SimCity Will Be On Steam...

[RyanMorgan95 144]

...or at least that's what SimCityVK (Russian SimCity channel?) has suggested on Youtube:

This came up in response to comment demanding "STEAM STEAM STEAM..." on the SimCity Gameplay Strategy Video #1. If you head to his channel, you can see the comment for yourself on his Channel Feed (link above)

I understand many gamers despise Origin; my friend once called it "the Antichrist" of digital distribution platforms. Sounds like EA made a good choice here. Of course, this is not official, but it's something.

  Edited October 6, 2012 by RyanMorgan95  

[idcaf 65]

As long as simcity will in Steam we should be ok

[baertooth 330]

Interesting. I might actually go that route. I was planning on, IF I BOUGHT THIS, to buy the shrink-wrap version but unfortunately it's infected with ORIGIN. If the Steam version can log into the EA Simcity cloud without ORIGIN I'll do that. Valve hasn't been evil with their service (yet?). I've read a report done by programmers tracking what it does and it's been benign up until that report for them. And if a lot of copies get sold though Steam and not ORIGIN, maybe it will make EA rethink it's strategy with ORIGIN and clean up the reputation so people will trust them on their computers.

[Harbin91 37]

Everything else is so blurred down. Is it verified as an official Russian SimCity channel? If so, it's strange that they're not typing in Cryllic.

Origin isn't that bad of a program, the program itself I prefer to Steam because Steam on my PC is slow. However, Steam has a much better service.

[Hamish 1,370]

I don't think it will be on steam.

Nor would I take a post from an unidentified, unaffiliated source as concrete information.

Origin is EAs platform, I don't think they would have done all the marketing and advertising involving origin and simcity to then throw that all away at launch by releasing on steam too.

[mikeyb66 30]

I don't think it will be on steam.

Nor would I take a post from an unidentified, unaffiliated source as concrete information.

Origin is EAs platform, I don't think they would have done all the marketing and advertising involving origin and simcity to then throw that all away at launch by releasing on steam too.

There is nothing there to say it will happen at launch, could be 3, 6, 12 months down the line.

[cirugo 1,889]

Doesn't matter if it is. As long as it requires an internet connection to play it will require an Origin account to access the game. I have no idea how they would work that with Steam.

[brynhyfryd 222]

I would take this with a pinch of salt until it is at least confirmed by EA/Maxis. It would be in their best interest to release on steam.

I can only see this happening if pre-order numbers are extremely poor. I really hate the direction this game is taking but I would consider buying on steam pending further game play footage and consumer feedback/reviews after launch. If Origin is required in any shape or form then Its a guaranteed no buy.

  Edited October 6, 2012 by brynhyfryd  

[RyanMorgan95 144]

Everything else is so blurred down. Is it verified as an official Russian SimCity channel? If so, it's strange that they're not typing in Cryllic.

Origin isn't that bad of a program, the program itself I prefer to Steam because Steam on my PC is slow. However, Steam has a much better service.

Oh yeah I blurred the image to conceal YouTube usernames, as well as draw attention to the comment. The channel has all the SimCity videos with Cryllic titles, so I'd imagine it is an official channel. There's English and Cryllic on the channel too, so perhaps they're fluent in both.

Currently, it's at the bottom of the third comment section on the Gameplay Video

  Edited October 6, 2012 by RyanMorgan95  

[NCGAIO 562]

Of course, this is not official,...

It will never be ... unless EA executives willing to sign a certificate of incompetence.

[SoftcoreGamer 352]

Game industry is going through a period of slower growth, "consolidation" or at least cooperation is the norm at times like this.

Valve/Steam is the Apple of games. EA/Origin, the golden poo award winner, is one the most hated company. It makes sense to spread the risk across vendors. Let's hope they also spread the risk across offline and online customers. They could even sell that hedge to investors as a positive.

In an IGN interview 4 months ago: according to EA/Maxis Senior Vice President, "For now, it has been announced as a PC-only game. It will be played through EA's Origin service, but will be sold in other markets like Steam, as well as at retail.

Torchlight 2 and Rome 2 which will be released through Steam will not require always-on to play. It may or may not be EA/Maxis's intention to release an OFFLINE SINGLE-PLAY version of SimCity2013 through Steam. If true, it will be a miracle. I'll believe it when I see it. Doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to dream, ask, and hope.

  Edited October 6, 2012 by SoftcoreGamer  

[K-os 30]

No way this is on Steam when EA is trying to push Origin. A competing online digital distro service...

[VeritaScientia 150]

I don't believe the hype because not everything you read on the internet is true.

