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Mass Effect: Andromeda will not be distributed on Steam

As with many other titles published by Electronic Arts, Mass Effect: Andromeda will not be distributed through the popular store of Valve. To communicate it is Ian S. Frazier of Bioware via Twitter, adding that the PC version will be available in Digital Delivery of Origin or through physical copy.

stokedAF3416d ago

I'm surprised the whole origin thing has survived. I didn't think it would last this long. Congrats I guess to EA, sucks for pc gamers. The physical copy will probably be an origin dl code.

Vegamyster3416d ago

Origin is a good service now, not as good as Steam but it's good competition, unlike something like Uplay which is extremely barebones.

Kurdishcurse3416d ago

origin is good now? this is anecdotal at best.

Vegamyster3416d ago

Kurdishcurse

What's so bad about it currently? When it first came out it was pretty bad, slow and hardly any deals but now it's solid.

maxleresistant3416d ago

Both Origin and Uplay are good enough, I like them more than Steam (bring the downvotes, it's okay), they both have everything I need in a game client, and they have way better design than the outdated Steam client, and they have good customer services.
I know they lack stuffs like steamwokshops and probably other things that Steam Users love, but to me, nothing interesting is missing.

I think the main reason people hate those two services (but uses them without actually encountering problems with them) is that they just don't like having their games on different clients, they want one client for everything.

And now here comes Windows Store ^^

TheOptimist3416d ago

@max
Won't downvote, but

"but to me, nothing interesting is missing. "

That's YOUR opinion

Good indies are mission from Origin, the Interface is bad, browsing all games means going through tons of just DLCs, not much variety of good games, most are just casual, no workshop (as you said), slower than Steam, no comprehensive filters to search games, very restricted customizability for personal profile etc etc.

But mainly the games. They sell DLCs as if DLCs are games and not much variety.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3416d ago
freshslicepizza3416d ago

even though stores are fragmented it still doesn't 'suck' to be a pc owner. you still get the freedoom of the pc and play online for free. plus when you upgrade your hardware you dont have to buy your game again unlike many consoles. so right from the start you can get high resolution and the ability to play beyond 30fps too along with graphical choice settings. keyboartd and mouse support or a controller is another great option. shall i go on?

stokedAF3416d ago

I wasn't taking a dig at PC gaming lol. My apologies if you thought so. I meant it sucks for PC gamers that ME3 is an origin only game. I don't buy EA games on PC. I don't use origin, the Ubisoft client or windows store (even though I have a few free games on it). On PC I only use gog and steam. I can't attest to these clients quality because I don't use them, I'm just surprised they actually stayed afloat.

Clunkyd3415d ago

I wish PC was a more seamless experience. I would go back to PC gaming if that was the case.

aconnellan3416d ago

Sucks for PC gamers?

Hey remember everyone, competition sucks, and if it isn't Steam then we shouldn't support it

stokedAF3416d ago

There is no need for the attitude. Can you really consider that competition? Every publisher making their own exclusive client is essentially eliminating competition. If steam was selling the same games there would be no competition either, they would get smoked.

TheOptimist3416d ago

Lmao even if Steam has monopoly, there is a reason for it. The day Origin becomes better, I would jump ship as I am a general consumer. Right now Steam is objectively better.

FreeSpeech693416d ago

As with many other titles published by Electronic Arts, Mass Effect:Andromeda will not be purchased by many PC gamers.

Princess_Pilfer3416d ago

I'm not installing Orgin no matter how hard they push. Either it's on GoG or Steam (in that order) or I don't buy it.

Fishy Fingers3416d ago

Then clearly it's no buy for you. You can add the game to Steam via 'non steam game' so while you're using origin you can still be seen and communicate with Steam friends.

Or, simply cut your nose of to spite your face I guess.

starchild3416d ago

Yeah, I prefer Steam too, but I'm not going to miss out on a game I want just because it's on a different distribution platform.

maxleresistant3416d ago

yeah, it's too much of a hassle, I mean, Installing a program? That takes what? 2? 3 minutes?

And to have to deal with a well designed client like origins, and the fast download servers of EA. It's a drag I know.

aconnellan3416d ago

Man you sure showed them. Go ahead, never pick up that game that you otherwise would have while the rest of us get to play it

Princess_Pilfer3415d ago

If you're not willing to tell companies to ****k off when they do things you don't like, you are the problem. I'm not dealing with EAs or Ubisofts online only DRM masquerading as a client requiring me to be online for single player experiences.

