GDC 2010: Gabe Newell Bashes DRM

[John Funk]

Steam works. Ubisoft's doesn't.

1-0 to Steam imho.

Steam also gets points for Instant Messaging, Auto-updates, Ongoing Free Upgrades. Yeah, it loses some for DRM, and occasional crashes, but it still stays above the rest overall.

Downloading and installing their game from their servers for free as many times as you want isn't an incentive?

Well on most MMOs...and numerous other games, it's a standard.

And if we're bashing Gabe for that, what WILL we do to Kotick, Guillemot(Ubi), Molyneux or Stringer(Sony)?

You're missing the point.

And who's bashing Gabe? He has a point, but Steam *is* DRM.

 

[Cody211282]

So the guy bashing DRM, is the Co-founder of steam? This is a joke right?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

You're missing the point.

TBF, I don't get the point.

And who's bashing Gabe? He has a point, but Steam *is* DRM.

Gabe's still a gamer though. When have we EVER not bashed something we ourselves have done?

Sid Meier does similar in his GDC speech.

We're never gonna get rid of DRM any more than we'll get rid of the Internet or Piracy, but making it as unobtrusive as possible is still a valid goal.

When steam servers go down, you are fucked.

Steam doesnt sounds so good now, right?

Then a lot of us will turn back to the back-ups and the pirates. Who, in all likelihood, will still be going strong.

 

[Zer_]

What most of the DRM haters don't understand is that digital distribution will become the norm quite soon. There's nothing you can do about it, kicking and screaming about it won't get you anywhere.

Of all the online distribution/drm platforms, I think Steam is the best iteration of a possible future. Instead of being all *sneer sneer sneer* about it, learn to accept change, and enjoy Steam for its many advantages.

 

[Rath709]

Steam is pretty much ideal from where I'm sitting.

- If I buy a game through Steam, I know I can re-download it as many times as necessary on as many machines as my account is enabled on, and when I have my own PC, a laptop for portability, and another PC at my family home that gets pretty regular use, that's pretty damn good. Compare that to something like iTunes, where if you are for some reason forced to do a factory restore of your machine, re-installing iTunes then uses up one of the machine authorisations for your account with them, despite it being the same damn physical machine. Apple, pay attention to Valve.

- Also, any games I already own that weren't acquired through Steam originally can be added to the Steam Games list as a shortcut, and can benefit from the features that Steam adds to it like the in-game web browser and friend chat. For example, I'll be playing World Of Warcraft through Steam via the shortcut I've added, and I can just hit Shift+Tab and be chatting with a friend who is playing Global Agenda. Or I'm playing one of the Homeworld games and I need to look up a strategy for something on GameFAQs without alt-tabbing and having the game crash to the desktop as a result.

- Game updates. I don't have to fuck around looking for patches, it does it for me. And slightly re-tooled versions of games, for example Deus Ex being patched to run at higher resolutions through Steam.

- Not to mention the amazing weekend deals they regularly offer. Was there anyone who didn't already own Psychonauts who was going to turn it down for ONE POUND?

Now look at the alternatives. Games For Windows Live, a poorly implemented system that's not even available in all the countries of the European Union. Or Ubisoft and their offensively draconian system that doesn't even fucking work the way they want it to half the time when the servers go down.

 

[ddq5]

Valve co-founder Gabe Newell thinks that overly restrictive DRM can suck his balls.
Good on ya, Gabe.

 

[Zer_]

Steam is pretty much ideal from where I'm sitting.

- If I buy a game through Steam, I know I can re-download it as many times as necessary on as many machines as my account is enabled on, and when I have my own PC, a laptop for portability, and another PC at my family home that gets pretty regular use, that's pretty damn good. Compare that to something like iTunes, where if you are for some reason forced to do a factory restore of your machine, re-installing iTunes then uses up one of the machine authorisations for your account with them, despite it being the same damn physical machine. Apple, pay attention to Valve.

- Also, any games I already own that weren't acquired through Steam originally can be added to the Steam Games list as a shortcut, and can benefit from the features that Steam adds to it like the in-game web browser and friend chat. For example, I'll be playing World Of Warcraft through Steam via the shortcut I've added, and I can just hit Shift+Tab and be chatting with a friend who is playing Global Agenda. Or I'm playing one of the Homeworld games and I need to look up a strategy for something on GameFAQs without alt-tabbing and having the game crash to the desktop as a result.

- Game updates. I don't have to fuck around looking for patches, it does it for me. And slightly re-tooled versions of games, for example Deus Ex being patched to run at higher resolutions through Steam.

- Not to mention the amazing weekend deals they regularly offer. Was there anyone who didn't already own Psychonauts who was going to turn it down for ONE POUND?

Now look at the alternatives. Games For Windows Live, a poorly implemented system that's not even available in all the countries of the European Union. Or Ubisoft and their offensively draconian system that doesn't even fucking work the way they want it to half the time when the servers go down.

