This. SOOOO this.DFish said:
It also helps that Steam generates a lot of good will through constant sales and good customer service too.
How do you think game companies should combat piracy
- Thread starter G-Force
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It also helps that Steam generates a lot of good will through constant sales and good customer service too.
DRM is fine. Devs and publishers should leave DRM in place. As people have said, it isn't full-proof, but it does make the pirate's job harder, which is a start. Hell, even the "always on" DRM works for certain kind of games. It's a bit silly to put it in a single-player only game or even a game with a strong single-player focus, but if it is exclusively multiplayer or the vast majority of people play the game online MUCH more than single player (or just don't care about the single player), then it's a step in the right direction. Now, I don't think it's a fix for every game, but for certain games I don't see why having a constant internet connection can be a bad thing if you are going to be playing the game online almost all of the time anyways. I think the "always on" DRM will be amazing for certain kind of games, with "certain" being the keyword.
However, publishers should start figuring out a way to reward their customers for actually purchasing a game. And you know what? "Day-one DLC" is how you do that. The gaming community just looks at it the wrong way, as it is a reward for people who actually purchase the game new. If publishers are able to figure out a way to secure this content so that it cannot be cracked, then I think this is a great way to handle this. Even further, rewarding the buyer with little extras, like a soundtrack or artbook or something, if they register the game with them. I know those things can easily be pirated, but it gives a some nice little motivation and some illusion of reward.
However, publishers should start figuring out a way to reward their customers for actually purchasing a game. And you know what? "Day-one DLC" is how you do that. The gaming community just looks at it the wrong way, as it is a reward for people who actually purchase the game new. If publishers are able to figure out a way to secure this content so that it cannot be cracked, then I think this is a great way to handle this. Even further, rewarding the buyer with little extras, like a soundtrack or artbook or something, if they register the game with them. I know those things can easily be pirated, but it gives a some nice little motivation and some illusion of reward.
You can't stop piracy, so don't try. Instead, developers should try to win over the guys who don't like them and therefore pirate their games.
Be honest, show us what we're getting when we buy your game. Demos, videos, interviews and so on. If you make a person shell out fifty bucks on a game and then don't deliver on your promises, that person won't trust you and is not likely to buy anything from you again.
Don't treat customers like assholes. Don't put DRM in our games to see if we're behaving as we should. Don't do stuff that are obviously cash-grabs, like overpriced DLC(oh, well I'll just wait a few years so I can buy the complete pack). If a customer dislike your business practises, he'll probably dislike you as well.
In short: don't be assholes. If people like you, they will support you.
Be honest, show us what we're getting when we buy your game. Demos, videos, interviews and so on. If you make a person shell out fifty bucks on a game and then don't deliver on your promises, that person won't trust you and is not likely to buy anything from you again.
Don't treat customers like assholes. Don't put DRM in our games to see if we're behaving as we should. Don't do stuff that are obviously cash-grabs, like overpriced DLC(oh, well I'll just wait a few years so I can buy the complete pack). If a customer dislike your business practises, he'll probably dislike you as well.
In short: don't be assholes. If people like you, they will support you.
They need to admit that piracy will always be an issue, so the best thing they can do is to use it.
For instance, piracy was ripping apart the music industry before Apple turned their enemy - the internet - into ally with the iTunes Store.
For instance, piracy was ripping apart the music industry before Apple turned their enemy - the internet - into ally with the iTunes Store.
Dirty Hipsters said:
That's not true anti-piracy measures don't combat people that will pirate anyway but make it hard so that average joe like me don't bother. In this case stealing is a good comparison(even if it's more than piracy), you have laws against it not only to stop thief but also to persuade normal people to think twice before doing that road.
The only problem I have with DRM is that most times it just hurts the game itself,but I'm sure eventually they'll create some kind of DRM that won't ruin the game experience. The always-online one would be pretty good if internet would be all over the world a human right or something,stable and easy access.
meh, maybe for some Razor torrents, but most of the time you still have to go through the extremely complicated process of copying the crack into your game directory, or sometimes even into a different folder inside your game directory.Zetion said:
or so I'm told
There are some games that have secret codes embedded into them that affect the game play if the game is pirated. I know Earthbound (the one with Ness) would glitch out and freeze right before the final battle and delete your file, and Batman: Arkham Asylum made it so you can't glide correctly and fall into poisonous gas (see http://forums.eidosgames.com/showthread.php?t=95030 for lulz).
(1) copy or emulate piracy's methods of distributing their wares (download as torrent with little DRM restrictions)G-Force said:
(2) add in features that cannot be easily pirated (integrate with cloud sync, weekly patches/updates/free-DLC, leaderboards, custom tweaks, etc)
(3) cut price aggressively and tactically, like 75% off sales for 1 week
(4) target pirate up-loaders with lawsuits but pursue a settlement of reconciliation, i.e. hire their expertise in both distribution and for brainstorm of sabotaging pirate networks
(5) future releases include subtle DRM, like cracked games running but at low performance and frequent crashes.
(6) Always strive to include a demo, or free-to-play weekend before release, preferably at time of pre-order (with significant pre-order bonuses).
(7) Profit!
Rule #1: NEVER INCONVENIENCE THE CONSUMER! Piracy is already less expensive, don't make it more convenient
Rule #2: if demo is not ready then game is not ready. Delay game to release demo with pre-order discount/bonus.
Rule #3: Support old games and use them to sell sequels and similar works. I.e. pre-order Bioshock and get System Shock 2, with patch for modern resolutions (16:9, 16:10, etc)
Build Customer loyalty and reward honest customers.
Stop penalizing everyone in a futile attempt to combat piracy. Instead, give back to those that bought your titles.
Stardock's Galactic Civilizations was a good model. No DRM (at all), but people who registered the game online (need a serial number) could download free updates. These update tended to be what other companies would title DLC and charge for. That way, people could pirate, but it was better to just buy it, and the honest customers felt like they were being rewarded, not punished.
Stop penalizing everyone in a futile attempt to combat piracy. Instead, give back to those that bought your titles.
Stardock's Galactic Civilizations was a good model. No DRM (at all), but people who registered the game online (need a serial number) could download free updates. These update tended to be what other companies would title DLC and charge for. That way, people could pirate, but it was better to just buy it, and the honest customers felt like they were being rewarded, not punished.
Isn't that what preorder bonuses are for?Krantos said:
One of the reasons I think game companies are so worried about piracy and used game sales is (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that game sales are the only source of revenue for them. Publishes don't have extra means of generating income for their games unless it has merchandising ties.
By making games people wan't to buy.
Companies should also consider split versions of their product. If all you want to do is play the COD single player, you shouldn't have to pay $60 for it. If all you want to do is play the multiplayer, you shouldn't have to pay $60 for it.
Companies should also consider split versions of their product. If all you want to do is play the COD single player, you shouldn't have to pay $60 for it. If all you want to do is play the multiplayer, you shouldn't have to pay $60 for it.