Dragon Age II Pulled From Steam, EA Points Finger at Valve

The continued, confusing relationship between Valve, Steam and Electronic Arts continues, with Dragon Age II coming down from the digital platform as the game's downloadable content launches.

Dragon Age II: Legacy, the first major expansion for the RPG sequel, launched this week. Soon after, Dragon Age II came down from Steam without an explanation.

As has been the case in the past, EA was quick to issue a statement about the reason why.

"At EA, we offer our games and content to all major download services including GameStop, Amazon, Direct2Drive and Steam," said EA senior VP of global e-commerce David DeMartini in an emailed statement. "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 continued.

So far, that hasn't happened. Dragon Age II still isn't available through Steam.

The erratic process of pulling EA games from Steam started a few weeks back, when Crysis 2 disappeared. EA said the reason was a change on policy regarding downloadable content, as EA and Crytek had brokered a deal for another distributor to be the exclusive host of that content.

Thus, Crysis 2 came down.

"It’s unfortunate that Steam has removed Crysis 2 from their service. This was not an EA decision or the result of any action by EA," said the company at the time. "Steam has imposed a set of business terms for developers hoping to sell content on that service--many of which are not imposed by other online game services. Unfortunately, Crytek has an agreement with another download service which violates the new rules from Steam and resulted in its expulsion of Crysis 2 from Steam."

Rumors persist Battlefield 3 will not be on Steam when it releases in October. A list of digital distributors on the official website didn't include Steam, but was eventually pulled down. EA has not officially commented, except to say the decision rested completely in the hands of Steam, not them.

When Crysis 2 came down from Steam, Alice: Madness Returns went up. I asked about Battlefield 3.

"No new information on BF3 or what Steam will decide to do with other EA titles," said the company. "We are glad they chose to post Alice on Steam."

You can still purchase Dragon Age: Origins on Steam.

This rubbish needs to end, Steam's terms seem a bit too restrictive, but it feels like EA are all too happy to simply take their ball and go home. Hopefully both sides will figure out something at some point.

the origins/steam war continues

This is a weird thing that EA's been doing, but since I don't play games on PC it doesn't actually concern me. However, it does suck for the people who do play all their games on the PC.

If you want EA games, you wont get it through Steam.

I guess this means I'm going to buy The Old Republic on Origin... gross.

Dragon Age 2 ain't exactly awesome either way so I've stopped caring about anything in that universe.

Oh and EA and Steam need a time out, they should go and sit on the naughty publisher step and think about what they've been doing!

Meh, Dragon Age II is garbage anyway.

John Riccitiello and Gabe Newell need to sex it out....hard.

all because of the DLC. miss the days when you bought expansions to the game and were not nickel and dimed by the game publishers.

They'll be back......

They always come back.

PATRICK, did you mean EA points finger at VALVE?

I guess it has become very clear that Valve answers to no one.

@Seedofpower said:

They'll be back......

They always come back.

Valve being restrictive is dumb. Ea being dicks about it is dumb. Man video games.

And nothing of value was lost.

dragon age 2 and crysis 2 not on steam? ... not a big loss. dragon age 2 was a letdown (icons that tell you how your actions will pan out and the same dungeon re-used 200 times totally makes it a bad game get at me) and crysis 2 is just another shooter... and a pretty bad one tbh.

"Steam has imposed a set of business terms for developers hoping to sell content on that service--many of which are not imposed by other online game services." 

"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."
 

I'd completely understand if the EA/Bioware websites weren't complete and utter messes, and painfully annoying to buy DLC on. But since they are, this is ridiculous.

@buft:

There is no "war" here. EA is just trying to keep Origin in the news and in the process make Steam look like bad guys, kicking and screaming like a child whose mother just refused them some money for the ice cream truck.

@delorean99947:

http://store.steampowered.com/publisher/Electronic%20Arts?snr=1_234_234__13

its all about the cut that Valve takes on everything (including DLC) and by having it as a in game store thing, it bypasses Steam so valve doesnt get the cut, EA gets 100% of it... and thats fine. But is Legacy not available on XBL and PSN for example? And they get cuts of that shit FOR SURE.
 
So while EA has every right to want to have 100% of profit on DLC, its OBVIOUS this is about Origin vs Steam and they are using this as a way to look good and still get their games off steam.

I'm glad to see EA using their bully pulpit to make a very public stand about whatever weird draconian policies that Valve is using on the back-end of Steam. It feels like the publishers at the top of the chain (ie, those that are Valve's competition) have long had a strained relationship with Steam, while it support and bolsters indie developers who aren't much of a threat and are willing to meet the behemoth on its own terms. The fact that EA is making this public of a stink about it makes me wonder when other major developers will do the same. I recognize that fracturing the download marketplace on the PC front is going to be inconvenience for customers, but it always struck me as odd that a relatively high-profile developer was the gatekeeper for the biggest distribution channel, and only surprised it took this long for someone to finally step up and say 'Hey, Valve, stop being dicks.'

