Shack PSA: Call of Duty Black Ops Pre-Loading on Steam Now

November 8, 2010 10:05 AM

[Update: 6:45pm] An Activision representative has confirmed to Shacknews that users who purchase Call of Duty: Black Ops in stores will be able to play the game right away. Digital copies, it seems, are at the mercy of Valve's Steam clock.

[Original Story] In preparation for the server crash that's bound to happen when Call of Duty: Black Ops hits Steam tomorrow, the game is now available to be pre-loaded.

The option to install the 8GB+ title went live over the weekend and gives players the opportunity to immediately jump into the action when Black Ops becomes officially available on Valve's popular digital distribution service.

According to my east coast timer, the game won't go live until around 10am on Tuesday, November 9. In that time, Xbox 360 and PS3 owners would have "Prestiged" about seven times each and ruined the ending for everyone who has yet to play the game.

It would nice is Steam would launch at midnight too, especially considering the PC version of Cod Blops runs on the Steamworks infrastructure. For that reason, it's possible that retail versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops for the PC will not be able to function until the game goes live tomorrow. [Ed. Note: See update]

Shacknews has contacted Valve to find out how Steam will deal with retail PC players but has not heard back at the time of publishing.

Steam: Call of Duty Black Ops Store Page

Xav de Matos

Xav de Matos was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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gydot

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November 8, 2010 10:10 AM

From past releases, L4D/2, Empire etc. Valve operate on THEIR HOURS and not midnight. Means you wait for them to get in to work, have a coffee then they flip the switch. Maybe.
- jacobvandy
  
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  November 8, 2010 10:19 AM
  
  Yes, but they're always straightforward about the game unlocking at 10AM or whenever (sometimes it's late). Though New Vegas was released at midnight, so it is possible for them to do that... I assume it's something to do with publishers not wanting it to compete with midnight launches at retail stores.
- rtrson
  
   reply
  November 8, 2010 10:35 AM
  
  This might matter if I were unemployed or still in college. I can't stay up all hours of the night playing anyway.
- wfalcon
  
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  November 8, 2010 10:37 AM
  
  Not always. I know they flipped the switch on Fallout: New Vegas at midnight PST.
- mikeohara
  
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  November 8, 2010 12:18 PM
  
  I'd love to skip class and just binge on Multiplayer all day long, but sadly I can't. Maybe Valve and Activision will play nice and let us PC gamers play at midnight alongside the consolers.
- clayton006
  
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  November 8, 2010 1:23 PM
  
  Given the last release of call of duty and left for dead I was able to activate my retail copy shortly after midnight when I got home from the launch. I figure this one would be similar. I live on the east coast so I'm not sure that makes a difference.