"As far as DRM goes, most DRM strategies are just dumb.
The goal should be to create greater value for customers through service value (make it easy for me to play my games whenever and wherever I want to), not by decreasing the value of a product (maybe I'll be able to play my game and maybe I won't).
We really, really discourage other developers and publishers from using the broken DRM offerings, and in general there is a groundswell to abandon those approaches,"
The goal should be to create greater value for customers through service value (make it easy for me to play my games whenever and wherever I want to), not by decreasing the value of a product (maybe I'll be able to play my game and maybe I won't).
We really, really discourage other developers and publishers from using the broken DRM offerings, and in general there is a groundswell to abandon those approaches,"
Gabe Newell - Valve president
I love Valve. Apart from the immense array of GOOD games the developer has made in the recent years, and the huge amount of FREE source-mods you get from having a single copy of any game that uses the source engine. Most of all though; Steam is the future of digital distribution on the PC.
Valve even flew journalists out to Seattle earlier this year to eulogise the format and discuss community features for distribution service Steam.
With DRM constantly in the news thanks to SecuROM and other unpopular measures and their impact on the consumer experience, his comments are likely to resonate with gamers who feel that DRM-embracing developers and publishers are misguided.
On the other hand, I think Gabe is being a hypocrite here, Steam really is lovely, I love that program. It just makes perfect sense. I can install all my Steam-bought games on as many PCs as I want, but I can only play on one of them at once as there is only one of me. Fair enough. If there was two of me, it's either year 2077 and clones have been invented, (if I had a clone in year 2077 he'd be my servant), or else your poor old mouzer chap has had his account haxed. It's completely fair and I don't have to keep searching for the disc when I want to play a game.
The only complaint is; WHY DO I HAVE TO BE ON-LINE TO PLAY THE SINGLE-PLAYER I BOUGHT FROM YOUR ON-LINE STORE?
When they start putting personal save games on a server, so I can literally play the same game at home and on my laptop, it'll be like heaven. Only with less Angels and white.