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Direct2Drive opens European store

Published on 3rd February 2010 by Joe Martin

IGN's digital distribution service, Direct2Drive, now has a brand new storefront just for European users.

IGN has today announced the launch of a new European wing for it's digital distribution network, Direct2Drive, which will cater specifically to gamers in Europe.

The main benefit of the new Direct2Drive store is the fact that all prices will be listed in Euros and will be a lot more competitive than they were previously, something gamers are keen to complain about with main rival Steam.

“Boasting a catalogue of hundreds of PC and Mac titles, Direct2Drive.eu is a natural addition to the Direct2Drive family . As part of IGN Entertainment our European footprint continues to grow steadily , with sales from Direct2Drive UK significantly increasing year-on-year providing us with a solid springboard into Europe” , said IGN's marketing man Richard Keen.

To help celebrate the launch IGN is offering a series of big discounts on some games throughout launch week - February 2nd until February 9th.

The first sale to grace the store consists of THQ's entire back-catalogue, which has been slashed to half-price. That means you can pick up games like Supreme Commander: Gold, Company of Heroes and STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl for a good deal less than you might find them anywhere else. Direct2Drive's deal of the week is THQ's Red Faction 2, which has been reduced by 75 percent.

Do you use Direct2Drive, Steam, EA Store, Impulse, Greenhouse, Metaboli or one of the dozen others? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

11 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

greigaitken 3rd February 2010, 13:06

I feel like online game stores are like women - one is simple and takes your money and you get fun, 2 or more at once and it becomes a lot of hassle but you get different good bits from different... em.. stores. Steam seems to be the hottie most guys go for at moment and that particualr hottie seems to keep them happy enough they dont need anything else - unless maybe if D2D takes it's pants down a bit more for an easy change of experience

bowman 3rd February 2010, 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by greigaitken
I feel like online game stores are like women - one is simple and takes your money and you get fun, 2 or more at once and it becomes a lot of hassle but you get different good bits from different... em.. stores. Steam seems to be the hottie most guys go for at moment and that particualr hottie seems to keep them happy enough they dont need anything else - unless maybe if D2D takes it's pants down a bit more for an easy change of experience

Not really. I didn't really consider any other service before Steam decided to **** their customer base in the ass with the European prices. €60 for Mass Effect 2? Really?

I've already bought from the D2D UK store, worked fine. Mass Effect 2 was however regionally locked on any other DD store than Steam. It's like my money is dirty or something because it's not Anglo in nature. Whatever. I'm happy to keep my money.

I'll have a look to see if anything has changed in the new D2D store except the price denomination, but I don't expect anything.

edit - as suspected, Mass Effect 2 isn't even listed on the site. What a waste of space.

mi1ez 3rd February 2010, 13:29

Nice analogy...

Agent_M 3rd February 2010, 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowman
Not really. I didn't really consider any other service before Steam decided to **** their customer base in the ass with the European prices. 60 for Mass Effect 2? Really?

I've already bought from the D2D UK store, worked fine. Mass Effect 2 was however regionally locked on any other DD store than Steam. It's like my money is dirty or something because it's not Anglo in nature. Whatever. I'm happy to keep my money.

I'll have a look to see if anything has changed in the new D2D store except the price denomination, but I don't expect anything.

edit - as suspected, Mass Effect 2 isn't even listed on the site. What a waste of space.

you mean this mass effect 2? http://www.direct2drive.co.uk/3/9053/product/Buy-Mass-Effect-2-Download

Eriku-Kun 3rd February 2010, 14:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent_M

you mean this mass effect 2? http://www.direct2drive.co.uk/3/9053/product/Buy-Mass-Effect-2-Download

I think he meant the one not available on www.direct2drive.eu

Anfield 3rd February 2010, 17:48

Good to see some more competition for Steam (because the absolutely broken piece of cr** EA considers a online store really doesn't count as competition for anything).

Farfalho 3rd February 2010, 17:48

I'm happy with steam since I haven't bough any game online but I might buy something good and original from it. Until I see a reason why not to.

bowman 3rd February 2010, 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent_M
Quote:
Originally Posted by bowman
Not really. I didn't really consider any other service before Steam decided to **** their customer base in the ass with the European prices. €60 for Mass Effect 2? Really?

I've already bought from the D2D UK store, worked fine. Mass Effect 2 was however regionally locked on any other DD store than Steam. It's like my money is dirty or something because it's not Anglo in nature. Whatever. I'm happy to keep my money.

I'll have a look to see if anything has changed in the new D2D store except the price denomination, but I don't expect anything.

edit - as suspected, Mass Effect 2 isn't even listed on the site. What a waste of space.

you mean this mass effect 2? http://www.direct2drive.co.uk/3/9053/product/Buy-Mass-Effect-2-Download

Yeah, that's the one, trying to buy it on D2D UK lets me know I'm not cool enough to buy it, and now on the new D2D EU they decided to just pretend it didn't exist to save themselves the trouble.

Rkiver 3rd February 2010, 18:34

I for one am glad they've opened an EU store. Steam prices have been creeping higher and higher. I mean come on if I can get the same game for sometimes 10 Euro less in high street stores, why buy from Steam? If it's a digital download surely it should cost less due to no packaging etc etc?

I got Star Trek Online from D2D as it was cheaper then Steam, as well as Mass Effect 2 (pre-order=lower prices too).

FreQ 4th February 2010, 00:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rkiver
I for one am glad they've opened an EU store. Steam prices have been creeping higher and higher. I mean come on if I can get the same game for sometimes 10 Euro less in high street stores, why buy from Steam? If it's a digital download surely it should cost less due to no packaging etc etc?

I got Star Trek Online from D2D as it was cheaper then Steam, as well as Mass Effect 2 (pre-order=lower prices too).

Agreed. Quite often I see Steam games priced higher than on the high street.

It doesn't matter how good a product is, it has to have competition to keep it good. I hope that D2D proves really competitive so that Steam raises it's game and keeps me happy. :D

SoulRider 4th February 2010, 11:24

I've noticed a concerning trend since I moved from the UK to The Netherlands. Steam prices are a rip off in Europe. We get a 1:1 price exchange with the dollar. Take psyconauts as an example, £1, $2, â¬2, but it is across all pricing. The Euro is almost the same value as the pound, and yet we're paying twice as much!

I'm off to UK this weekend to top up my steam account..