World of Goo creator Ron Carmel ”definitely” believes that PC gamers are gaining ground with their revolt against DRM, perception has shifted.
Stardock’s Brad Wardell echoes agreement, pointing at Spore as the ”final straw that broke the camel’s back,” that DRM makes gamers feel ”a chump for buying it”. ESA says otherwise.
”Someone who buys software does not want to be made to feel like a chump for buying it,” said Wardell. On the topic of Spore, he said most of the outcry ”came from legitimate customers who said that they shouldn’t be restricted by DRM, especially since people with pirated versions weren’t.”
”Gamers are much more vocal about it than they used to be, perhaps because they are so accustomed to downloading music without too many restrictions,” offered 2D Boy’s Ron Carmel, reports Gamasutra.
Recently EA has announced that both Dragon Age: Origins will carry no DRM whatsoever, other than a casual CD check, but also more significantly neither will The Sims 3.
”I definitely believe this is all the result of a change in the public perception of DRM, a sort of grass roots uprising,” said Carmel.
The Entertainment Software Association begs to differ, that DRM is in fact a suitable response, and gamers should shut their mouths. Okay, they didn’t say that last bit but it angered up your blood to keep reading didn’t it? Yeah, so my job is done.
”DRM is a reasonable response to high piracy rates,” said Ric Hirsch, ESA man for IP enforcement.
”Just because some users circumvent DRM protections to gain unauthorized access to game software does not mean that the technologies don’t serve their intended purpose. No security technology is 100% effective.”
DRM is to prevent or stall piracy, except that most DRM has in fact been cracked within hours. Please state the purpose of DRM again Mr Hirsch?
”Most people in the United States who play games do not circumvent DRM in their use of game software, a fact sometimes overlooked because of widespread illegal downloading and usage of games. There is little doubt that piracy would be far more widespread without game publishers’ use of DRM.”
2D’s Carmel offers his own opinion on why publishers are still keen to spread a little DRM. ”They know that DRM doesn’t work against piracy,” he explains.
”What they’re trying to do is stop people from going to GameStop to buy $50 games for $35, none of which goes into the publishers’ pockets. If DRM permits only a few installs, that minimizes the number of times a game can be resold.”
Will DRM go the way of the dodo before long? PC gamers have scented blood in the water…