GoG is flat out better in just not allowing DRM, but at least Steams offline mode actually works for everything that isn't an mmo and clearly marks online only games so I can just not buy them.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3415d ago
Aloren3416d ago

I miss the days when people played games and not platforms.

FreeSpeech693416d ago

I miss the days when Consumers weren't idiots and actually stood up to corrupt corporations. Those were the days!

Aloren3416d ago

I also miss the days when consumers weren't idiots who thought that a company making billions cared so much more about them than another company making billions , juste cause they liked the logo better. Oh wait, those days are long gone....

Still, I see no reason why steam should somehow be more legitimate or Origin more evil than battlenet gog windows store or whatever other platform you can think of. Don't forget that it's supposed to be PC gaming. Not steam gaming.

Steam Origin Gog battlenet etc are mostly overlays with extra features. It's quite sad to think that so-called gamer don't play games they'd love to play just cause they have to download a different client.

rainslacker3415d ago

@FreeSpeech

To be fair, back in the day, most people were clueless about the corrupt corporations. Internet changed things.

Princess_Pilfer3415d ago

It has nothing to do with the logo and everything to do with Origin (and Uplay) as clients. I strongly prefer GoG because the client is a non-issue, I use it if and when I want. Origin is infested with games that only work online, I refuse to support such a practice.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3415d ago
Plagasx3416d ago

To be expected..Sadly Origin is now the platform they are always going to use first..

Tussin1873416d ago

And I wonder why? We all really shouldn't be surprised by this.

X-Alchemist3416d ago

I think I'm okay with this. It'll be a small inconvenience having to download Origin but at least I don't have to update my entire OS to play like with Gears 4.

3416d ago Replies(4)
--bienio--3416d ago

Dont Care to be honest. I can wait when EA decided release Mass Effect on Steam. I just can't stand EA Orgin!!

Show all comments (58)
40°

Games Done Quick is coming to Europe for the first time with 3 days of Gamescom speedruns

The charity event will be streamed live from Gamescom in August.

Read Full Story >>
videogameschronicle.com
50°

Microsoft Lowers the Price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate And PC Game Pass, But What’s Next For Xbox?

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is getting cheaper but Call of Duty is leaving day-one access. Here’s what we think the price drop means for Xbox, PC Game Pass, and the future of the service.

Read Full Story >>
theouterhaven.net
15d ago
VaNdAl15d ago

Phil Spencer killed the Xbox Let It Go move on to PC

Jingsing14d ago

They would be better breaking up what valued assets they still have and put them out to auction for the competition.
There is no more financial gain for them on any trajectory in the entertainment space.

180°

PlayStation Confirms New DRM, Digital Games Will Vanish If Players Don't Log-In For 30 Days

Tech4Gamers writes: "A PlayStation Support assistant has confirmed that the 30-day timer implemented by the new DRM policy is part of an update and isn’t a bug. While responding to a fan’s query, PS support revealed that all games purchased digitally after March 2026 will be affected by this time limit.

If your PS4 or PS5 does not connect to the internet within 30 days, the game’s license will expire, and it won’t launch on the console unless the connection is restored. Hence, every digital game you purchase from now on will require an online check-in, or else you will lose ownership."

Read Full Story >>
tech4gamers.com
Goodguy0116d ago

That is wild lol. Steam already does this for some games depending on the developer...but man...all digital games on ps5...

Eonjay16d ago

FYI, it hasn't actually been confirmed. This is just a lot of assumptions. If this is the case i would expect Sony to come out and say so. Chat bot response doesn't count as official confirmation.

People are also saying this is also an inadvertent mistake. If this is the case Sony and its customers would be best served by coming out and saying so.

If this isn't a mistake I think they need to confirm it and Playstation gamers should complain.

darthv7216d ago

Sounds like Sony quietly did what MS openly said they were going to do with the once a month check in... and MS got so much flak they had to change course.

People need to give Sony even more flak if its true.

blacktiger16d ago

If the response is from Sony whether irresponsible employee or chatbot. That's from SONY until Sony reiterate

Dandizzle16d ago

seriously, a large company like sony wouldnt do that without an announcement or else it would result in bombardment of customer service

BlackOni16d ago

Sony's chatbot is notoriously garbage at providing even basic information and functioning properly. I wouldn't take anything it says seriously.