I doubt EA would release anything official through a non-official site, let alone a Russian one (no offense to any Russians, but your news services have a history of blatantly ignoring facts to suit their own aims).

I also agree and I will take it one step further: it is laughable to think that EA would go to a competitor's service to distribute their game at release. SC13 likely won't be on Steam for at least two full quarters of EA's fiscal year I'd bet.

[NCGAIO 562]

It may or may not be EA/Maxis's intention to release an OFFLINE SINGLE-PLAY version of SimCity2013 through Steam. If true, it will be a miracle. I'll believe it when I see it. Doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to dream, ask, and hope.

Of course ... EA contradicts hundreds or maybe thousands of fans of a game pushing the requirement for your online portal.

Then she hands the main competitor the ability of these dissatisfied customers purchase your product without this requirement ...

Seriously ... You believe that?

[MarjaSpaceOddity 14]

Isn't it possible that you can purchase the game via Steam but still have to play while you're connected via Origin? That would be comparable to buying the game in a store. The installation of the game will no doubt check whether Origin is installed and install it if it is not.

[SoftcoreGamer 352]

EA contradicts hundreds or maybe thousands of fans of a game pushing the requirement for your online portal. Then she hands the main competitor the ability of these dissatisfied customers purchase your product without this requirement ... Seriously ... You believe that?

Don't just believe, RESEARCH. EA Steam relationship is OLD NEWS. It's really not that hard.

I also agree and I will take it one step further: it is laughable to think that EA would go to a competitor's service to distribute their game at release.

It is indeed laughable, that "The Electronic Arts-published, Crytek-developed Crysis 2 has become available on Steam again after EA originally pulled the title from Valve's online storefront in June 2011"

  Edited October 6, 2012 by CaptCity  
Edited: Let's keep it on topic.

[VeritaScientia 150]

EA contradicts hundreds or maybe thousands of fans of a game pushing the requirement for your online portal. Then she hands the main competitor the ability of these dissatisfied customers purchase your product without this requirement ... Seriously ... You believe that?

Don't just believe, RESEARCH. EA Steam relationship is OLD NEWS. It's really not that hard.

I also agree and I will take it one step further: it is laughable to think that EA would go to a competitor's service to distribute their game at release.

It is indeed laughable, that "The Electronic Arts-published, Crytek-developed Crysis 2 has become available on Steam again after EA originally pulled the title from Valve's online storefront in June 2011"

Wow.......okay, you're wholly ignoring the claim by the article you are posting, and numerous other sources that it wasn't EA, but Valve that yanked Crysis 2 off Steam. Take a moment to think about something: Origin launched in June 2011, the same month Crysis 2, developed by EA, was pulled from Steam. Why would they do that? Hmmm....maybe because it makes more business sense to put a game out on your own content-delivery system than have to worry about having to go through another company to manage it, and having to pay them.

EA says Valve pulled the title anyway, which if false, opens EA up to a libel suit by Valve, which is bad business for EA.

  Edited October 6, 2012 by CaptCity  
Edited: Let's keep it on topic.

[NCGAIO 562]

Don't just believe, RESEARCH. EA Steam relationship is OLD NEWS. It's really not that hard.

If it is to join some karma points this type of research will always give a good material but to understand what actually happens it's better seek more information on economic news.

The fight here is between big dogs .. . only bite will never lick

  Edited October 6, 2012 by NCGAIO  

[AlexandrosB13 184]

Honestly, i'm afraid this will never happen, never. The whole origin things is so annoying. So every different developer should make his own platform, genius. Now we need to have 4 different platforms installed and bunch of accounts. Nobody really cares about pc gaming. I just wish everything could just run with steam, so annoying (off-topic i know but i had to post this).

[Jayded1 26]

I doesn't matter to me if it does use steam, I still won't buy it. To do so would be accepting this new gaming standard where I have to always depend on some middle man allowing me to play something I've purchased. I'll stick with all the older games that I can play anywhere, any time

  Edited October 6, 2012 by Jayded1  

[Urban Cartographer 601]

I doesn't matter to me if it does use steam, I still won't buy it. To do so would be accepting this new gaming standard where I have to always depend on some middle man allowing me to play something I've purchased. I'll stick with all the older games that I can play anywhere, any time

I must agree with this comment. I enjoy carrying physical copies of games. I enjoy buying, selling, renting, and trading used games, which would not be possible with distribution software. I enjoy playing 100% offline without any prior Internet connection. I want to own my copy of a game, not just have the rights to play a game, which can be removed at any time. I want to play a game for decades to come.

I will not buy the new SimCity regardless.

  Edited October 6, 2012 by Urban Cartographer  

[BIWDC 2,296]

I would prefer a non steam standalone version,on a disc or as a digital download.

