While console gamers lick their lips in anticipation of the Modern Warfare 2 launch next Tuesday, things keep getting worse for PC gamers. As if the news of Infinity Ward abandoning dedicated servers wasn't bad enough, during an online chat the developer revealed that the neutered Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer only supports 18-player online matches and also lacks several features to which PC gamers have become accustomed.
When asked how many players its new hosting system can support, Infinity Ward employee Mackey McCandlish responded, "The max number of players on all platforms are 1v1 through 9v9. This is the number of players we focused on when we were balancing map size, perks, classes, challenges, etc." This may be fine for individual players, but clans will surely be perturbed by this new development.
Players also can't choose who hosts the match or kick unruly or cheating players from ranked matches. Even worse, if a host leaves mid-match the game undergoes a five-second delay while the service selects a new host. These new hosting rules raise the specter of hosts having an unfair advantage due to latency, to which McCandlish responded "We put a lot of work into making the game tolerant of latency. In my personal experience, it is not obvious which player is host. The game plays well on broadband."
That wasn't the only blow to PC gamers revealed during the chat. When asked if the PC version featured an in-game console that allows gamers to tweak the field of view, weapon damage rates, and remove perks as in past games, studio head Vince Zampella responded in the negative, stating "We would like you to play the game the way we designed and balanced it."
Regardless of the frustrating new developments, the question most frequently posed was in relation to Infinity Ward restoring dedicated servers as an option in a patch. McCandlish seemed to soften Infinity Ward's stance from previous discussions on the topic, stating, "Our goal is to provide the best experience for our users, so nothing is ever 'off the table'. We are always evaluating our options."
Console gamers live with many of these rules already and don't know any different, but PC gamers aren't used to these types of shackles. So what do you think PC gamers? Is this the final straw or will you still be gearing up for Modern Warfare 2 on Tuesday?
[UPDATE: Activision has confirmed that there is no difference in player count between the different versions of Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer. Each supports 18-player matches.]
i am totally buy this on a console. if i do
I'm getting this for the PC. I expect great things from the single player. However the multiplayer I'm highly skeptical of. If anything is wrong with it I see it as a total failure. You are going form a perfectly working system with dedicated servers to one that has a high chance of failure and/or disappointment.
Day 1 out of the box it should work. We shouldn't have to pay $10 more than normal to help them beta test IW.net and get it to a working system.
The limits they have placed are irrational and their excuses for why they did it are odd and weak at best.
This stinks. I was ok with no dedicated srevers, but now 18-player online matches? Why is Infinity Ward trying to punish PC owners?
Is the PC to Infinity Ward what the PS3 is to Valve?
I'd also like to add if the multiplayer is downright terrible I will no longer trust anything that Infinity Ward or Activision says. Highly unlikely I'd get another one of their games.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
OOOOHH, I THINK I'M GOING TO POO POO MYSELF!!
Seriously though, this sucks.
I don't get it. Infinity Ward made Call of Duty exclusive to PC when they first started the series. The PC gave them a start to a great franchise. Now they are just trying to make us pay an extra $10 for cheapness. This is ridiculous.
I really hope other game developers do not adopt these restrictions for PC games. I definitely think it will be the final straw for PC gamers who have supported CoD4:MW. Although they will probably just purchase it for their console as I plan to do.
As more and more information concerning the PC version of MW2 comes to light, I wonder if Infinity Ward should even bother to release a PC version to begin with.
I don't think it is fair at all unless they are giving valid reasoning on these extremely weird conditions, however though im getting this for my PS3 so i'm not entirely heartbroken right now
I don't understand why Infinity Ward does this. To be honest, PC games are known for being far better than their console counterparts. I've played CoD4:MW on my friend's PC and I liked it more than my console's copy. Also, I'm not even a PC gamer and I'm aware how much better off they are. This is highly irritating as I was planning on getting a new computer as Left4Dead and Team Fortress 2 are infinitely better on the PC than consoles. Then again, all of these games are intertwined with Steam...hmmmmmm
IW: Okay PC gamers, time to get your ass kick!
PC gamers: Why!?
IW: Because we've just increased the price of the PC version from $50 to $60!
PC gamers: WHAT!? SERIOUSLY?!*punching sounds* (IW just punched a bunch of PC gamers in the face!)
IW: Ready for round 2!
PC gamers: now what?!
IW: Now we removed your precious Dedicated Servers!
PC gamers: NOOOOOO!!!! *more punches* (all PC gamers are beat up and some have collasped from serious injuries)
IW: We're not done yet!
PC gamers: PLEASE STOP! we can't take anymore of this punishment!
IW: TO BAD! looks like the matches are reduced from 18v18 to 9v9!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! SUFFER!!!!!!
PC gamers: let's get out of here!!! *even more punching sounds and the sound of bones breaking* (some have even died from their injuries and only a few PC gamers are left the rest have given up)
IW: Had enough?! NO?! Well we are taking away the ability to tweak the field of view, weapon damage rates, and remove perks! YES! PLAY THE WAY WE WANT YOU TO!!! JUST LIKE THE PS360 SLAVES!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
PC gamers: Ugh... *a single punching sound* (IW delivered the final blow to PC gamers. they have lost total hope in IW. they run to seek refuge from IW's onslaught in Bad Company 2).
okay, i was bored. but i wanted to point out all the decisions that IW made to the PC version that angered the PC gamers in a funny creative way!
"We would like you to play the game the way we designed and balanced it."
Makes sense to me, I have done PC and Xbox. I understand the desire to mod, particularly with designing new maps, which was a wonderful thing with CS (adds a new dynamic of creativity). But afterall, they are the game designers, it is their call.
Why is it so hard for PC gamers to accept change? So IW wants you to play the game THE WAY THEY MEANT IT TO BE PLAYED. Do you complain that WoW doesn't offer mod tools? Do you boycott when L4D doesn't offer set dedicated servers? Either play it the way they built it to be played, or don't. The thing is IW has changed the way the maps and game work. So, therefore, it's not balanced or meant to be played with more.
Also, I don't know where you all are getting your facts, but it's 18 on consoles as well. There aren't any 12v12 matches.
Here is how it should read:
"We would like you to play the game the way we designed and balanced it for the Xbox 360. Oh there are other platforms?"
from what i heard pc users were complaing about not having a equal game compared to consoles so pc gamers have only themselves to blame on that part
wow
*sits back with popcorn to watch these comments turn into fireworks*
Quite honestly, I'm pretty indifferent to this. PC gets a lot of exclusive stuff that consoles don't get, such as mods and free maps, but now everyone's taking offense to the fact that consoles are actually getting something more. Hypocrisy, perhaps?
In either case, I think that I speak for all of us when I say "SHUT UP AND RELEASE THE GAME INSTEAD OF MAKING IT SOUND WORSE!!!!!" :-P
lol I own a 360, too bad for pc gamers!