Spec Ops: The Line is one of the most important games of the seventh console generation, but playing it on PC just got a little harder. The acclaimed military shooter was delisted from Steam without warning today, though it is still available on other PC storefronts and Xbox, where it is backwards compatible.
Spec Ops: The Line has been delisted from Steam https://t.co/DDxVUaOaWi
still available on Xbox Store and other PC 3rd party stores pic.twitter.com/JIW8JgitGv
— Wario64 (@Wario64) January 29, 2024
The removal was first spotted by Wario64, who drew attention to the delisting on X/Twitter. If you navigate to The Line’s Steam page, you’ll be unable to purchase the game and see a notice saying, “Spec Ops: The Line is no longer available on the Steam store.”
It’s not unusual for games to delisted from Steam, but it does stand out given Spec Ops: The Line’s critical acclaim and historical significance. The Line’s infamous white phosphorus scene still frequently comes in conversations surrounding memorable (if horrific) moments in games and player choice, and The Line helped to usher in a new, more critical era of video games based on modern conflict.
In our review, we wrote that “Spec Ops is a daring experiment worth celebrating. For the first time, a
game with guns doesn’t want you to be the hero – it wants you to feel terrible about trying to be one,” and it’s still very much a game worth playing today.
It’s a shame that, at least for now, players can’t purchase it on one of the biggest storefronts in the world, though thankfully it can still be experienced on other platforms.
IGN has reached out to 2K about the delisting. We will update this story if we hear back.
Will Borger is an IGN freelancer. You can find him on Twitter @bywillborger
