DRM Is Still Dumb, Says CD Projekt

[Skeleon]

I'm already a GOG customer, although I don't think I've bought games originally released by CD Projekt yet (certainly not the Witcher games and I can't think of any other games of theirs off the top of my head). Of course, GOG itself has an inventory of games from many, many different publishers that they bought the rights to. Then they usually tweak the game to work on newer systems and add goodies like the soundtrack and whatnot. This is definitely an effort I support wholeheartedly and I continue to check back with them to see what new (or old) releases they come out with. I'm very careful about buying games, checking customer reviews and whatnot to hear about DRMs etc.. In that regard, I must scold amazon and other online shops that do this: Nowhere on the article's page do they state whether a game requires Steam, has an always-on or other DRM etc.. It's easy to fall into that trap unless other customers mention the DRM or you check outside the shop's website.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

Buying a game from GOG feels like flying first class. "please sir download as much as you like, would sir care to sample the free soundtrack and concept art?"

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Yep, and it will continue to be dumb for as long as rules of logic are the way they are.

 

[Thoma]

That is exactly the reason why when I first pirated the Witcher I quit on the third chapter, uninstalled it and went to a retail store to buy a legitimate copy. Beside the excellent game their business policy was the thing that I liked the most. Eventually I bought a separate digital copy of the Witcher, and Withcer 2 (Collector's Edition) was a pre-order/day 1 purchase for me. Also a GoG customer.

 

[PingoBlack]

Just think of all this when you boot up Diablo III. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/5743] Sorry, low blow.

Source: Forbes [http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegriffiths/2012/05/18/the-truth-is-it-doesnt-work-cd-projekt-on-drm/]

Permalink

So, Greg ...

Why didn't Escapist write about Diablo 3 technology one year ago, when Blizzard announced it will be server based?

Guess it wasn't popular enough to be nerdy when it mattered?

 

[Artemis923]

The Witcher series are some of the best RPG's around these days, and CD Projekt has earned my cash, as well as my respect.

 

[Kouen]

Valid points are made here,

I Do not so much mind Steam DRM but the rest especially Ubisoft's one can go to hell

 

[The Floating Nose]

I agree that DRM doesn't seem to do much.

But I call bull on the 'trail-version' thing. I know there are people who do that, but even there I bet there's positive confirmation bias where they forget the times where they played a heck of a lot of the game and didn't buy it.

And then there's the people who will justify it ' I played through the game but it wasn't really that good so I won't pay for it'

It's a well known phenomenon that people rationalise away things according to their beliefs and conveniences and even supposing that all those 4.5 million people are nice, honourable people illegally pirating games, I still wouldn't say that even 1% of them actually pay for as many games as they should have.

Anecdotal evidence, I know a few people who have pirated a lot of games over their time, I have never known one of them to buy a game after they've pirated it.


If I had to guess, probably 2.5million + wouldn't have bought the game anyway, maybe 10 000 tops of those 4.5million went on to buy it. It shouldn't happen and we shouldn't be grateful that piracy happens, but then if you've got the choice between doing nothing to stop it and taking time and money doing nothing to stop it, it's clear DRM free is better

I completely agree with you on the "oh no, piracy is a good thing because people who pirate it, will buy it and it's good for galooby booby boo." That argument is complete bullshit. If you steal a candy bar in a store and you eat it...you don't go back into the store and pay for it. Im pretty sure that people who say this argument probably don't believe it themselves.

 

[Kargathia]

How much do you want to bet that certain companies will continue to use faulty DRM despite it obviously not working?

One of the big reasons of DRM still being in use is that investors want to hear their game is being protected from those filthy, filthy pirates. Many of said investors are much more familiar with spreadsheets and quarterly results than with software development, and subsequently won't realise that DRM sounds very nice on paper, but is completely useless in the real world.

I completely agree with you on the "oh no, piracy is a good thing because people who pirate it, will buy it and it's good for galooby booby boo." That argument is complete bullshit. If you steal a candy bar in a store and you eat it...you don't go back into the store and pay for it. Im pretty sure that people who say this argument probably don't believe it themselves.