Pretty much sums up some of the great benefits of Steam. One thing you need to consider, though is that not all games support Steam Community in-game. In fact there have been cases where games would crash if the Steam Overlay popped up, although it usually happens to 3rd party games.

 

[baseracer]

Steam is DRM.

Ironic, isn't it?

 

[Snotnarok]

Valve co-founder Gabe Newell thinks that overly restrictive DRM ultimately devalues a product.

In other breaking news, grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and brother, I hurt people.

Just another reason I love that big walking Timbit.

Bonk

Finally a developer comes out and says something smart that isn't just backwoods retarded bashing for no reason.

Edit: Yes steam is DRM, he states that but he said if you're going to use DRM, make it painless and not hurt the customer. Something that I at least feel Steam doesn't do.

 

[Goombanator]

I love steam. And DRM is a better solution to the old "Code in the box" thing. I Have lost my COD4 case, and if I ever want to play it again, even though I have the disc. I have to buy another copy, surley thats a more retarded system than a registration.

 

[LCP]

Steam is DRM.

Ironic, isn't it?

But it actually works well!

 

[JediMB]

Steam is DRM.

Steam is a digital distribution and game management platform.

 

[Tharwen]

Wow, that is a large screen.

 

[(LK)]

Hey guys, if you buy and register your game with us, you get to download and install it as many times on as many computers as you want


I think it's dangerous to start calling this a perk. Allowing people to continue installing games the way they have for decades isn't adding value, it's just declining to take away that value.

It's no more a perk than not being robbed is a windfall.

Cloud saves are a perk, though. A fairly tame perk many won't find useful, but at least it adds some value.

The real problem of course is that, outside of unique cases like Valve, DRM choices are decided by people in the publishing industry who do not play games, do not understand games, and have experience which does not distinguish them from anyone occupying a managerial job in any other industry. They know next to nothing about their own industry's products. So, of course if you let them decide the content of their products, they're going to be like Homer Simpson designing a car. Run the business right into the ground.

Let game designers design games. Let publishers back off and remind them they're good for money and advertising and a gigantic obstacle to financial success if they dabble in anything else. This is the classic archetype of what happens when obsessive managers try to weild micromanaging control in fields they are not competent in.

 

[Zer_]

Hey guys, if you buy and register your game with us, you get to download and install it as many times on as many computers as you want


I think it's dangerous to start calling this a perk. Allowing people to continue installing games the way they have for decades isn't adding value, it's just declining to take away that value.

Well, don't be too sure. My old StarCraft CDs are so worn out that they are barely usable. Same goes for many of my old games. Digital Distribution doesn't have that risk. Before you say anything, yes I do take care of my games, but 10-15 years of swapping CDs DVDs in and out of drives does in fact have an effect on your CDs. Furthermore, CD/DVD media has a limited lifespan.

 

[(LK)]

Hey guys, if you buy and register your game with us, you get to download and install it as many times on as many computers as you want


I think it's dangerous to start calling this a perk. Allowing people to continue installing games the way they have for decades isn't adding value, it's just declining to take away that value.

Well, don't be too sure. My old StarCraft CDs are so worn out that they are barely usable. Same goes for many of my old games. Digital Distribution doesn't have that risk. Before you say anything, yes I do take care of my games, but 10-15 years of swapping CDs DVDs in and out of drives does in fact have an effect on your CDs. Furthermore, CD/DVD media has a limited lifespan.

Keep in mind this is also the reason why many countries legally enshrine making backups of physical media as a protected consumer right. This was only crippled by the same people who are now pushing the alternative as a perk, since the DMCA made breaking the DRM to access that protected right illegal, making backups de facto illegal.

This is sort of like a protection racket. Buy into their DRM schemes and as a perk they won't break your face in with a bat. Hyperbolic? Yes, but there is a minor similarity in place, where the only advantages they're offering are alternatives to things you used to have free to you until the same people took them away prior.

Giving people back things that were stolen from them, in this case basic consumer rights, is not a perk nor a gift... and people have to be aware enough not to take it as such.

Personally I'm not willing to pay extra, or suffer extra inconvenience, and then be thankful to people who presume to tell me that deigning to return to me a fraction of the consumer rights and privileges I had enjoyed, until they had removed them from me, is a generous thing to do. I'm not thankful to be given these things back, I'm pissed that they took them away in the first place.

This all feels like publishers have stolen my bicycle and expect me to be thankful when they throw a ribbon on it and give it to me as a birthday present. It's nice to give me my bike back, dear publishers, but I'd prefer never having it stolen over being given it back.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Valve co-founder Gabe Newell thinks that overly restrictive DRM ultimately devalues a product.

In other breaking news, grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and brother, I hurt people.

You know that, and I know that, but obviously publishers like 2K and Ubisoft DON'T know that.