In a move that’s not really surprising given recent similar announcements for massive games like Modern Warfare 2, 2K Games stated that Bioshock 2 would not feature any dedicated server support, nor LAN support for either the console or the PC version of the game. This development turned up in a Q&A session on 2K Games’ own Cult of Rapture website.
“There is always a finite amount of time for the development of a game. Bringing Multiplayer to BioShock was a daunting task between the tech (there was no multiplayer support in the codebase from the first game) and the expectations of the community. Either you try to do everything and so nothing feels finished or you focus your efforts to do a smaller number of things really well like an accessible online experience,” explained 2K Marin. “We chose to spend the time we had creating a solid game foundation and unfortunately that did not include LAN play or dedicated servers.”
While the explanation seems valid, one has to wonder exactly why so many game publishers are shying away from dedicated servers for AAA titles which are sure to be played long into the future. The lack of dedicated server support for Borderlands on PC marred the launch and made it a truly unenjoyable experience for many players and the lack of LAN support for Bioshock 2 could be a bite gamers aren’t ready to chew.
Source: Videogamer.com
Further proof that PC gamers are a minority. Stop pirating games and they (probably won’t) stop doing this.
For the record, Bioshock 2 will be cement my belief that, unless it’s sincere, multiplication destroys meaning.
I had a bad feeling ths would happen. Hopefully it won’t have the same problems Modern Warfare 2 has finding and keeping hosts.
It’s too bad features like this are being left out because, if the release date was really the issue, it seems like they could expand upon it with a patch or DLC. Sure, it would add to the list of people’s issues with DLC, but if having those features are a selling point for people, it seems weird that devs are just dropping them completely.
As much as having those features would be great, and as much as I’m not too sure about how multiplayer is going to work, it’s safe to say I’m definitely buying this game. The original Bioshock was probably my favorite game on the 360, and if the single-player experience alone is as good, it’ll be worth my purchase.
@Chase
More people pirated the 360 version of Modern Warfare 2 than PC: proof, the torrent counts at release.
@Chris and Chase
The best thing about 360 pirates is that they’re easier to catch and shutdown. PC pirates can get away with just about anything if there’s no dedicated server support. I’m not making a statement for or against piracy, I’m just stating an observed detail.
I really don’t mind the lack of LAN support. I’m never in a situation where all of my friends want to drag their Plasma’s and LCD’s over to the house for a match or two. The lack of available dedicated servers, however, is extremely disappointing to me (even as a primarily 360 player) simply because you have to deal with the host issues. MW2 has a very real problem with this. It’s obviously not usually an issue with money for the big titles. I have zero idea how much work would be involved in setting up dedicated servers for a game, but it doesn’t really seem like it would take more than a month to accomplish. Seems like an excuse to me as games can be in development for years at a time. Come on guys, remember your customers!
Man, every time I hear a game isn’t going to support dedicated servers I vomit a little in my mouth. I don’t know about you guys, but I feel that dedicated servers are one of the most important aspects of multiplayer gaming. They add a level of community that just isn’t present when a matchmaking system is in place. Maybe I’m alone in this one, but whenever I play a game online I like to pick one or two servers and just keep playing there. Eventually I become a “regular” and get to know some of the other guys who consistently play there. I’ve made some of my best e-friends this way. It just really disgusts me that a younger generation of gamers might not get to have this same experience.
@Chris
More 360 pirates mean that there are less PC gamers.
:I
No dedicated servers just means i 100% will pirate this game. No DRM or rootkits are worth the pile of crap online experience peer to peer provides.
Don’t get how the lack of something like dedicated servers mean it’s right to pirate it. Bioshock, to me, was never a game I thought “this is good, but if only it had multiplayer.”
I am looking forward to the single player campaign most of all, so really they can go wherever they want with MP. And really is no dedicated servers THAT bad? I played a fair bit of MW2, and oddly enough despite their lack, I had something called “fun” whilst playing online. It seems an issue blown out of the water when it isn’t too big a deal, like elevators in mass effect.
Will wait for a hlaf price sale… although, the game is a single player background anyways.. this shows their belief in the PC market..so at 1/2 price I will show mine.