Modern Warfare 2 is going to be huge, no doubt about it. A game of the year contender even before anyone had seen it; it’d be just about impossible to screw up the release of such a highly anticipated game. And yet, Infinity Ward found a way.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there’s anything that can threaten its sales. But the release has been tainted by a string of calamitous decisions leaving some gamers wondering if Infinity Ward wants them reaching for their wallets or their ankles on Nov 10th.

It started small, with the news back in July that the UK would pay five quid more for the sequel than the original Modern Warfare. Activision saw the hype reaching critical mass and figured they could get away with it. More recently, we’ve learned that the PC version of MW2 is going to cost ten dollars more than last time too.

But over the past few weeks, I’ve begun to question how much of a sure thing it really is; at least if you’re a PC gamer. There was the news that MW2 wouldn’t support running on dedicated servers. Favoring instead to handle all multiplayer through a new online service: IW.net. Ifinity Ward says the reason is they’re trying to to eliminate cheaters and enormous skill-gaps in multiplayer matches.

Fair enough, but they’re also eliminating mods, clan servers and tons of other things that have come to define PC gaming. Why not do both? According to IW’s Jason West, “We’re just prioritizing the player experience above the modders and the tuners,” which is a congenial way of saying hardcore PC players aren’t a priority for them.

Over 165,000 people have signed their name to a petition, urging Infinity Ward to reconsider their position. Unfortunately, the PC crowd is in a bad position here. Console gaming is king these days and the PC’s numbers are dwindling. If they really mounted a full-on boycott (which many are attempting) and are successful in taking a bite out of MW2’s PC sales, I fear there may not even be a Modern Warfare 3 on PC.

Its a terrible position to be in and my heart goes out to the PC crowd who just want to enjoy all the features they’ve become accustomed to on their platform of choice. For the PC stalwarts who helped make the original MW the game that it is and who played no small part in building the enormous hype and anticipation for the sequel, its poor repayment for all the loyalty they’ve shown this franchise.

Game of the year? Maybe. Sure fire top-seller? Probably. But at what cost? Wouldn’t you rather sell a gamer your next three games instead of pissing them off so much this is the last thing they ever consider buying from you? The great thing about free markets is there’s always someone just around the corner who wants your customers and is willing to deliver a great product -and- treat people right to earn them. At the end of the day, charging more for a game with less features may end up costing Infinity Ward and Activision more than they realize.