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Publishers 'scared' to go DRM-free, says online game distributor photo

CD Projekt CEO Michal Kicinski has stated that videogame publishers are "scared" of letting their games go on sale without being given a hearty DRM vaccination. CD Projekt is setting up its own games-on-demand distribution service, GOG.com, but the CEO says that its DRM-free policy is frightening potential collaborators.

"We’re trying to convince them there is nothing to be afraid of. DRM-free, that is something they are really scared of, but on the other hand we can say ‘all of those games are available pirated widely so it’s better to sell them for small money than make the customer’s life difficult and get some more revenues’.

We’re gamers and we are using all these digital distribution platforms. I had Steam but I had the problem that my internet provider could not work with it so I couldn’t use the games I bought. I think that if somebody is paying for the game then they deserve own it, not with a certain list of conditions and sometimes the list of conditions can be long."

Kicinski certainly has a point. DRM has done very little to even so much as slow down the rate at which people pirate videogames, and it seems that the people who buy PC titles are the kind of people who would always be willing to pay good money anyway.

Getting rid of DRM probably wouldn't affect piracy levels at all, considering how ineffective it's been. That said, I still feel a lot of DRM is more about exercising control than stopping theft.


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15 comments | showing # 1 to 15

A New Challenger's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 04:32
A New Challenger
Somewhere I have the Tomy pocket version of Pop-Up Pirate. The full-sized game looks quite a bit more exciting.
wardrox's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 05:04
wardrox
Don't go bringing pop-up pirate into this.
The Amazing Shenazin's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 06:02
The Amazing Shenazin
I lol'd at the picture
indigoinc's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 07:05
indigoinc
GOG has hopefully got the right idea. The games are a good price, they work perfect, and no DRM. I hope their success can convince other companies to follow a similar route.
Funkiller's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 07:40
Funkiller
Somebody needs to take that kid to the stock photo ophthalmologist. What the hell are his eyes focusing at? Or has boredom caused him to go all lazy-eyed?
RJG's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 07:45
RJG
CD Projekt get nothing but love from me. Not just for GOG, but also for the Witcher.
Alexradl's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 08:10
Alexradl
Oyunara:

You're welcome. Also, fuck you.

The pirate poppin' game that's a barrel of laughs!
Half left's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 08:40
Half left
FUCK YES. POP UP PIRATE IS WIN!

I can see it in its box lying on top of the cupboard from here.
Swizzler121's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 10:45
Swizzler121
DRM is just false security. I have never come across a game with ANY type of DRM that has been cracked or been available free. There will always be a way to slip through the bars. and only the paying customers end up behind those bars.
DarkTetsuya's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 10:55
DarkTetsuya
Well when they use shit like SecuROM, nobody cares what they think.
witthaus's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 11:55
witthaus
I have purchased both Fallout titles on GOG and I am really pleased with it. The no DRM, in my opinion, is the way to go. Jim is right too, piracy will still be there, but there are honest people who pay and deserve their titles in the case of hardware failure or any other various problem.
Kasmodiah's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 14:01
Kasmodiah
Cheap games with no DRM?! Oh, I get it! CD Project are becoming pirates!
Shoop's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/22/2008 14:05
Shoop
I got MAX and Fallout 2. I really wish EA didn't own the rights to almost every old studio I loved (Bullfrog, Origin).
th3flyboy's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/23/2008 22:00
th3flyboy
I like GOG a lot, it's just that a lot of companies are not going to put their stuff there because they are afraid of no drm. Fact is DRM only angers the people who buy the game. The pirates can play without any problems when DRM gives legit buyers a headache. I got both fallout games from GOG, and I can't wait for them to sell OFP. I don't have the witcher but I'm tempted to get it if it doesn't have securom or starforce (TAGE is decent). I just wish EA would put some of their older titles on there (populus, alpha centauri, system shock 2) along with atari/micropose (falcon 4.0 original, mechwarrior 3/pirate moon, various others) and microsoft (mechwarrior 4 and all expansions, AOE 1, CFS 1,2, and 3, and FS 98, 2000, 02, and 04). There are a lot of games that should be put on there, but aren't gonna go on there because of scared or greedy publishers and developers.
Pixelated's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/12/2008 16:05
Pixelated
Fuck EA and their games.
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