Arma III a Steam exclusive
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Bohemia Interactive reveals upcoming first-person shooter could not be released in 2013 if not for Steam.
Bohemia Interactive has announced that Arma III will be a Steam exclusive. Explaining the decision, studio CEO Marek Španěl acknowledged some gamers may be irked at the decision, but said ultimately it was the right choice for the game to only be available on Steam.
“We realize that some people may find it difficult to migrate to a new platform, especially if they were used to purchasing and playing our games without any external third-party application," he said. "We have evaluated the pros and cons, but in the end Steam enables us to release Arma III, brings massive advantages to the game, and improves the end-user experience. Not to forget, the majority of our players already come from Steam.“
In a detailed blog post titled "Full Steam Ahead," Bohemia explained that if Arma III was not a Steam-exclusive, it would be difficult to ship the game this year.
"It is important not to forget the bottom-line as set out above: we honestly believe that we would not be able to deliver Arma III in 2013 without this decision," the company said.
Boxed copies of Arma III will be available in most regions, Bohemia said, noting this could take the form of a Steam Code in a retail package or a DVD. Arma III was originally targeted to launch in 2012, but was delayed to 2013 after two of its developers were arrested in Greece for spying. Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar have since been released on bail, though they still face trial.
For more on Arma III, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
157 comments
1 Like I loved Operation Flashpoint, I (kinda) liked ArmA, I love ArmA2. What I loved most was that I did NOT have to put up with evil stuff such as Steam.
ArmA3 only on Steam - i.e. I will not buy it. It's as simple as that.
-- HuHA
7 Like No issues with this as i use steam for nearly every game anyway.. its a great service.
2 Like It's funny how exclusive is suddenly a good thing when connected with Steam but akin to child molesting if any other platform does the same.
This might mean it ends up being exclusive on nothing at all if it ends up being as buggy as Arma II, and Valve end up pulling it like they did with WarZ. :P
I still don't understand how being EXCLUSIVE to Steam makes it better for them. How is that better than also releasing on loads of other game download sites? I mean I get they can't afford physical packaging and all that, fine, but it is still somewhat limiting the avenues for release by going to Steam exclusively...
Steam provide a massive service, plus instant access to millions of its customers.
It is one of the best platforms to release a game on and ai know thats what i would choose to do if i was going to release a game as well.
@Caldrin @Jedilink109 I understand how releasing through Steam is really good for them, what I said was I don't understand how ONLY releasing through Steam is better than also releasing through other download services at the same time. One would think, more avenues for release means more sales.
2 Like I need ARMA 3 IN boxed package along with Maps,manuals,Posters and warranty card.Exactly like GTA 4.
1 Like Another five years and this is how all PC games will be released. (Except for EA's who has to try and have their own piece of the pie all to themselves by offering the exact same thing but without everything that makes Steam great.)
1 Like @commando1992 I have nothing against Steam , I actually like it , but if this is the future of PC gaming , then besides MMOs , I won't be using my PC for much gaming.
5 Like It's more than likely so they can cut out the thing that's "major" in a games life span (besides development) and that is production and distribution. This way all they do is upload ONE package to steam, and a live date (amoung other things) and that's it... gone. No messing round making disks, getting them distributed to stores etc.... Good move imo considering the unexpted delays this has faced
@Goyoshi12 @blakeney I took "steam exclusive" as it's written "exclusive to steam"..... unless Steam does physical too? (I don't actually know, I don't buy digital/ use steam)
@blakeney See, i tend to agree with that kind of logic, it all sounds so very sound.
However, what nobody has been able to explain to me in a convincing way is this:
I visit national as well as international retailers and the digital distributed versions of games cost more (repeat: MORE) than the boxed version.
There're many dead horses here i could beat...let's not.
Just this....loose that sense of all goody goody steam. It's juat as intrusive as Origin or Uplay, sticking a storefront up your nostrils whenever it can.
@Kayweg @blakeney Don't get me wrong... when I do buy games, its ALWAYS a solid product from a shop. not "digital"... I run a business that deals with digital product, so just pointing out why I think they have gone fully digital.
I don't get games digital for the very reason you pointed out... they tend to cost more, and I KNOW for a FACT that the whole process is ALOT cheaper... its the exact same deal for music... and music is cheaper digital. (?)
@wes4mu089 this game is never coming to consoles. Where did you get the idea that it was? Just the fact that it requires so many buttons... it'd never translate to consoles.
Nor will next gen consoles be able to handle the physics heavy engine for this game.
This comment has been deleted
1 Like @beast70 @Darnasian @wes4mu089 And what if I don't want? Do me and yourself a favour and next time don't bother with comments like this. I personally can't see the point of your comment since this debate was already over when you came. You just basically wanted to stir more attention.
Considering that even now Arma II combined operations (The thing you need to play DayZ) is still one of the top sellers on steam I can see how they made this decision I remember when the DayZ mod took off Arma II :CO shot to the top of the top sellers and still has not left it but before that no one gave a rats about Arma II:CO it never hit the top sellers list once.
I assume they've simply believe that the majority of the sales they will get will be on steam but IMO if DayZ becomes a stand alone they will not make near as many sales as they are hoping.
3 Like @Unholy123 ARMA sold well enough before DayZ to warrant three sequels (if you count Operation Flashpoint) and the latest installment was under development before Rocket added a few zombie and weapon spawns to Chernarus.
So yes, many people did give a rats arse about it. Frankly I'm getting tired of people acting like DayZ saved Bohemia's developers from working on Windows 98's and eating tinned dog food. Just because YOU never heard about it before doesn't mean it wasn't a success before the zombie bullshit drew every hyperactive fifteen year old to it.
@IgotEpixx Sigh... yes because I went out of my way to generalize the entire series in my comment what with being specific about the fact it was Arma II: CO I said repeatedly but pretend I said the entire Arma series as thats what makes your arguement or the fact I was saying that Arma II:CO never hit the top sellers list before the mod so they clearly realized the success of it was what brought them so much success on steam and saw that steam sales were great for getting abunch of people who simply wanted it to play DayZ to buy it.
Also your tired that a companies name-brand and recognition rose on the success of a mod and before that they were more regulated to the realm of niche miltiary FPS simulator?
So sorry but yes DayZ did bring the broad audience to the Arma II community when you look at how its taken off since the release of DayZ. No one said they would have been poor without it but face facts that even they know DayZ has catapulted them into the current limelight and now people who they never expected to get buying their game buying it hence why they've thrown their own support behind this breakout mod like it or not and clearly you don't. DayZ is linked to the Arma II:CO name like CS was linked as the Half life Mod to have even if you didn't like HL (which would be even odder but still off topic)
@Unholy123 Arma 2 did pretty well before Day Z. It obviously wasn't a top seller but it was far from a failure.
I really hope they have Workshop support, with how essential mods are for the franchise.
1 Like I have no problems about it releasing on Steam. I use it too. If it somehow helps with the earlier release date, then even better. But to think that by being exclusive to just that platform would somehow better help their bottomline in the long-run? IDK about that.
@Kayweg @jakeofjakeness atheist lie to themselves, nearly all of them say holy shit and god damn. Seems to me that if your an athiest you shouldnt say those words because it goes against everything you believe (or dont depending how you look at it)
@travo0159 If you think the use of common vernacular is evidence that atheists are hypocrites then I pity your education.
@travo0159 @Kayweg @jakeofjakeness
no it doesn't, its a saying. Like if I said "I am going to kick your ass" when in general, there could be no ass kicking whatsoever.
@travo0159 @Kayweg @jakeofjakeness Why don't you shut up already? You're not converting anyone here.
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