In a recent interview with the Bash and Slash podcast, Infinity Ward Creative Specialist Robert Bowling talked up the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. In their upcoming FPS, IW is including Steam support, to let PC gamers enjoy the game through Valve's online system. The multiplayer, too, will work through Steam, creating a system similar to the ones found in the console versions of the game. This means matchmaking, which is awesome, and a lack of Dedicated Servers, which is much less than awesome.

For the console gamers who are rolling their eyes in confusion right now, Dedicated Servers are kind of a big deal when it comes to PC gaming. Leaving it out prevents players from joining the games they want to play, and forces a large amount of people into creating private matches, splintering the community. It's one of the aspects of PC gaming that has, until this point, remained untouched (along with the lower price tag, of course).

If this doesn't spur a Left 4 Dead 2 sized crying fest I'll be shocked. It might not sound like a big deal to console players, but it's about as big as StarCraft 2 leaving out LAN play. Besides taking control out of the hands of the community, it throws a hatchet into modding, which will undoubtedly be left out as well. It's just a PC thing, something PC users enjoy to have the ability to control, and Infinity Ward should know better than to expect people to take it without argument. I mean, I don't think they're going to buckle under the pressure, but they have to expect some tears shed over their seeming abandonment of PC gamers.