Witcher 3 Studio Says Piracy Is a Part of Our World

[roseofbattle]

Witcher 3 Studio Says Piracy Is a Part of Our World

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CD Projekt stands by its decision for Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to be DRM-free even if it makes piracy an open possibility -- because piracy is always possible.

Piracy isn't going away, and aggressively fighting it can hurt the people who want to enjoy a legal copy of a game. Marcin Iwinski, CD Projekt co-founder and CEO, explained why Witcher 3 will be free of DRM. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129165-Witcher-3-Studio-Promises-Absolutely-No-DRM-At-Launch] Whether the game has DRM or no DRM, the game will be pirated, Iwinski said. Iwinski hopes that for those who pirate the game, they will eventually buy it.

"I consider piracy to be part of the world," Iwinski said in an interview with GOG [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ArCuvNEwU0]. For some people, piracy, it's in a way trying the games because...some people treat it [like] some kind of trial. Some people just cannot afford it in the full price. And ultimately, I believe that if we treat these people right, then at some point, be it mid-price or maybe budget, they will go out and buy our game."

Iwinski believes using digital rights management in Witcher 3 would do nothing to stop piracy, plus it would not encourage people to obtain legal copies. The studio is realistic: "Whatever we do, the game will be pirated."

Using DRM technology makes life for the "legal gamer" more difficult, he said. The company does not want to alienate anyone who wants to support Witcher 3. "The guys who really trusted us and went out and bought the game, they have a more difficult life than the guys who didn't bother and pirated the game. I really think it should be the other way around." As a result, CD Projekt decided to make it "equal for everyone."

CD Projekt will not pursue anyone who pirates the game. Iwinski hopes this policy will encourage people to buy the game. "Trust us," he said, because CD Projekt trusts potential players.

Source: GOG (YouTube) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ArCuvNEwU0]

Permalink

 

[Epic_Bubble]

I'm throwing money at the screen and I think its working cause CD Projekt just keep saying all the right stuff.

Does this make me more keen for Witcher 3, um yeah it does. Its funny how nowadays the best way to counter piracy is to not have any DRM in a game.

Makes one wonder if the cost to implement and keep DRM running on servers and such and such really is less than how much said company would lose off piracy.

All in all though CD Projekt keeps saying what gamers want to hear and good on them.



Captcha : Trust Me

Yeah I think captcha is becoming self intelligent...

 

[GAunderrated]

Funny thing about CD Projekt for me is I got into the Witcher franchise because of their policies regarding DRM and their rational thoughts on piracy.

Their policies sucked me into their amazing games which I do enjoy a lot. As opposed to someone like Ubisoft and EA who's games draw me in and their policies suck me out.

So keep up the good work CD Projekt and I can't wait to buy Witcher 3.

 

[Angelous Wang]

We get it.

Seriously. These guys just won't shut up about piracy and DRM. They are trying way too hard to be "good guys". It was a breath of fresh air the first time. Good to hear the second. Getting old by the third. Now, the one thousandth time in, I'm real sick of them banging on about it.

I don't think it's CDRED fault you keep hearing the same thing.

I think that it just because they are the only (famous enough) studio with this policy journalists keep asking them, because they have no one else to ask.

CDRED isn't actively asking journalists to ask them about their DRM policy.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Makes one wonder if the cost to implement and keep DRM running on servers and such and such really is less than how much said company would lose off piracy.

That's not why they do it. In several countries, when it comes to business and IP law, if you don't take 'all reasonable precautions' to protect stakeholders' interests, they can sue the living fuck out of you and even nab your IP.

At least, that's what it's all about when it comes to the copy-protection part of DRM.

 

[Aeshi]

Lots of bad things are "Part of our World", doesn't mean we should put up with them.

There are plenty of things (some good, some bad) that were "Part of our World" and that are now no longer "Part of our World", and they're no longer "Part of our World" precisely because somebody out there didn't go "Oh well, it's part of our world so there's nothing we can do about it."

 

[blackrave]

Lots of bad things are "Part of our World", doesn't mean we should put up with them.

There are plenty of things (some good, some bad) that were "Part of our World" and that are now no longer "Part of our World", and they're no longer "Part of our World" precisely because somebody out there didn't go "Oh well, it's part of our world so there's nothing we can do about it."

There is difference between obviously bad and questionable things
Also there is difference between things we can change and things we can't change
Piracy is questionable thing nobody can stop
And often current DRM is in situation when cure is worse than disease (and cure isn't even working for most of the time)

I'm suspicious that guys behind CDPRED have personal piracy related history (as in they themselves have been cracking games in their past), because they know and accept what CEOs of major publisher companies have no idea
There is no such thing as unbreakable DRM, sometimes it is matter of days, sometimes a matter of weeks, but at the end even always-online-DRM can be bypassed
And that is a fact.

