IW responds to MW2 petition, servers capped at 9v9

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10:40 AM on 11.04.2009, Jim Sterling

151 comments

IW responds to MW2 petition, servers capped at 9v9 photo

#Activision #Call of Duty #Controversy #Infinity Ward #PC #top stories

PC gamers already hopping mad at Infinity Ward over the lack of dedicated servers in Modern Warfare 2 might want to skip this story. The studio has responded to a number of fan questions surrounding the controversial decision, and the answer isn't what you want to hear. Even moreso, it's been revealed that servers across all platforms, PC included, will max out at eighteen players.

"All I can say is that we changed it to make it a better and easier experience. Also, not all of the names on that list are legit," said Infinity Ward, when talking about the MW2 server petition and downplaying the significance of its 178,000 signatures.

"402 signed it 4 times I heard," adds IW's Mackey McAndlish, while also revealing that, "Games cap out at 9v9. The software has great latency tolerance."

Infinity Ward has infuriated many PC gamers with its server decision and subsequent defense of that decision. Of course, when you're making the biggest shooter of the year, I guess you can afford to piss off thousands of your customers and get away with it. If the lack of dedicated servers is a big deal to you, all I can suggest is that you chill out and look forward instead to Left 4 Dead 2 or something. Seems MW2 is very much a lost cause for you.

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next 50 comments

151 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Ruben Hanssen

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 keeps looking better and better tbh.
At 9 vs 9 I'm seriously just as well off playing CS. :p

Xzyliac

See the danger with pissing off PC gamers is how easy it is to pirate the game.

CtMythic

Left 4 Dead 2 is absolutely the best FPS game I've ever played, and I totally haven't played a pirate MW2. I would wholeheartedly recommend the former over the latter, which again, I haven't played, honest.

TechmaN

No servers no buy... but i'll play it anyway... xD

Jim Sterling

"See the danger with pissing off PC gamers is how easy it is to pirate the game."

Or perhaps Infinity Ward know most PC gamers would pirate it anyway, so don't feel the need to win their loyalty?

Rebelduck

seriously wtf are they thinking, do they WANT to get their building burned down? I'm thinking that what is going to happen and what SHOULD happen is that there will be IWnet AND later on they will put out support for private servers, so you will be able to do either. I was really excited about this game a few weeks back, now i'm just nervous, not cool IW, not cool.

Cartman

Haha, I love IWs take-no-shit attitude.

Rebelduck

@Jim Sterling

Dude don't EVER say that, most PCers DO buy their games, and shit like that is what get companies doing crap like this.

Xzyliac

@Jim Sterling
Maybe. I know if I were IW I'd be making this thing look as good as Tera Patrick after a bowl of hash and a 6 pack of beer but maybe that's just because I give a shit.

Insane Enigma

It has been said before and I shall say it again. It is the move to make PC games more like their console versions. When will the madness end?

TechmaN

"Or perhaps Infinity Ward know most PC gamers would pirate it anyway, so don't feel the need to win their loyalty?"

I play MW everyday and the servers are full almost all the time - think You cant play with a pirated version ?

Michael Brown

Left 4 Dead 2 people. The answer could not be any more clear. IW with their smug attitude and over confidence really nerve me.

Klarden

@jim
people who will pirate the game don't care about multiplayer anyway

Josh Tolentino

Perhaps, but at least for the PC gamers who aren't pirating, there really are considerable technical and performance hurdles that IW will need to jump for them to prove that their solution really is superior (or at least equal) to what PC gamers are used to.

We're a bunch of elitist jerks, yes. Our aura of entitlement isn't helping the cause right now. At the same time, at least with regard to certain things, we've experienced better for a long time (though the debate of servers v. matchmaking is still up in the air).

For those who remember, Steam took a HELL of a long time to catch on, back in the day when only Valve games were using it, and only really did when it became the de facto standard for How You Play Games On The PC Now.

I believe that this is the case with IW net, SO LONG as they can leap those hurdles. If not, we really DO get a lesser game for it.

TheDreadHawk

Oh well... I am so on the fence.

TechmaN

@Klarden
"people who will pirate the game don't care about multiplayer anyway"

yes... and by gimping multiplayer they took out the one reason some pirate would consider buying a legit version...

DonHonk

NOT BUYING

NOT PIRATING

NOT SUPPORTING

Peace out.

heretrix

I'm just amazed at how people are surprised at any of this.At the end of the day all of the outrage is kind of meaningless. IW is going to do what they want and people are going to buy this game by the shitload. Best to take your business elsewhere.

A suggestion: Battlefield: Bad Company 2.They seem to give a shit about PC gamers, give them your money.

Yehat

The interview is an astounding trainwreck, the parts about being unable to change the FOV and not having a drop down console are such choice parts. Really just be honest IW and say "We just didn't give a crap" or "Too much QA work". If Gearbox can say "hey the options aren't in the game but here's how to modify the ini to suit your needs" it really raises the question why big ol' Infinity Ward can't even do that much.

