Patrick Marchal, technical director at Cities XL developer Monte Cristo has warned that piracy will be the death of PC developers, attacking the ongoing Spore outrage in the process.
"We have looked at what happened with Spore and, even if we are not fans of DRM, we think that the outcry was a bit over the top," claimed Marchal. "I think that people need to recognize that piracy is going to kill PC game developers. We will have to find the best way to defend our property without being harsh on legitimate clients."
Trouble is, publishers have so far been quite careless about that last, important factor -- not being harsh on legitimate clients. DRM only affects paying customers. There isn't even any justification for using copy protection anymore. It doesn't work and publishers know it.
I want a publisher to admit that they care more about second-hand games when they impose these limits. That's the one thing DRM is "good" for, and if all Electronic Arts or any other company cared about was piracy, junk like SecuROM wouldn't even be in the equation.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
1:41 PM on 10.16.2008
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Then you have to have a valid key to play which is checked each time you go online (sod all other types of DRM, like checking disc and making sure it is tied to one computer ID).
Just need to combat against Hamachi VPN, but that is crap anyway to play online with.
simply just make all PC games online only and check for valid registered key and that no one else is using it at that time... BINGO... all the pirates are blown out of the water.
keygens, cracks etc, all useless (valid registered key or you do not have all the code to play online).
Stupid twat.
Also, I think DeusPayne wins an internet.
The videogame industry has to be one of the most profitable out there at the moment, stop crying about how people are stealing food from your children's mouths.
Sort your pricing out and show some respect for the customer. Today I saw Left4Dead was up for pre-order on Steam. For more money than pre-ordering through a retail store. Maybe someone can justify a game costing more as a digital download from the developer than as a physical product from a third party?
DRM is an erosion of consumer rights and people need to stop justifying it.
"DRM is needed, because without DRM people would be able to just pirate AAA titles like Crysis and Spore that deserve GOTY awards for the depth of their gameplay."
STOP MISSING THE POINT!!
people have and do pirate both of those games, and every other game out there. it is in fact possible to pirate ANY GAME on PC or 360 or PSP etc.
the problem is that DRM has no effect on pirates because whoever releases the illegal version of the software REMOVES THE DRM, meaning that only paying customers have to deal with it.
this creates a situation where THE PIRATED VERSION IS BETTER THAN THE RETAIL VERSION DUE TO THE LACK OF DRM.
/rant
I think you missed the hefty dose of sarcasm that Pew's post was laced with.
{facepalm} That noise you heard was the sonic boom of Pew's sarcasm zipping past your head.
Go back to sleep. :P
you both just got pwned.
yes i am joking.
Imagine, if you will, that train companies decided that they don't like people who don't pay. They introduce a prototype ticket barrier. People do not like the barrier and it is newish technology and easy to get around. People jump over it. They break it again and again. The train company then puts all their resources into a far stronger and more prohibitive system that people can get over if they really try, but most now give up. The train company succeeds and most people pay for their tickets.
DRM is going to get worse before it gets better. At least it gives you something to dampen your underwear over.