Modern Warfare 2 PC Version: No Dedicated Servers, IWNet Matchmaking Instead

Omega Amen

Member
This is a pretty big shocking reveal to me, and I honestly feel heartbroken and dejected. This has pretty much killed the hype for me personally on Modern Warfare 2 for now.

Basically, Modern Warfare 2 on the PC will not support dedicated servers like we are all used to on PC FPS. Instead, they have set up a service called IWNet that will perform matchmaking based on skill ranking. From what is revealed so far, it sounds pretty much exactly the same method that multiplayer matches are set up on console FPS.

Here is the article from Kotaku that summarized a webcast with Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling where he revealed this information: http://kotaku.com/5384057/new-moder...-service-will-definitely-reshape-pc-community

I am trying to be fair and wait on more information on what IWNet's capabilities, but I cannot help but take this news negatively. One of the reasons I prefer to play PC versions of FPS is because of dedicated servers and their ramifications like lower pings, ease of clans/communities to gather/practice, high customization/modding, etc. These are all hampered or outright removed with the matchmaking service you see on console FPS.

Hopefully, they will release more information soon, but the hardcore/loyal PC community of Call of Duty seem really ticked off now.
 
Yes this one does Hurt, the iwNet [which is the way many future pc games will be released] is basicly like the Xbox 360 Gold Accounts, you will have a match selected for you, I have seen nothing as of yet if Friends will be opted for:(
A Friend of mine at Activision said Pre Order sales dropped 20%, along with the iwNet info he also said there will be NO PunkBuster Support:(:(:(
This is sad really considering all the support from the Gaming Community that IW and Activision will lose.

As Omega said, we can only wait to see, Because the game itself looks really Great.
 
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The game does look good, but this doesn't affect me much as I wasn't planning on spending the money on this one anyways. Too many games are coming out! I might pick it up cheap sometime later for the campaign. When my friend heard this news, he decided not to get the game. He said he might get it later on 360 since there won't be much advantage to having it on PC any more.

I'm sad to see them take this approach.
 
I never really got into CoD multiplayer, but I was seriously considering picking this one up. Now of course that's out of the question, since it seems that between the $60 price tag and the gross dumbing down of their multiplayer system they are determined to give pc players a raw deal.

There's a reason we like our dedicated servers. I would go so far as to say that the awful console communities are a direct result of their inferior matchmaking system. Without the stability and continuity of dedicated servers, there is no place for decent communities to coalesce, and thus everywhere you turn you find that it is always dragged down to the lowest common denominator.

This development is really concerning when you consider the popularity of the the CoD franchise. When a game this big makes such a radical change, who's to say that other companies won't follow suit?
 
Welcome to the new EA motto: If it ain't broke, break it, then charge even more for your product.

/facepalm

Certainly they're going to backpedal on this one when they see how it affects pre-orders? For all the speculation I've read about gaming shifting toward consoles, online gaming still looks plenty strong to me.
 
Welcome to the new EA motto: If it ain't broke, break it, then charge even more for your product.
This is Activision, not EA, Tek.

EA's closest competitor to MW2 is the Battlefield series made by the developer DICE. Right now, DICE is talking about how they always intended to incorporate dedicated servers in their upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for the PC since that is clearly what their PC audience have always wanted: http://planetbattlefield.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=160413

Suffice to say, DICE sees this blunder as a big opportunity to convert some of the Modern Warfare PC crowd to their franchise.
 
HELP The Gaming Community:

It has been announced that MW2 for pc will be exaclty the same as the console version where matchmaking comes into play making you play against people your own level!

You can do private matches but dedicated servers are a no!

The hardcore community has cried out with a giant petition springing up from the announcement

Check out the petition here http://www.petitiononline.com/dedis4...tion-sign.html

93,103 Signatures and Rising!!! Make A Difference!!!
 
Infinity Ward's first response to petition of lack of dedicated servers: http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2009/10/20/modern-warfare-2-dedicated-server-response.aspx

Bottom line: They are sticking to their story and not changing their course.

Personally, I think their answer is extremely underwhelming, especially their "explanation" on why their matchmaking and dedicated servers should not co-exist.

As for shadetaker's concern on whether this will be a trend on PC versions of FPS going forward, I think MW2 can be a turning point depending on the first month of sales. If it is substantially less than COD4's first month, developers elsewhere may take that as a warning sign. If there is no substantial difference, well....

I have never tried the Battlefield series before, but after today's response, I am willing to give Battlefield: Bad Company 2 some serious consideration and that comes out March 2010.
 
This is Activision, not EA, Tek.
Seeing that Activision's decision is a slap in the face of PC gamers, it's no surprise that I accidentally credited the blunder to EA, a similarly evil company.

