News "DRM Damages Value of Games" - Valve

[stonedsurd]

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"DRM Damages Value of Games" - Valve

Gabe Newell takes firm pro-customer stance

Speaking at the Game Developers Conference that concluded on the 13th of March in San Fransisco, Valve's managing director and most public face, Gabe Newell, plainly stated that draconian DRM systems only serve to lower the value of games in the eyes of customers.

While receiving the Pioneer Award that "celebrates those individuals responsible for developing a vital technology or game design at a crucial juncture in video game history" Newell said:

"One thing that you hear us talk a lot about is entertainment as a service.

"It’s an attitude that says ‘what have I done for my customers today?'

"It informs all the decisions we make, and once you get into that mindset it helps you avoid things like some of the Digital Rights Management problems that actually make your entertainment products worth less by wrapping those negatives around them."

With DRM becoming increasingly controversial and just plain frustrating, Valve's stance, not just on rights management but it's interaction with customers, is a refreshing change.

Source: Develop

[Superfrag]

This guy is so right. AC2's DRM is so screwed up.. I don't want to buy the game solely for that reason.

[Free Radical]

My respect for Valve

[KiD0M4N]

I want to see a similar game download service come up soon. Without the competition, games on steam will continue to sell for sky high prices.

[blufox]

At least someone wants to stay away from DRM. Nice move .

[stonedsurd]

No, they'll stick with DRM, which is totally acceptable. It won't be in-your-face and buggy though.

What Newell is trying to emphasize is that Valve doesn't want anything to cause the consumers grief - a great outlook to have in an industry where most tend to bleed us dry without a thought to anything else.

[Ad1tya]

Their only saying that because they have Steam as a content delivery service, which barely any people know how to Crack.

But yes, props to Valve, as always, their the only Developers really looking out for PC Gamers.

[Superfrag]

Valve/steam's method of protection is MUCH better than what Ubisoft did.

[Superfrag]

On the other hand.. this is what happened to Ubisoft.

[montylee]

lol, owned!

[stonedsurd]

Originally Posted by Superfrag On the other hand.. this is what happened to Ubisoft. http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/5971/fuykpd.jpg

[satyanjoy]

well said kidoman regarding the competition to steam. I think EA, Activision, Ubisoft are major contender to start such model .

[Ad1tya]

Originally Posted by KiD0M4N I want to see a similar game download service come up soon. Without the competition, games on steam will continue to sell for sky high prices.

Erm, they aren't sky high, their same-lower than Retail US prices.

[rishimetawala]

Originally Posted by Ad1tya Erm, they aren't sky high, their same-lower than Retail US prices.

hmm, some of the games are regionally overpriced, say for instance, cod mw 2 in aus ws priced at 69.99 us $, same goes wid bioshock 2 or if i remember precisely, in aus pre oder ws @ 90 USD ....