S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, sequel to one of the most tense and hardcore shooters on PC, will be adopting the controversial "always-on" DRM scheme. Following in Ubisoft's tracks, GSC Game World will demand a constant online connection to verify copies of the game aren't stolen.
"Protection from piracy? Part of the content will be located on the server and downloaded as the game progresses. Permanent internet access is required," revealed studio head Sergey Grigorovich in an interview. "Text information, code and quests will be loaded through that connection.
"Software piracy is an issue for us, we try to fight it, but within reason. If people can not afford a licensed version, it is to our advantage if they download a pirated copy, and then want to buy a license. In Ukraine, there are different products that people love so much that they buy a license in principle. We want to create just such a product."
Getting people to love your game enough to buy a license is going to be harder when you put in DRM with a known history of pissing off large chunks of the audience. I can't say it fosters much love when I need to keep "checking in" with a company, like a criminal on parole.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Will Have Always-On DRM [Gamespy, thanks de5gravity]
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Contest:
10:00 AM on 10.08.2011 | 
As for me, I'll wait until they inevitably strip out the DRM.
Also, with GSC Game World releases being very buggy at launch I can only see this causing unnecessary hardship for legitimate buyers.
also Planned obsolescence FTMFW, In two years you can just yank the content servers siting that the game is no longer cost efficient to run... But you can buy ESS TEE AY ELL KAY EEE ARR 3 for the low low price of (insert not low low price here)
lmfao same
This'll ultimately get patched out and be dirt cheap.
It isn't and that is going to hurt em a lot, seeing as the only people who buy this game are from the hardcore gaming scene, who read news and know about this kind of shit. This is gonna break 'em...
"Part of the content will be located on the server and downloaded as the game progresses."
Its one thing turning off always-on DRM .... its another thing patching whatever you didn't put in the base install back into the game. Who knows exactly what they didn't bother putting in the game. Or how much phone home code will have to be rewritten.
I wouldn't even bargain bin this game. Hell I wouldn't even crazy holiday steam sale this game.
If you want me to have to be connected to your servers downloading game information all the time, make it multiplayer. Otherwise shove off.
From japanese girls being chained to 3DS consoles to probation checks for playing a game, the video game industry is getting fuckin weird. What next, retnal-scans upon purchase of a game?
Why do people say this? I see the same thing in the used game discussions, too. The increased quality of the game means MORE people will pirate it, not less.
On topic, I rarely pitch a fit about DRM. It's the right of the company to fight illegal access how they see fit, just as it's my right to not buy a product containing DRM that I don't want to deal with. This withholding code thing seems kind of off, though. What kind of code? Quests and text I can somewhat understand; that doesn't sound like it would ruin your game if you got knocked offline. The "code" thing I'd have to know more about.
I'm not in the childishly entitled "I'll pirate it out of spite" camp, but if that withholding code deal means a dropped connection would immediately kick me from the game and kill progress, then I would definitely consider some type of crack.
There is a very good reason why Ubisoft hasn't made a dime off of me since Assassin's Creed (1).
Second!
It would be like having your 360/PS3 always checking to see if you have a disc in the system. WHAT!? This is outrageous!
I bet if the book is sold digitally, it will have some form of DRM.
No.