@Jim Sterling

One would then question why they are even bothering with the IW.net system which they have personally claimed is a *more* expensive investment rather than allowing dedicated servers. Of course IW could also be openly lying too but that would mean there are ulterior motives.

ZethUK

I can't help but start thinking that Infinity Ward want MW2 to fail on the PC so they can justify not bothering with PC development anymore. And as a legit PC gamer who always buys the games I want to play this pains me..

Black Nexus

9vs9 that's it, yeesh, not even enough for a good ground war.

I love ground war.

Klarden

@TechmaN
that was the point i was suggesting to Jim Sterling, yes
people who will definitely download the game don't care about multiplayer
but people who could've wanted to play multiplayer and were thinking about buying the game now have serious doubts. that is if they weren't having doubts when activision raised the price on the game, anyway

Michael Brown

If the game weren't on PC it would still get pirated. PC just makes it easier. But any hot new game is going to get pirated on any console.

runtheplacered

@ Jim
"Or perhaps Infinity Ward know most PC gamers would pirate it anyway, so don't feel the need to win their loyalty?"

MOST PC gamers are pirates? What the fuck? Did you just fall on your head?

Kris S

@xzyilac

Funny because it has already been pirated for the 360, is it any harder on any format? http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=226587 Couldn't be arsed with BB code =>

The danger or pissing off PC gamers is you have to hear the whiny fuckers moan all the time. At the moment as my 360 is dead I am back to PC gaming only as I have been many times before but I still don't class myself as a PC gamer. PC gamers are elitist moaning-faced twats in all honesty.
They are going to have start dealing with the fact that soon enough (I give it a few years at least though) that games will be standard across all formats and I can see an amalgamated Games for Windows/Xbox live happening. This will be due to pirating and also the younger ones - post 80's kids - scared to enter PC gaming due to hardware/software issues and of course the elitist PC gamer knobs who scare them all away because they don't know what hyper-threading, water cooled or who Guybrush Threepwood is.

NB I do feel for the Americans though as I've heard the game is more expensive than the console versions.

runtheplacered

@ klarden,

"people who will pirate the game don't care about multiplayer anyway"

Actually that's not true at all. Ever heard of private servers?

Kris S

Gimme a job Pachter

eduh

the reason not to pirate mw2 was to play it competitively, since they completely destroyed the chances of a proper mw2 competitive scene(no dedicated servers + no competitive mod), there is no reason to pay for the game.

DonHonk

Hm, I'm a 90s kid that is full PC gaming elitist. The simple fact is that when a developer does a good PC port, it is much better then the Console equivalent.

The reason this is so insulting is that CoD4 was a perfect PC port with all the features that the PC crowd wanted. Then Infinity Ward (a normally PC friendly company) goes and fucks it in the ass.

Whatever.

Klarden

@ runtheplacered
ever heard of how they usually suck?:)

it's simply not the same. yeah, sure most MMO's out there also have pirate servers for them, but is it the same as playing on the "licensed" (let's put it like that) server?

andycadaver

PC got fucked, y'all!

Phantom Spaceman

The PC is dead as a gaming platform. Move the fuck on.

Cartman

I just really hope the servers dont completely blow out like they did when MW 1 came out. That was shitty.

-JT-

activision pulls out of pc gaming due to piracy, quality of games on pc goes through the roof. WIN WIN

Shadowiii

If I play it, it's going to be pirated. There, I said it.
I don't hardly ever pirate PC games, but I'll make an exception here. These guys are douches.
And the funny thing is they most certainly can get away with it. The game is going to sell a bajillion copies on Xbox and PS3, even if every PC gamer in the world boycotted it it probably wouldn't hurt them too badly.
Blah.

Magnalon

This is all you need to know:

World at War PC - 32v32
Modern Warfare 2 PC - 9v9

Since it's a console port, essentially, just buy the console version this time around.

As far as the PC GAMERS ARE PIRATES LOL argument goes:
I know for a fact that there's a ton of people in this community that pirate 360 games. It works both ways. I can also log into World at War right now on PC, and on my 360, ten feet away, and see an equal number of gamers online.

charaznable

No dedicated servers means no private servers for the pirates. All the people bitching and moaning are the pirates that are pissed that they can't fucking run their own servers to play with their pirate friends.

PutinVGZ

Jim, I just made a Destructoid account after reading this. I have been very angry over this Developer interview and I'm glad some Press is finally reporting it.

MW2 Is the Most Pre-Ordered Game of all time. No one can stop that. But, by saying that some of those signatures aren't legit and don't prove to be a real voice?

Mackey McAndlish I always buy two copies of your games - A console version to play with my friends that don't play PC Games and then the PC Version to play on Dedicated Servers. By your remarks and IW's treatment of all of this. No, I will not be purchasing anymore of IW's Games. For that matter I won't be purchasing anymore Activison Titles either.

