Blizzard Says DRM is a "Losing Battle"

[Andy Chalk]

Blizzard Says DRM is a "Losing Battle"

Blizzard Entertainment [http://www.blizzard.com] says content and cool features are the keys to fighting PC game piracy, because trying to do it with harsh DRM systems is a "losing battle."

This is bound to reignite an old argument, so let me jump-start things for everyone: THQ [http://store.steampowered.com] to protect their games from illegal copying will argue that Steam is in fact not DRM at all, because it camouflages its unfrosted side with all kinds of cool extra crap. It's a brilliant and successful approach, and one that Blizzard seems to want to emulate.

"If we've done our job right and implemented VideoGamer.com [http://www.battle.net]. "The best approach from our perspective is to make sure that you've got a full-featured platform that people want to play on, where their friends are, where the community is."

He's also hopeful that a big, juicy Battle.net carrot will convince many potential pirates to actually buy the game, since the stick has so obviously failed to do the job. "If you start talking about DRM and different technologies to try to manage it, it's really a losing battle for us, because the community is always so much larger, and the number of people out there that want to try to counteract that technology, whether it's because they want to pirate the game or just because it's a curiosity for them, is much larger than our development teams," he continued. "We need our development teams focused on content and cool features, not anti-piracy technology."

StarCraft 2 [http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=65548] comes out on July 27 and will require a one-time online activation and a Battle.net account, pretty much identical to Valve's activation requirements for Steam. After that, the single-player campaign will be available in an offline mode.


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[Fat Hippo]

It's good to see that my two favorite studios, Blizzard and Bioware, are smarter than the rest, and not just when it comes to developing games. Ubisoft just pisses me off, and until they change their ways, I'm just not buying any more of their games. Starcraft 2, on the other hand, I've already preordered.

 

[oppp7]

Ya, the password protected online play is all you really need. Anything else is overkill and cuts into the game.

 

[Irridium]

Cool features or no, I don't want to have to connect, and stay connected to the internet to play a single player game.
What, do they expect me to become a pirate while playing or something?

EDIT: Didn't notice that last part.

Well then ignore me, I'm just a blathering fool.

 

[Brotherofwill]

Fair enough. Kind of obvious really. That's what gamers have been saying all the way since DRM started.

It's kind of strange of them to be talking about it though since Blizzard just implemented their omnipresent Battlenet system. It might have cool features but essentially it prevents you from playing offline lan, which sucks ass and seems similar to a type of DRM to me, granted even if it's less obtrusive and has cool features. No matter how 'cool' their DRM is, people will still be pissed because Starcraft Lan nostalgia is too strong for petty features.

After that, the single-player campaign will be available in an offline mode.

You don't say? How unselfish of them. That this kind of thing even needs to be mentioned is making me slightly angry, almost as if it's normal to torment players to be always connected nowadays.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I agree with them, yet still don't like them. Never really did like Blizzard. DRM though, to me it seems like a lot of people are over exaggerating how "bad" it is. Yeah, the stuff with AC2 was horrid (which is why I bought it on PS3 instead), but I've never had any problems with Steam (actually prefer it), Securom, or most everything else. I did have a few problems with GFWL in the past, but can't even remember what they were and it works fine now...

 

[Mister Benoit]

The thought has never crossed my mind for blizzard products, always purchase them and generally don't feel bad about it.

The online features and communities of Diablo II, Warcraft III and Starcraft completely justifies buying them.

 

[Kwaren]

When will they learn that calling something *unbreakable* or *uncrackable* is just a call to arms for hackers?

 

[DividedUnity]

Well thanks Captain Obvious. Maybe blizzard didn't see what happened with Ubisoft. Also does anyone else think this is just blizzard trying to get advertising for SC 2? Making a piracy statement and then including of we think weve done it right in our new soon to be released game.

 

[Croaker42]

Ok thats cute..... your creating a nicel little steam like user interface/DRM. Wow that sounds really usefull for all kinds of things. Such as stat tracking and keeping in contact with frineds. Its really too bad that I already have that two times over in X-fire and Steam.

Even with all the "cool little extras" this online connection, even if it is just once, should never be mandatory for any form of singleplayer.

 

[tkioz]

When will they learn that calling something *unbreakable* or *uncrackable* is just a call to arms for hackers?

Calling anything "Un" is a call to arms for the malcontents in the world who just see as a challenge, hell even nature took exception to the dreaded "un" as evidenced by the unsinkable ship sinking in it's first voyage.

 

[Jared]

Its always a great success when DRM can be dressed up all pretty and not recognised for what it is...QED Steam as mentioned.

If more do follow its example it will be certainly a step in a positive direction!

 

[Daniel Coates]

When will they learn that calling something *unbreakable* or *uncrackable* is just a call to arms for hackers?

They never said anything was unbreakable or uncrackable.

 

[hyperdrachen]

I think its important to note that while Steam is DRM unlike ubisofts.... efforts, Steam will not refuse you the right to play simply because you cannot connect to a server. Once you've downloaded the game and liscense to your PC you can unplug the internet until you delete the game and need to redownload it. It is as much protection as is prudent, stops more casual pirates that might just hand yon buddy the disc, but doesnt go so far to try and stop the career pirates and destroy the experience for the paying end user. The fact that alot of people don't even know steam is DRM is to its credit. It's that "not in the way".

 

[Raithnor]

You know if they're going to push the game industry as "You need internet connectivity in order to play the cool parts" they really need to lobby for better internet infrastructure in the US.

Doesn't suprise me this is coming from Blizzard though. They have the biggest MMO in existance and their best titles revolve around online multiplayer which is handled by their online servers.

The industry is moving away from "Games as a product" to "Games as a service".

It's probably already been called, but I bet in the future you won't actually "own" games, you'll just pay for "access" to games. Basically, it's going back to the pre-console/Video Arcade model only your console is the Arcade.

 

[Captain Pancake]

I'm still not entirely sure what Battlenet does, besides let me play WoW.

 

[DrunkWithPower]

Quick, somebody throw out the "IT'S A TRAP" picture. The last time I agreed with a company, Bobby Kotick came out from crushing ships in the sea.

 

[UnravThreads]

DRM though, to me it seems like a lot of people are over exaggerating how "bad" it is. Yeah, the stuff with AC2 was horrid (which is why I bought it on PS3 instead), but I've never had any problems with Steam (actually prefer it), Securom, or most everything else. I did have a few problems with GFWL in the past, but can't even remember what they were and it works fine now...

In a way, I have to agree. I've had about 0 DRM related issues in the past, and I've gone through most "solutions" like TAGES, SecuROM, Impulse/Steam, D2D's unlocking, etc, and had no real issues, if any. Most I'm ever inconvenienced is really something like SecuROM telling me to insert the disc. You can bypass Fallout 3's disc check legally by running from the .exe and not the launcher, and I have to say in retrospect, I'm surprised it's that easy. I think Valve and Stardock have it done right though. If you're not going to implement social features such as in-game browsers, IM clients etc, Impulse or Direct2Drive are great examples of how to do DRM/content management. If you're going to implement social features, then you've got things like Battle.net and Steam.

DRM is a losing battle because you're making yourself a target. I would wager that some of the Ass. Creed 2 torrents were used out of spite for UbiSoft and their DRM. DRM or not, if someone's going to pirate a game then they will do, and most DRM measures inconvenience your honest customer and not the pirate. If you try to make your DRM more demanding, as UbiSoft did, then you're going to seriously annoy your user base or lose customers.

If you're going to go out of your way to protect your content, do it in a way that benefits or doesn't hinder your customers. Impulse, Steam, D2D... Just three great examples of how to do it.