can get an endless barrage of pop-up windows from Gamestop, and any other companies considering an entry into this market.
I guess a huge congrats to Valve are in order. :)
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It sounds good, and I'm excited about it, but I kind of worry about that. I've been exposed to quite a few great games from smaller developers that I normally wouldn't have without steam.
Way to go Valve.
Man... that would give me the biggest boner ever...
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