I like a disc version over a digital version though.

I probably will still buy it ether way.

  Edited October 7, 2012 by BIWDC  

[jdenm8 362]

EA contradicts hundreds or maybe thousands of fans of a game pushing the requirement for your online portal. Then she hands the main competitor the ability of these dissatisfied customers purchase your product without this requirement ... Seriously ... You believe that?

Don't just believe, RESEARCH. EA Steam relationship is OLD NEWS. It's really not that hard.

I also agree and I will take it one step further: it is laughable to think that EA would go to a competitor's service to distribute their game at release.

It is indeed laughable, that "The Electronic Arts-published, Crytek-developed Crysis 2 has become available on Steam again after EA originally pulled the title from Valve's online storefront in June 2011"

Wow.......okay, you're wholly ignoring the claim by the article you are posting, and numerous other sources that it wasn't EA, but Valve that yanked Crysis 2 off Steam. Take a moment to think about something: Origin launched in June 2011, the same month Crysis 2, developed by EA, was pulled from Steam. Why would they do that? Hmmm....maybe because it makes more business sense to put a game out on your own content-delivery system than have to worry about having to go through another company to manage it, and having to pay them.

EA says Valve pulled the title anyway, which if false, opens EA up to a libel suit by Valve, which is bad business for EA.

Not to mention that the reason that EA says that Valve pulled the products was because the DLC was being sold independently of Steam on EA's website. I think it's a load of crap because Valve lets Atari and Sega do exactly that.

As for the OP,

I don't think the channel is legit. If it was, surely there'd be a link to the EA site on the profile, at the moment there's just a link to some Russian social networking site and a forum.

  Edited October 7, 2012 by jdenm8  

[Ocram's Razr 964]

That was a hoax. Even if it would be sold on steam, it would still use Origin.

--Ocram

[Paczesny 1]

Certainly not legit. I don't really think they would release a new game, that requires a connection to Origin on Steam. Especially considering that they aren't releasing the last few Sims 3 expansions on Steam, even though all the rest are on Steam.

[LillySatou 117]

whoever wrote it probably meant that you could add it to steam as a non-steam game and use the overlay. but no, it won't be on steam, nor will any of EA's future releases, ever.

[jayraymo 0]

Well Steam does run games like Anno 2070 for example that is always online and runs through uplay, when you click play in steam it opens up the uplay window to Anno and you just hit play there. Kind of useless but at least you can purchase all of the DLC and that game through Steam but playing through uplay.

[LillySatou 117]

yes but EA has pretty much abandoned steam at this point - it is a direct competitor and i just don't see them having any interest in doing business with Valve anymore. especially considering the fact that negotiations for future titles broke down at some point last year. they don't see eye to eye. and it makes sense - Valve puts the customer first, where as EA puts profit first. they're the antithesis of eachother.

[City Planner 121]

I honestly can't see the "suits" at Origin/EA being so stubborn or stupid that they would avoid placing a game like SC13 on Steam. Unless they possibly think that their Origin platform is doing so well that they don't need steam. But the millions of Steam users (many of which are devoted to steam and won't use other services) are not likely to jump over to Origin to buy games, some of which are available on steam. I would not doubt that those at EA think that SC13 will be a game that is going to bring people over to Origin, but for me if I didn't already have an Origin account, I wouldn't go there for one single game, I'd rather wait until they do decide to bring it to Steam, I really dislike having my games all over the place and in the past didn't think twice about where I was buying them, but now I try to stick to Steam and occasionally one or two other places if they've got a really good sale on.

I've got an origin account, but only because the games that I bought elsewhere allowed me to register them on Origin so that I don't have to keep track of them with a multitude of other online services where they were bought.

I don't know if we'll see SC13 on Steam or not, but it seems to make sense that if EA wants to maximize their sales they'll offer it on Steam as well. Hell, believe it or not I still know people that have never heard of Origin but are long time Steam users. We'll have to wait and see if EA thinks that they can make more profit by also selling it on Steam or not when the time comes.

To be honest, I think of Valve the same as Origin, they are both in business to make money and will put making said money before customers almost every time unless they are faced with such bad publicity that they need to do otherwise. We may not hear of it very often but I assure you that there are customers out there that are miffed with Valve's customer service as there are those that are miffed with EA/Origin, Impulse, Gamefly etc.

  Edited October 9, 2012 by City Planner  

[DanielCoffey 2]

I suspect it will be like the release of From Dust on Steam...

Sold on Steam, downloaded from Steam but registered and hooked into OnLive from Ubisoft.

EA will allow Steam to SELL SimCity but it will be registered and hooked into Origin.