 

[GAunderrated]

We get it.

Seriously. These guys just won't shut up about piracy and DRM. They are trying way too hard to be "good guys". It was a breath of fresh air the first time. Good to hear the second. Getting old by the third. Now, the one thousandth time in, I'm real sick of them banging on about it.

I find this attitude a bit jarring and reflects our current culture about complaining about everything.

I mean come on bro you are telling me that a studio promoting the fact they don't hassle paying customers is such a crime that you have to complain about it?

While at the same time Ubisoft, Activision, SE, Capcom, EA,and other developers are focusing on how to screw you over and the best way possible to get extra $$$ from you for no work.

It is attitudes such as yours that leads companies like the ones above to believe that gamers love DRM and we love jumping through hoops because we active complain about any good news in the gaming world regarding no DRM policy.

The truly ironic thing is you call the developers smug but when I read your comment I see true smugness of someone who is all too proud to be critical against a good studio promoting no love for DRM and logical conclusions about piracy.

Also sorry if this is just a bit harsh but I have low tolerance for illogical complaints.

 

[AntiChrist]

But after they continually harp on about it, it goes from something they do that's cool, to something they really want you to know they do. They are trying too hard to be cool. They know they get the reaction they've gotten in this thread -- "You guys are so awesome! I'm so buying your game!" -- so they keep saying it. Now it's become just another marketing tactic. It was nice. It was refreshing. They killed it. They bleed it for all its worth and now they just come off as blatantly using it for rep.

Isn't that true of EVERY company - game developer or otherwise?

Also, given how the usage of DRM is still common practice in the industry, I'd like to believe that: "Not using DRM is a viable business strategy," is a message worth repeating over and over - from the lungs of consumers or people like CD Projekt - EVEN if it begins to sound like a broken record at some point...

 

[Ipsen]

But after they continually harp on about it, it goes from something they do that's cool, to something they really want you to know they do. They are trying too hard to be cool. They know they get the reaction they've gotten in this thread -- "You guys are so awesome! I'm so buying your game!" -- so they keep saying it. Now it's become just another marketing tactic. It was nice. It was refreshing. They killed it. They bleed it for all its worth and now they just come off as blatantly using it for rep.

You know, with all of the DRM shenannigans (which are lessening now, and transitioning into DLC/season passes) going on these days, I can pretty safely say I have plenty of that blood to bleed. Keep on, CDP.

And who the fuck sells respect these days, for that matter?

 

[sageoftruth]

A very respectable way to approach it. Makes me really hope he's right.

 

[sageoftruth]

But after they continually harp on about it, it goes from something they do that's cool, to something they really want you to know they do. They are trying too hard to be cool. They know they get the reaction they've gotten in this thread -- "You guys are so awesome! I'm so buying your game!" -- so they keep saying it. Now it's become just another marketing tactic. It was nice. It was refreshing. They killed it. They bleed it for all its worth and now they just come off as blatantly using it for rep.

Isn't that true of EVERY company - game developer or otherwise?

Also, given how the usage of DRM is still common practice in the industry, I'd like to believe that: "Not using DRM is a viable business strategy," is a message worth repeating over and over - from the lungs of consumers or people like CD Projekt - EVEN if it begins to sound like a broken record at some point...

Not to mention that in addition to bragging about not using DRM, they're also not using DRM. If they're willing to take that risk, I seriously hope it pays off for them.

 

[Jaeger_CDN]

Well they used a simple disk check on their DVD version of Witcher 2 which caused a pile of grief for them (heavy framerate hit). If I remember correctly it was slapped on there because of the publisher and not CDPR themselves. Their first patch removed it and according to the game wiki gave a 5-30% increase in framerates immediately.

They also tried the RIAA/MPAA route of chasing down torrenters and that failed miserablely.

That being said I bought Witcher 2 directly from GoG day one and it's sitting in my backlog pile however I have no complaints of giving them day 1 money for something that they are willing to support with consumer rights and not nickel and dime us to death with DLC/season passes.

These days sadly it's pretty rare for a company to go out of their way to treat customers like customers and not pirates for purchasing their product.

 

[Abomination]

"Some people just cannot afford it in the full price. And ultimately, I believe that if we treat these people right, then at some point, be it mid-price or maybe budget, they will go out and buy our game."

Wait, you mean this company actually realizes that not every single person can even afford a video game at the time of its release?

Might have something to do with CDPR not having your typical American CEO who has no concept as to how the average consumer operates financially... I mean, why don't the poor people just buy more money like I did?

Then again I loved The Witcher and The Witcher II mostly due to the setting, characters, and the story - if not the gameplay. I'll most certainly be picking up The Witcher III at release and Cyberpunk 2077.