Bad Company 2 devs tout dedicated PC servers

Infinity Ward hit a chord with PC gamers last week when it revealed that the desktop edition of its highly anticipated Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 wouldn't support player-run dedicated servers. Instead, Infinity Ward plans to introduce IWNet, a service that trades off dedicated servers for a more structured, console-like online multiplayer experience controlled entirely by the developer. Though billed as an improvement in matchmaking, the move will prevent owners of the PC version of the game from managing their own servers as they wish.

Following the news, many devout PC gamers expressed their discontent over Infinity Ward's decision en masse through an online petition that has secured more than 164,000 signatures. Capitalizing on this furor, fellow online PC shooter developer EA DICE has taken the opportunity to remind its fan base that dedicated servers will be a part of the Battlefield: Bad Company franchise's first iteration on desktops.

"Since Battlefield 1942, DICE has used dedicated servers for all platforms," the developer wrote on its Web site this week. "This formula has worked well, and still works well, for us and for the gaming community. We have stayed true to this practice and will continue this tradition into the upcoming title Battlefield: Bad Company 2."

As noted by DICE, Battlefield: Bad Company 2's online servers will be hosted by a variety of a datacenters in locations throughout the world that players can rent space from. Accordingly, server owners will be afforded admin control over their rented space, "allowing you to manage your server, your way." Players will also be able to earn ranks and rewards on dedicated servers, and they will also be covered by anti-cheat software.

The sequel to last year's well-regarded new expansion of EA DICE's shooter franchise, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on March 2. For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.