Stalker 2 has... Draconian DRM.

[V8 Ninja]

On one hand I can kind-of see where GSC is coming from; they're a company that makes games that appeal to a certain type of video game player and that appeal isn't particularly large compared to almost everything else. GSC needs all the money it can get.

...But on the other hand GSC makes games that appeal to that subset of players very well. And the problem is that subset of players absolutely loathes DRM. So yes, this is a stupid move on GSC's part. Let's see of they turn this around later on.

 

[Dandark]

If you asked me just last night whether or not I would of pirated the new STALKER game then I would of instantly said "No, I love that series, my PC can hardly run it but it's so much fun. I would only buy it since it's less hassle and I feel the developers deserve it."

Now I may have to pirate the game just to run it. My labtop has been having trouble recently but before that I could run Clear Sky on pretty decent settings. If I have to download stuff as I play, with my terrible connection, then I won't be able to play what im sure will be a good game.

I may actully pirate this, it would be the first game I have ever actully pirated. I usaully wouldn't do it since I find it so damn annoying to actully do but I am really annoyed at what they have done here.
I just hope that I can buy a new copy, then download the files so I can play it offline without needing a cracked version. I would like to pay for this game, but they are making it really difficult for me.

 

[wildpeaks]

That sucks because a good game is way more likely to get them sales than waste money developing some DRM that will be cracked on the first day.

 

[xdiesp]

The dvd is actually radioactive to ensure you won't have the physical lifespan to pass it to others.

 

[Scizophrenic Llama]

Jesus christ some people... Is this REALLY that big of a hassle? *****, *****, *****.. It seems every day the gaming community is heraling a new reason why the gaming industry is 'dead' to them.

So you must be connected to the internet in order to play a SP game; so fucking what? If you're a PC gamer, you're connected to the internet 98% of the day, the other 2% might be the wee hours of the morning when you IP shuts down the connection for maitenence. Whats the issue?


Boycotts, project 10 dollar, DRM, etc. etc. I've been a gamer since I could hold a controller (1990) and you know what? The industry has never been BETTER, but the community has never been WORSE!

It isn't so much the fact that I need internet to play the game, it's that I also have to hope theirs doesn't fuck up too [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98927-Ubisoft-DRM-Authentication-Servers-Go-Down]. And in the off chance that the company for whatever reason goes under, hope that they release some kind of patch to go around this DRM or else you will be forced to utilize the very thing they are attempting to stop just to play the game in the future.

 

[Zaik]

I would never openly advocate possibly illegal activities or anything, but if someone wanted to make a point against this, their best move would probably be to wait 20 something hours after release, when someone's snatched the necessary files and are freely passing them around.

Seemed to me that it worked wonders on Ubisoft's attitude.

 

[ruben6f]

I guess this also means no mods since some game files are in the servers.

 

[Dandark]

You know what really urks me about this though? The vanilla games are not even that great on their own. They are really good games and I enjoy them immensely but the best part of STALKER games are when the modders release their versions. I still play Clear Sky a lot today, because of the Total Faction Warfare mod. I don't even take part in the faction wars most of the time, it's just that the mod improves the game so much in other areas as well.

 

[WarpZone]

The thing is, it was a game I was quite looking forward to and was planning on purchasing when it came out. They essentially lost a sale right there. It makes me understandably a bit frustrated with the whole situation, especially considering games that don't have DRM (EDIT: Or have a DRM-less option), like the Witcher 2, can still sell quite well (about 1 Million copies well [http://www.wbj.pl/article-55824-the-witcher-2-nearly-1-million-copies-sold.html])... -_-

This is what I'm talking about.

If the game were good, the wouldn't NEED the DRM. And they know it.

Therefore, if they put the DRM in, it's because they know the game isn't going to be any good.

 

[Chezza]

Reading the quote from the developers I would throw a wild theory that we may be receiving a nice feature for the price of DRM. I do not have any proof to back it up but, knowing the brainstorming many of the mod, game and plain stalker communities come up with it is possible GSC are pursuing an ever updating game.

For example, MMO elements without being one. Perhaps new quests and events are added or altered, maybe you will have the option to join another players game/world (limited players though). Developers aren't stupid enough to throw DRM without being confident it will sell damn well regardless of the hateful move. And before anyone throws the mass piracy in Russia argument just know the game sells more all over the world than Russia itself.

Other minor thoughts to back up my mini MMO theory, it is possible the offer (sometime ago) for the public to create their own missions and submit it to the developers for a chance to be used in the game is to reach their massive mission/quest demand for the ever living, updated mini MMO game??

Think about it

Interesting theory. You're certainly an optimist. "MMO Elements" as you call them are just content drops. You can do that with DLC (which actually is the preferred business way to do it since everyone pays again for content that should have been in the origial game in the first place.) Massively Single-Player could theoretically justify the server/content paradigm, but I think if there was anything like that in the game, they'd be shouting it from the rooftops as a selling point, not keeping it a secret.

