Verno wrote on Jul 19, 2011, 14:44:
For the umpteenth time, Battlefield 3 isn't digitally exclusive. I don't know if you just aren't paying attention or something but that's kind of what the entire topic is about. They are excluding a specific market competitor, they are not making it exclusive to anyone. No one has a problem with them making something exclusive to Origin. I may not buy The Old Republic but it won't be because its exclusive to Origin, that's their choice. Playing pin the tail on the donkey with competition is anti-competitive behavior, particularly from a multi-billion corporation who has a significant amount of control in the gaming industry (arguably more than Valve). This isn't about if its their legal right to sell it to X but not Y. Sure it's legal but that doesn't mean the consumer has to like it, support it or be quiet about it - it's shitty behavior and bad for the consumer any way you slice it.
And you just keep regurgitating the same shit too Verno, don't think you're special. On this score yes I know BF3 is on other sites, but it links to Origin just like Dragon Age 2 and Alice 2 do. The issue is that EA want to do exactly what Valve do, bring everyone playing their games into their client, and Steam are not going to allow that. Which is their right. EA made non-Origin versions of DA2 and some other games but obviously they don't want to do that forever, and not with a game like BF3 which will surely have an in-game shop.
Valve can make their games need Steam and EA can make their games need Origin. Neither is doing anything wrong. Your argument seems to be that in order to be competitive EA need to sell on Steam. I am calling that bullshit for several reasons. First off because their competition can be with other game makers and publishers, it doesn't have to be on the store level, and secondly because Valve do the same thing and exclude digital stores. Your focus being on the fact they are so far selling BF3 elsewhere is "missing the forest for the trees" as you said about me. The whole point is they want that direct Origin connection just like Valve have with Steam and Valve will not allow that on their platform.
At the end of the day I honestly have no idea what this is all about except for people wanting all games on Steam because they like Steam. Talk about excluding competitors never comes up as long as a game is up for sale on Steam. When Impulse, Direct2Drive and Gamersgate refused to sell Steamworks games I don't recall anyone whining about it on the basis of the publisher being uncompetitive. Steam refusing to sell games with Origin stores built into them is the same thing.