This seems to be something to do with a possible conflict between Steam and Origin, but I wish EA would be clearer about this one. If Valve are being too restrictive with Steam, what are the troublesome restrictions they are imposing?

It's hard to say without any concrete evidence, but it doesn't seem surprising that Steam is suddenly getting bad press from EA's end in the follow-up to EA's own digital service. Of course, whether the offensive is coming from EA or Valve is impossible to say if I take away my bias.

Considering no other Publisher faces any problem with Steam when selling DLC I think EA need to re-think this little charade. And they need to stop selling Bioware content through Bioware's shitty website with Bioware's shitty points system.

If you want EA games, you wont get it through Steam.

This is getting so weird.. Valve is strangely very quiet regarding this issue.

@Rhaknar said:

its all about the cut that Valve takes on everything (including DLC) and by having it as a in game store thing, it bypasses Steam so valve doesnt get the cut, EA gets 100% of it... and thats fine. But is Legacy not available on XBL and PSN for example? And they get cuts of that shit FOR SURE. So while EA has every right to want to have 100% of profit on DLC, its OBVIOUS this is about Origin vs Steam and they are using this as a way to look good and still get their games off steam.

The difference there is that those are closed platforms; if you're going to add shit to games on the console, you have to work within the parameters of the console owners guidelines. And EA has even there been the most anti-incorporation of all the major developers; see how they use their own servers on X-Box Live, admittedly towards shitty end. With the PC marketplace even more wide-open for a multitude of other stores to go with, it isn't that surprising that EA is going to play hardball with Valve because hey, you're not the only game in town; the fact that they openly name drop other distribution partners in the press release suggests that those relationships are more skewed in EA's favor, and they don't go to line the pockets of a developing competitor so they can put off making Half-Life 3.

This seems to be something to do with a possible conflict between Steam and Origin, but I wish EA would be clearer about this one. If Valve are being too restrictive with Steam, what are the troublesome restrictions they are imposing?

But... is it really about Origin? Since I can go to DirectToDrive to get my DAII and Crysis 2...
 
Sorry... I shouldn't have shifted focus from the EA is EVIL vibe... carry on...

To be honest, I don't really care which DRM+Store I have to go through to play a PC game as long as I can play it. EADM/Origin hasn't been too much of a hassle for me to use, although it can be frustrating when it takes a few hours for a purchase to register or give out a product key.

@Rhaknar said:

its all about the cut that Valve takes on everything (including DLC) and by having it as a in game store thing, it bypasses Steam so valve doesnt get the cut, EA gets 100% of it... and thats fine. But is Legacy not available on XBL and PSN for example? And they get cuts of that shit FOR SURE. So while EA has every right to want to have 100% of profit on DLC, its OBVIOUS this is about Origin vs Steam and they are using this as a way to look good and still get their games off steam.

The difference there is that those are closed platforms; if you're going to add shit to games on the console, you have to work within the parameters of the console owners guidelines. And EA has even there been the most anti-incorporation of all the major developers; see how they use their own servers on X-Box Live, admittedly towards shitty end. With the PC marketplace even more wide-open for a multitude of other stores to go with, it isn't that surprising that EA is going to play hardball with Valve because hey, you're not the only game in town; the fact that they openly name drop other distribution partners in the press release suggests that those relationships are more skewed in EA's favor, and they don't go to line the pockets of a developing competitor so they can put off making Half-Life 3.

@Rhaknar said:

@Gamer_152 said:

This seems to be something to do with a possible conflict between Steam and Origin, but I wish EA would be clearer about this one. If Valve are being too restrictive with Steam, what are the troublesome restrictions they are imposing?

lets use Bathesda as an example. They have their New Vegas expansions on steam right... you buy them, Valve gets a cut of the cost like they do with everything on the store (well like anyone does, MS on XBL, Sony on PSN, etc). EA doesnt put their DLC on steam, they sell it through in-game stores, so it bypasses Steam, and thus Valve doesnt get a cut. The hypocrisy here is that they do put their dlc on XBL or PSN tho, who also get cuts (i dont know if other PC DD services sell dlc packs or not so i wont comment on those)

Again, those are closed systems. You can bet bottom dollar if EA could find a way to sell you DLC directly on the PS3 and 360, they (and everyone else) would do it rather than use the storefront that the console developers provided. On the PC, no such hurdle exists, but most developers find the ease and exposure of using Steam to be a bigger benefit than the lost revenue from the cut that Valve takes. EA seems to be saying "Fuck that noise, if you're going to take this amount off the top, we're just not going to use your store anymore because we have other options." It would make sense financially, save for the fact that in the hearts and minds of PC gamers, Valve and Steam are king and anyone who tries to challenge them are money-grubbing assholes. Because Valve's main purpose as a company isn't to make money, apparently.

Here's the problem with EA's argument: Buying DLC from their store is terrible. I'll use two EA games on Steam to illustrate this:

1. Burnout Paradise: Every time you boot it up, it goes to a store-front website (then a browser window) in order to buy the DLC (the cars, and I think the island set) EVERY TIME you boot the game it does this. That's annoying. It's like EA is mocking you for not buying it.

and 2. Mass Effect 2: It's a goddamn chore to get DLC in the game. First you have to go to Bioware's website, navigate the labyrinth they've designed to keep you away from it, buy the "Bioware Points", download the DLC exe, and run it.