I guess time will tell, but I seriously doubt anything like that will be in the game. Even if it is, I would rather have a single player game that's just actually good and I can just play the goddamned thing offline, on my own terms, without logging in.

Now everyone who was gonna buy Stalker 2, go buy an extra copy of Witcher 2. That'll show 'em.

You have a fair point. Though its still possible the "Massively Single-Player" (I too like your definition better) feature could exist. Due to such early stages the company does not wish to reveal anything just as of yet, however announcing DRM is questionable then. Maybe let people blow off steam first? I am a massive fan of the Stalker games so I am unsurprisingly bias and hopeful. I hate the DRM idea, especially if we do not receive any logical and additional bonus to deal with it (selfish thinker too lol) but I know ill get the game regardless.

 

[TheSmokingFox]

Oh dear, yet another company tries to save their game from pirating. HOW DARE THEY WANT TO EARN MONEY?

Oh dear, yet another company that has decided that they are going to essentially stop me and others like me from playing their game. HOW DARE I WANT TO PLAY SINGLE PLAYER WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT MY SPOTTY INTERNET CONNECTION?

Don't buy it. Is that so hard?

Yeah, it kinda is, especially considering how much people want this game. Not sure why you are being 'that guy' but you are.

OT: This is a real shame, but tbh it's just going to be a whole new reason not to buy it. Like prohibition, this will be incredibly counter productive. We are going to see this game sell a tiny amount of copies, and yet it will be pirated like a m*therfucker once a working crack comes up. If i may quote yahtzee "There is non middle-finger big enough."

 

[Wintermoot]

Oh dear, yet another company tries to save their game from pirating. HOW DARE THEY WANT TO EARN MONEY?

you DO know that you need a internet connection THE ENTIRE TIME YOU ARE PLAYING IT right?
FUCK YOU EA! also this is the first time it,s LITERARY un-pirateble.
good job EA! for raising DRM douchebagness to a new level!

 

[Vibhor]

"Zomg, I'm not buying this game because it has piracy counter-measures. BAAWWW!"

Please people, grow up. If you don't like this little bit of information, then I suppose it's too freaking bad for you, you'll just have to get it the legitimate way: money.

Half of the people who said they won't buy it because of their DRM probably wouldn't buy it anyway, only to download it from a piracy site later on down the road.

Me? I'm still going to buy the game. I mean c'mon, it's freaking STALKER! One of the greatest FPSRPGs in existence! How can such a little catch actually create such a big hype-crusher? They could always just not make it at all and called it a day. If you want stuff like this to stop, then get off your fat butt and try to figure out a way to stop the piracy.

TL;DR

Be happy with what you're getting: A game made with an obviously high-quality brand name, and stop complaining about little problems.

Okay, I am laughing out loud while at your post while crying a little from the inside at your stupidity.
First thing first, It should not be the consumer who should be glad to get the product but the provider that he is getting any in the first place.
I for once won't buy this one until it gets cracked or some shit. Yes I like Stalker series but considering their track records of absolutely horrible stability, I will not risk the health of my computer or my privacy just because I can be butt fucked by someone I payed to entertain me.
This shit is going to do nothing for the pirates, the only one that is getting punished is the one that buys the product and legitly uses it. The pirates will simply have the benefit of stable offline play at no cost while I would have to spend 30$ on the game and extra on the bandwidth the game uses. As you can see, pirating the game is much more lucrative deal than paying full price for the game. How the fuck is this a benefit?

 

[Xanadu84]

Oh dear, yet another company tries to save their game from pirating. HOW DARE THEY WANT TO EARN MONEY?

If there was any reason whatsoever to expect that this would make any difference in piracy, then there would not be nearly this level of response. It's like seeing a person with Arthritis trying to cure it by wearing magnets, and the magnets...make it harder for us to play video games.

That metaphor kinda petered out towards the end.

 

[silverbullet1989]

soon as i saw stalker 2 would be going to consoles as well the game was dead to me, so this i really dont care about, there not gonna be bothered about turning their backs on the people who made them are they? like every other developer they know were the money sadly lies

 

[Yopaz]

This is sad. Always on DRM only hurts the consumer, not the pirates. If it did prevent piracy I would be all for it however.

 

[veloper]

Having Valve and Activision doing always online DRM is bad enough, but atleast those companies can be expected to be with us for a long time to come.

Since GSC and their servers may go down at anytime, that makes STALKER 2 a $5 deal from the bargain bin at best.

 

[latiasracer]

I Love the STALKER Series, and this makes me cry. I Will buy it anyway, because im a total pushover. But hey!

And Like others have said, It wont be long untill its cracked.
I Will buy the game, i never pirate them. However, i will Buy this and then download this "Simulated" connection because my internet is a random cutty outy ***** aswell.

The Saddest thing about this is that the Modding community will die. And S.T.A.L.K.E.R wouldn't be S.T.A.L.K.E.R without them!