Infinity Ward to Abolish Dedicated Servers in Modern Warfare 2 PC
Category: GamingPosted: October 18, 2009 01:23AM
Author: premiumgfx
Infinity Ward's Community Manager Robert Bowling today announced that the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 will include a matchmaking service created in conjunction with Steam called IWNet for online multiplayer, in a webcast over at BASHandSlash.com. Bowling says that IWNet makes multiplayer "more accessible" to Modern Warfare 2's PC community, completely replacing the need for player hosted and owned dedicated servers. After he made the announcement a lull of silence could be heard, with one BASHandSlash moderator saying "The silence you hear is because we've got a community right now structured in such a way that it relied on having dedicated servers" to which another later replied "You're definitely reshaping the way the community has been set up." Bowling acknowledged these comments by responding with one word: "definitely."
Robert Bowling went on to say that with the new IWNet matchmaking system "you can get in and play with players your same rank" but "You're completely reliant on IWNet and there is no dedicated server or server list. You rely on IW Net for matchmaking and your games, but you still have your private matches." With this announcement the future is unclear for the existence of "traditional" clans and hosting modded games or maps on a dedicated server, although all signs point to a bad outcome for gamers who rely on these mainstays. "This is the first time we've ever done something like this, obviously," Bowling continued, "and I know the team has huge plans for what IWNet develops into, and this is just the beginning. It's hard for me to speak personally toward IWNet, because that is a code heavy project."
He also urged gamers that this new multiplayer catalyst gives Infinity Ward "a lot more control and structure for the PC version. From a development standpoint, it's very good on how we can access and update the PC community." Josh Pickler from planetmedalofhonor.com said "The server community is what's made us. It's what defined us" and "IW.NET is getting the PC community to turn into consoles. You're trying to re-write our history." Robert responded by saying "It's definitely going to be a change. It's going to be a very different setup than what we're previously used to in the Call of Duty franchise for the PC. In the long term it's going to help the community. It changes the way and how we're able to update and support the PC version."
Two petitions have already been setup to protest this decision, one on Infinity Ward's Official Forums and another at petitiononline. Both have strong support from the PC gaming community. The webcast which started this outcry can be heard at USTREAM (Robert Bowling starts talking at 1:39:00 [1 hour and 39 minutes]).
I think that as different consoles have different capabilities, strengths and uses, the gamers which play them do too. I think that PC gamers have grown accustomed to playing on dedicated servers over the internet, at a LAN party or in a clan. To take these away from Modern Warfare 2 is a big move especially without prior consultation with the end-users. I think that this decision should be made by the people most affected by it, the Call of Duty Community.