In the interest of fairness, though, EA also gave us Boom Blox and Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure. Unfortunately, a few good games don't change the fact that EA is evil (see: Spore DRM debacle, EA widows).
 
EA has been doing a lot better though. Unique IPs (Dead Space for one) and better PC support.
 
EA has been doing a lot better though. Unique IPs (Dead Space for one) and better PC support.
Agreed.

They are no saint, and I am not a big fan of EA, but in recent years, due to change in executive leadership, they have been making a lot better moves and gradually becoming more PC friendly. Acquiring a big PC developer in Bioware, getting a publishing agreement with iD software, allowing DICE to really make the best and fully featured version of Bad Company 2 to be the PC version (and taking PC gamers' thoughts and feedback seriously), willing to let go of SecuROM crap now when they put their catalog on Steam. It is slow, but they are going in the right direction.

But really, I am not the type to just bash the publisher (Activision) and let the developer (Infinity Ward) leave unscathed. If you read that Game Informer article, those were condescending remarks made by Infinity Ward to their PC customers who are upset over this matchmaking fiasco. Add the fact their community manager promised just a month ago that multiplayer in MW2 would not change at all from what was in COD4, and it starting look more than just a raw deal for PC gamers. It is if they don't want our business.

Fine. I will take my business to their direct competitors since DICE is actually treating PC gamers with respect in Bad Company 2.
 
EA has been doing a lot better though. Unique IPs (Dead Space for one) and better PC support.
I don't know about better PC support (I pay more attention to Valve than EA and tend to ignore all semi-realistic shooters), but Dead Space Extraction for the Wii was pretty impressive (though I didn't care much for the profanity and excessive violence). I never played Dead Space, so I wouldn't know if it's any good or not.

Fine. I will take my business to their direct competitors since DICE is actually treating PC gamers with respect in Bad Company 2.
And I think DICE is trying to capitalize on Infinity Ward's slap in the face of PC gamers--and I applaud DICE for it. As long as DICE doesn't adopt a nasty or holier-than-thou attitude, they can take advantage of the situation to promote their product and business. IW's decision plays directly into DICE's favor.
 
Most will never know this but EA/Dice were leaning Heavily toward IW.net until this happened for Bad Company BF 2, even they recognize the Blunder made by Infinity Ward and Activision deserves a slap on the wrist for letting them do it to Pc Gamers. I was and still am upset about it but it does no good to cry over what Should or Could have been done, besides there are other games with Iw.Net, Red Alert 3 for one and any game with Co op like World at War is Similar [omly main difference is with co op you know who the host is, in IW.net if the Host Leaves the game adjusts fire to the Next Best] and Operation Flashpoint 2 :Dragon Rising, look for more games that were Dedicated Host in earlier editions to be IW.net upon release, a word from a Inside Friend[tweet, tweet] told me the coding is less complicated than a Dedicated Host which saves the Companies big Money.

All that Aside, MW 2 is One AWESOME Game, the Single Player [while short] is Intense, more so than MW was, but there is Now the Special Ops which is Single or Co op [instead of Zombies] with 5 tiers and 4 sub missions in each where Stars are earned to advance to Higher Tiers[Not all are a Cakewalk either], and IW[Infinity Ward] coined off of World at Wars success with Large Maps[which are also Highly Detailed], New Customizable Perks and Better Weapons make it Very Fun, Ingame-Voip is Better allowing faster commo with comrades, the respawns are very spurratic, unless you throw down a Beacon for your team to spawn closer to the Front lines then your open game, All in all I was skeptical but could not bring myself to cancel my Pre order and Now I am NOT Dissapointed, even many who waited are now buying the game[I pre- ordered mine from the UK for 40. USD with free shipping, price is now at retail store price 60 Dollars, Steep but fun] and it is on Steam installed from Dvd, Cool :D
 
Sorry Omega, even some things in the Beta testing world cannot be divulged, Most know I work as a Lead Tester for a Beta Testing Company where we sign a NDA, I try to pass on what I can but will not Break the NDA that is why it will remain a Un named source:( I hope you understand , FYI there is a Beta test currently running for Bad Company 2 Battlefield on the PS 3, Keys were available through Fileplanet account Holders [Paid], back to my purpose here, there is a Mod released for MW 2,
MW 2 Unleashed, it is attached, which allows the console which is hidden to be used, thus allowing Cvar adjustments to be made to such things as Blood content, FOV and FPS for a few, Enjoy:p
 
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Bad Company BF 2 looks like a cool game. Unless IW changes the multiplayer i'm going to skip MW2, and probably get Bad Company 2 instead.
 
I was talking to my dad today during dinner, and I said something about MW2 not supporting dedicated servers. He then told me that someone has already hacked the game to make dedicated servers possible...not sure were he read this at but someone may want to check it out.
 
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