Mind you, both of these games came out before Origin's existence. They only illustrate though EA's backwards-ass thinking of DLC content. Look at the DLC for Magic the Gathering, Fallout, or Dawn of War 2: Retribution. You go to the store page, and find the game for sale, and the DLC (and possible collected DLC packs). How hard is that process? Step 1 -- Find DLC for game you want, Step 2 -- Buy DLC for game you want with credit card, Step 3 -- Play game with DLC

EA's process is, Step 1 -- Find DLC of game you want, Step 2 -- Find it on the website or store, Step 3 -- Buy the points you need, Step 4 -- Purchase the DLC maybe (if the store lets you), Step 5 -- Sacrifice a goat & offer your first born to EA, Step 6 -- Install DLC, Step 7 -- hope it works.

EA is terrible.

@Jackhole said:

I guess this means I'm going to buy The Old Republic on Origin... gross.

You do know that Origin is going to be required to play SWTOR right. It was announced awhile back that Origin will be required to download the patchs and to play the game. Even the boxed copy is going to make you install Origin just like Steam based games that you buy in a box.

Has any other publisher had this problem with Steam?

Gotta believe EA. Steam is a jany, unreliable, unknown downloadedable service, unlike Origin.... *#sarcasm*

@Rhaknar said:

@HubrisRanger said:

dude if you dont think for a second that this is in SOME PART about Origin you are out of your fucking mind, sorry :) Again, i think EA has every right to do this, dont get me wrong. And Steam stopped being open when they started doing F2P shit (which is the genesis of all of this really, they had to change their terms of service because of that, otherwise they wouldnt get anythiing from the microtransactions and thus it would be pointless for them as a business)

Don't get me wrong, EA would be delighted if you bought all of your EA content on Origins because then there is no middle man, you're purchasing it directly from the content provider. I'm just saying that EA isn't above working with other digital retailers, and its only their relationship with Steam that has been this strained. Again, I'm not saying that Valve is doing anything unethical persay, but there is clearly some business relationship there that has been strained to the point of breaking.

I was excited to play ME2 on PC with all the expansions until I tried to download them. It was a hassle to the point that I decided not to bother at all. I'll just keep my EA games a console experience, I guess.

@Rhaknar said:

@Gamer_152 said:

This seems to be something to do with a possible conflict between Steam and Origin, but I wish EA would be clearer about this one. If Valve are being too restrictive with Steam, what are the troublesome restrictions they are imposing?

lets use Bathesda as an example. They have their New Vegas expansions on steam right... you buy them, Valve gets a cut of the cost like they do with everything on the store (well like anyone does, MS on XBL, Sony on PSN, etc). EA doesnt put their DLC on steam, they sell it through in-game stores, so it bypasses Steam, and thus Valve doesnt get a cut. The hypocrisy here is that they do put their dlc on XBL or PSN tho, who also get cuts (i dont know if other PC DD services sell dlc packs or not so i wont comment on those)

Again, those are closed systems. You can bet bottom dollar if EA could find a way to sell you DLC directly on the PS3 and 360, they (and everyone else) would do it rather than use the storefront that the console developers provided. On the PC, no such hurdle exists, but most developers find the ease and exposure of using Steam to be a bigger benefit than the lost revenue from the cut that Valve takes. EA seems to be saying "Fuck that noise, if you're going to take this amount off the top, we're just not going to use your store anymore because we have other options." It would make sense financially, save for the fact that in the hearts and minds of PC gamers, Valve and Steam are king and anyone who tries to challenge them are money-grubbing assholes. Because Valve's main purpose as a company isn't to make money, apparently.

Has any other publisher had this problem with Steam?

Saying Steam is "restrictive" ,and then being vague about the details sounds like EA trying to make out that Steam are the bad guys here. 
 
Everything just stinks here about the way EA has worded everything, which makes me believe that EA has a way bigger blame for this than they're letting on.

EA come on. You can't compete with Valve. Please give up on origins. 
Because you sure screwed up the sequel to dragon age origins.

@Jackhole said:

I guess this means I'm going to buy The Old Republic on Origin... gross.

You do know that Origin is going to be required to play SWTOR right. It was announced awhile back that Origin will be required to download the patchs and to play the game. Even the boxed copy is going to make you install Origin just like Steam based games that you buy in a box.

I really wish I had time right now to count how many times this article says the word STEAM haha

 so they can put off making Half-Life 3.

@Chibi_Kaji said:

Has any other publisher had this problem with Steam?

Stardock opened Impulse, their own online PC gaming store, pretty much because they were unhappy with the terms of service that Valve required for Steam partnership, specifically the use of insular DRM and the fact that a competing developer absorbed a certain portion of their profits. The irony of Stardock then selling Impulse to GameStop cannot be understated.