That said, if this is true, this is serious af. Major L for gamers across the board.

1Victor15d ago

It’s no mistake someone got paid to code that in the update and it wasn’t just for the lol

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 15d ago
phatak16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

This is beyond nuts, this was pretty much the exact thing that the playstation execs during the ps4 era mocked the xbox one over and xbox never recovered after it, this is why you need stiff competition folks, Sony high on their own supply just like the early ps3 days where we apparently needed 2 jobs to afford one, I was a massive Ps3 fanboy mainly due to the fact that the xbox 360 pushed sony into a corner resulting in them actually trying real hard to get market share back and as a result we got crazy good exclusives, just for old times sakes like I used to do back in 2012 right here on n4g ill relist some of the major exclusives of ps3 again

Demons souls
Metal gear solid 4
uncharted 1,2,3
infamous 1,2, festival of blood
little big planet 1,2 & little big planet karting
gran turismo 5 and 6 & ridge racer 7
killzone 2,3
twisted metal
journey
ratchet and clank tools of destruction, quest for booty, crack in time, all for one, into the nexus
resistance 1,2,3
last of us 1
god of war 3 and ascension
motorstorm collection
ico & shadow of the colossus collection
folklore
modnation racers
warhawk & starhawk
sly collection & jack and daxter collection
Puppeteer & comet crash & tokyo jungle & rain & gravity crash & Echochrome & the last guy
Heavenly Sword
3D Dot Game Heroes
Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale
Mag & Socom 4
Fat Princess
Ni no Kuni, Valkyria Chronicles, Yakuza 3,4,5 (these all came to pc later )

But just think and compare this catalog of games to ps5 ?
Saros, astro bot, demons souls remake, ghost of yotei, I would have included gran turismo 7 but that came on ps4 as well so not really an absolute exclusive that one needs to buy a ps5 to play like the other 4.

We are almost in the 6th year of the ps5, the 6th year of the ps3 was around 2012 and almost all the games from the list above were already released on the ps3, now if they are really pulling this online crap every 30 days non sense its only because of a lack of competition from xbox and so they have console players by the ba**s, now I don't know whether this is confirmed or not but regardless if this is in general where their headspace is at it seems like we should be worried, its the real playstation gamers that will be affected if its true, Im not even a playstation gamer anymore but my recommendation is put your money where you mouth is and really abandon playstation if this ends up being true.

Extermin8or3_16d ago

No it isnt. The xbox one require you to check in online every 24 hours. Also alot has changed in terms of Internet infrastructure and provision globally since 2013.....

hiawa2316d ago

Looking at what consoles cost now, many need 2 jobs.

cytricks16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

Not quiet. Xbox wanted to do DRM for physical games so they would be locked to your account and not sharable

Zerobalance16d ago

Most of those games are trash. Deal bro🤣 Ponies gotta pony up. Muma Sony wants some more cash. PC bro! Good ol' games. Look it up.

Ashunderfire8616d ago

O man you remember that PS3 statement from crazy Ken Kutagri whatever is last name is, was so cringe for saying,”Your gonna want PS3 so bad you need 2 jobs!” That guy overhype the crap out of PS3, that was the most expensive console, an a lot of misinformation about the graphics and performance delta over 360.

Kyizen15d ago

Xbox drm was for physical games also and 24 hours with no sharing

vTuro2415d ago

Yeah stuff like this is why competition is needed. The ps360 era was peak gaming. Microsoft and Sony waging a full on war and Nintendo just kinda doing their own thing. The gamers only benefited from that. Then Microsoft shot themselves in the dick with the Xbone and that gen felt like a step down from the previous (imo), though it wasn't bad still.
Then you have the current gen, which honestly feels like one big nothingburger. Barely anything interesting gets released while prices keep going up which to me is just insane. Astro Bot is basically their only exclusive that I'd be interested in buying, but I'm not buying an console just for that. Especially not one as expensive as the ps5... I would add Demon's Souls to that, but I already played the original. Loved the game, but a remake isn't a system seller for me.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 15d ago
Loktai16d ago

@darthv72 Yeah LIKE 14 years ago. Its like saying "Give sony flak for raising game prices, because it would have made you mad in 2012"

PRIMORDUS15d ago

Pirate on PC what you can, you will own it, nothing will be taken from you. I feel like your just throwing money away and have nothing to show for it, with digital games.