Call Of Duty, I had some great memories. But It looks like I'll be playing L4D2. Also I bought a 4 pack to share with friends so they won't be buying MW2 Either. GOOD GAME IW.

tl;dr Thank you Jim For bringing these quotes to press. Screw you IW.

Nortonantivirus

9v9....wow just shoot me. I enjoy 30+ man TF2 matches, or the 64 player BF2 matches. I like tons of people on a huge map. 9v9 is really boring. And if the respawn timer (Defaults FTL) is 8 seconds or something, its going to be a snore-fest. I really think IW has given up on life, and is thinking about jumping off a bridge.

Good thing Valve and Dice aren't douch�bags and value their customers.

@Josh Tolentino
Lawl Steam early days. Updates every other day. Praying it would update and not crash. Those were the days.

@Yehat
I just finished Borderlands a second time around, and I must say that changing the .ini files making the game way more playable (and fun). Gearbox did not put in alot of features, however did say how to change some of them. I got a feeling like Borderlands was made for console, ported to PC. There is some PS3 and XBox 360 code in the .ini files.

Velt

GREAT IDEA!
Now IW why dont you go throught the back door and screw yourself while we play some, you know... real games that havent been overhyped.

No, really:
COD4 was geat for anyone who touched the pc version, it was a blast of fun in MP mode. I bought it only because of the MP. I thought: "how are they going to improve it if its already near perfect?"

And now they piss on PC gaming. So, Im not supporting it. 9v9 is s*** for PC�S standards and no dedicated server is even worse for everyone that doesnt live in the great US plains.

Also, agree with Eduh.

Magnalon

@Phantom
EA/Dice has specifically said PC gaming is not dead, and this move by Activision is despicable.

Valve also shares the same sentiments, and the community for every single online Valve game is larger on the PC: then you have Blizzard, which still has millions of fans playing decade old games, and every current MMO, which have tens of millions of subscribers as a whole. You also have developers like Bioware which put out inferior console versions (Dragon Age). So no, it's not dead.

Canthari

"Or perhaps Infinity Ward know most PC gamers would pirate it anyway, so don't feel the need to win their loyalty?"

Sad thing since Call of Duty recived a LOT of support when it was a PC-only tittle inclusive. By this time there are a lot of people who have downloaded the game illegaly in the 360 and already beated it so, what's next?, don't give a shit about the Xbox too?.

Maybe you're right anyway, but.. how bad.

TechmaN

@charaznable
"No dedicated servers means no private servers for the pirates. All the people bitching and moaning are the pirates that are pissed that they can't fucking run their own servers to play with their pirate friends."

I got a legit copy of MW (and other of my games)... but I'm pissed because I dont want to (and will not) buy a gimped version of the game just because consoles cant handle more players or some other retarded reason... Next thing we wont be able to up the res and AA because thats how the console version is made...

Magnalon

@charaznable
You don't need dedicated servers to have private servers in a PC game, d00der. Do your research before you bash a platform!

runtheplacered

@ klarden

"ever heard of how they usually suck?"

Actually they work just fine. The MMO private servers are a completely different beast. But private servers for FPS's don't really have any cons to them, except rampant hackers.

$Retrofraction's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/04/2009 11:33$

Retrofraction

Pissing off PC gamers and wii gamers in the same week really is not a good business strategy.

I think the only ones happy about this game will be Ps3 and 360 owners.

fiktion95

If you don't like the decision not to support dedicated servers then don't buy the game. The argument that PC gamers have been wronged somehow is absurd. You kids with your sense of entitlement are frankly sickening. Infinity Ward made a decision to make their game as they saw fit, they don't owe you anything. Even if the decision was purely financially based it is their right to do so. But calling it despicable is laughable. You are not entitled to dedicated servers or anything else, get over yourselves. What you are entitled to is the right to buy it if you want, or not if you dont but do NOT act like you have been wronged somehow. Rediculous.

dj-anon

"Or perhaps Infinity Ward know most PC gamers would pirate it anyway, so don't feel the need to win their loyalty?"

You need a legit key to play online. Hacked servers for pirated copies are few, with outdated patches and bad ping. You are my favorite editor Jim, but Dtoid seriously need a pc gamer on their staff or just report the news with no editorial content.

falinter

It's times like this I'm glad I don't give two shits about CoD multi-player.

Dexter345

I won't say that PC gamers have no right to be upset about this, but it doesn't personally affect me. For one, because that's the exactly cap for the first Modern Warfare game, and for two, because I usually only play 3 on 3 or 6 on 6 games anyway. Get too many people on the maps and it turns into something that I don't particularly like.

But like I said, I'm not about to say that everybody should be amenable to this. I'm sure there are people who played Modern Warfare on the PC and loved 16 v 16 matches or whatever. They shouldn't be ignored.

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