The problem, however, is not morals. CDProjekt isn't saying either they think piracy is the right thing to do - they're saying that they'd rather have people pirate their stuff (and maybe buy it) than provide a sub-par game experience bogged down by useless DRM.

"Fighting" piracy has long since moved on from wildly flailing your arms and shouting "BUT IT'S WROOOOOOONGG!". It's a fact of life in the current state of the internet, so either you adapt, or you change the entire internet.

CDProjekt is adapting, the US government is trying to change the internet. Only time will tell which one is more successful.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Breaking news: Studio makes shit games, whines about DRM and worships Pirates to try and convince people they're still worth the time of day.

The Witcher series are some of the best RPG's around these days, and CD Projekt has earned my cash, as well as my respect.

Opinions are funny. Anyway, I'm with you Artemis...

Jim Sterling made the argument that piracy is just another service and that it is in direct competition with the DRM "service". As is explained above, the pirated version removes all the hassle that DRM generates, it gives full administrative and autonomous use of the game to the player AND it's free.

If anything being Free is just the bonus, Removal of DRM and receiving full control over my acquired product is the real deal maker.

In that light, the only reason people don't all fall on torrents like it's chocolate cake is because of the legality (and maybe complexity for the computer illiterate). I can't understand why the industry insists on hassling the honest customer while insisting it is to stop piracy. After 15~ years of ever evolving DRM the issue is still rampant if not worse.

The harder they push the customer, the worse things will get. I don't take kindly to been treated like a criminal while the real criminals get a better quality product then me.

 

[Domoslaf]

I wholeheartedly support what they're saying, but the real truth is that DRM doesn't work... until it does. Being Polish, piracy is still pretty widespread around here, especially around people who do gaming ocassionally (they don't really know how the market has changed in the last 10 years and the first thing they ask when talking about a new video game is something along the lines of "where can I download it").

Now with Diablo 3 release I've seen a number of these "casual" (for lack of a better word) people going out and flat out buying the game, even at the inflated price, because a) they know that's the only thing they want to play and b) there is no other way to get it. It amazes me, but that's just how it is.

People who wonder about the impact of piracy or its influence on the industry are in the small minority when all things are considered. Most folks just go with the easiest and the cheapest option. You could argue that piracy is a "crime", therefore not one of these viable options, but I don't think it is actually, truthfully considered as such by general public. I mean you go online, click on a link and download stuff, it's not like you're breaking windows in the night or stealing cars from parking lots, right?

 

[Tamrin]

Just think of all this when you boot up Diablo III. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/5743] Sorry, low blow.

Source: Forbes [http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegriffiths/2012/05/18/the-truth-is-it-doesnt-work-cd-projekt-on-drm/]

Permalink

So, Greg ...

Why didn't Escapist write about Diablo 3 technology one year ago, when Blizzard announced it will be server based?

Guess it wasn't popular enough to be nerdy when it mattered?

Actually they sorry [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/previews/9055-Diablo-III-Hands-On] for it's failure.

 

[mysecondlife]

Not releasing this game on PS3 is also dumb.

They can take their time but I wish to see this game on ps3.. eventually.

 

[Strazdas]

i though diablo 3 was going to be mentioned. it is probably the only DRM that works. how? because half of the game is on blizzards servers thats how. its like playing a MMO in singleplayer. altrough MMOs do have "private servers" too, so i guess were going to wait for Diablo 3 private server, hehehe.

 

[PingoBlack]

Actually they sorry [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/previews/9055-Diablo-III-Hands-On] for it's failure.

So ...

1) Everyone knew that Diablo 3 is server run game. Running on server exclusively requires servers to be online and includes DRM, so you are saying Escapist made that message clear. Or did they? Because ....

2) People still claim they were not informed of fact no. 1 when they bought the game.
3) People still complain after buying said game, which is as useful as shouting at Niagara falls.

At which point did people then notice to vote with wallets? According to you, game journalists did their job. Or do you see my point now?

Just remember next time, if you are unhappy about a business decision a company made and you want to send your message across, you really shouldn't fork over the money.