1Victor15d ago

Well all I’m going to say is I’ll vote with my wallet and keep refusing to buy digital and will cancel my ps extra this is bs and you all that still think digital is the future should take note because once the servers goes down so does your digital game library. Good luck and good bye

blacktiger15d ago

what game on steam has that/?

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 15d ago
Jin_Sakai16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

This has to be a mistake.

“Received word from an anonymous insider. The Sony DRM issue is unintentional. From what we gathered, Sony accidentally broke something while fixing an exploit. They've known about the confusing UI for a while, but didn't see it as urgent. Hoping for a clarifying statement now.”

Eonjay16d ago

I find their communication to be very poor. If this is an error on their part why let people get worried about it? I understand they don't respond to rumor but sometimes they make it worse by not responding and this is an unforced error on top of and apparent unforced error.

Kribwalker16d ago

There’s people that talked directly to people, not chat bots, that confirmed it’s real 🤷‍♂️
I expect those fans that were so against Xbox doing it to eat a whole lot of crow

Outside_ofthe_Box16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

Damn, we having diehards coming out of the woodworks for this. 😳

But you're right this is literally what led to the demise of the Xbox One and led to some calling it the Xbone.

There is literally no need for this and Sony has been doing just fine without it. If I don't turn on my console for 30 days and want to play offline I should be able to play the game that I paid for, no if and or buts about it.

Jin_Sakai16d ago

If it’s real it won’t last long. Almost every PlayStation YouTube video is full of revolt comments about it.

CrashMania16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

The screenshot from the article is from an AI chat bot, there are plenty of screenshots floating around from actual human chat reps stating the opposite.

SkilledGamer16d ago

It's also worth noting that the text stating a 30 day license seems to only be visible on PS4, PS5 users aren't seeing it at all.

Warrior9416d ago

It this is real then I will never buy digital again and if the PS6 is digital only then it will be the first Playstation Console I wont buy

VersusDMC16d ago

"Games will vanish" is click baity as hell...all you have to do is log in and the license is restored.

phatak16d ago

@ VersusDMC The entire goal for us gamers is to want to avoid that lol, what if sony's servers are down or having some maintenance, many times ive just played my installed games without even signing into psn, from now one it means every 30 days I have to at the very least sign it to psn to even play my installed games, cannot even play single player games without singing in, so for example if sony just decides to ban me from psn, I cannot even play the games locally already installed on my drive that I purchased after march 2026, you don't think thats insane ? you just want to accept that ? abandon playstation right now if this story gets confirmed.
we officially have started renting games from march 2026, it was a good run we had 1994 to 2026.

VersusDMC16d ago

Maintenance doesn't last 30 days

Who doesn't sign in to psn for 30 days? Missing out on game updates, new games, messages, demos, etc...

You already lost all your purchases if you got permanently banned from psn so that's not new.

And if for some reason you don't have internet for 30 days you can use your smartphone as a Hotspot to connect your ps5 to the internet.

phatak16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

@VersusDMC my point isn't not about the 30 days maintenance man, the fact that you are willing to accept this 30 days sign in means they totally OWN you now, what if they change this later to 7 days, im sure you will be making the exact same point right " who doesnt sign into psn every 7 days" ? eventually say it becomes every 24 hours you cool with that too ? by psn banning you I mean to say if I get banned on psn right now for some weird reason that they decide, but I have 20 installed games already downloaded and ready to play just by clicking X, basically all the exclusives from ps4 and ps5, even if my psn is banned I still get to play the games already installed right now same like putting the disc into a banned console, from march 2026 will I be able to play my locally installed games with a banned PSN ? Its not about the length of time, its the fact that the corporation gets total control over how I choose to even play my single player offline games with mandatory sign ins, a simple thing such as forgetting my password would mean I cant even play ghost of yotei offline without signing into psn.

You ever heard the phrase "give someone an inch and they will take a yard", thats what will happen here, it doesn't just end at 30 days sign in, that's just the start

cytricks16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

Is it that difficult to sign in for one second every 30 days? Especially if you are ps plus member who wants to get their free games?

phatak16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

@cytricks You are focusing again on the 30 days too, "oh sony said its only 30 days so we are safe" While its not a probability YET, just know that your playstation turns into a brick if sony decides to turn off those servers.

Sony's lack of communication is telling my conspiracy filled mind lol that they're testing to see if they can get away with this. If it was truly a mistake, they would have acknowledged it, apologised, and stated they're working on a fix.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 16d ago
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