EA Joins Steam with Spore, Mass Effect, and More; Dead Space, Mirror's Edge Coming Soon

109
Publisher Electronic Arts today officially joined Valve's digital distribution network Steam, with major EA titles such as Spore, Mass Effect, and Warhammer Online all now available for digital purchase through the service.

Recent EA releases such as Dead Space and Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 are also listed under the Steam "Coming Soon" section, along with the January 13th-due PC release of Mirror's Edge.

Mass Effect is selling for $29.99, while Spore carries its standard retail price of $49.99. A bizarre package including Europa Universalis: Rome Gold Edition and Spore was briefly listed for only $22, but was quickly removed--an apparent error on Steam's part.

Other EA games available on Steam include the Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack ($20), FIFA Manager 09 ($40), and Need for Speed Undercover ($40).

The games are apparently available without the controversial SecuROM DRM they initially shipped with. Though Steam specifies SecuROM DRM for titles such as Ubisoft's Far Cry 2, the product pages for EA-published games do not list any third-party DRM. Shacknews has contacted Valve for confirmation.

The news is not unexpected, as the EULA agreement for Spore was found on the Steam website earlier this week.

Internally-developed EA games had previously only been available for digital download via the publisher's own online store.

Thanks to lealwai for the heads up.

Filed Under
From The Chatty
  • reply
    December 19, 2008 1:14 PM

    any idea how the subscriptions work? if i purchased it through the EA store, will that key be good to download the games through steam? or when they shut down the EADM, will we be screwed...

    • reply
      December 19, 2008 1:15 PM

      While I think EADM is shit I'd be surprised if EA will shut it down.

    • reply
      December 19, 2008 1:26 PM

      Doesn't matter, because your download through EA is only good for what, a few weeks unless you purchase their extended download option.

      • reply
        December 19, 2008 1:55 PM

        it's 6 months, but hopefully the direct exposure to steam will stop them from being fags...

        • reply
          December 19, 2008 4:45 PM

          ha.. Ha.. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAH EA stop being fags?

          Hey guys brainchild420 thinks EA might stop being fags! ahhahahahaha ;-)

Hello, Meet Lola