I suppose you could argue that having to authenticate it again when you get new computers down the line is bad, but really, it's Blizzard, their servers will still be up long after you've stopped caring about the game ...
Some big companies have already closed down servers for games they no longer wanted to support. And no company will give a guarantee that if they close authentication servers they will release a patch not requiring authentication, since that authentication is an asset of the company.
The slow but steady march of DRM continues, and every time people say "It's only just..." the noose gets a little tighter. In a few years people will be calmly accepting authentication every time they play, that laptops aren't meant for games, and that PCs are dying as a platform. But hey, "It's only..."
ALso, it is not Blizzard, it is Activision, remember that. And Activision has a business plan based wholely around maximising profit via the minimum amount of development.
Whatever the parent company, Blizzard's earned some trust, at least in my books. Until the day they do screw over a fanbase by taking down an authentication server and providing no patch, I'm not about to get all high horsey on them just because they require me to prove that I actually bought their game.
As far as DRM goes, this is so slight that I really can't see the problem. It's not like this is the first step of the slippery slope, either. Plenty of other companies have already done much worse. As far as I'm concerned, Blizzard's stance here is an entirely reasonable middle ground between customer convenience and support versus the need to deter piracy. Watching people scream even about this is discouraging, because what do you expect companies to do?
If you think that the majority of people who pirate videogames are so noble that they will immediately lay down their arms and start paying for all their games if there is no copy protection (meaning that all the games are suddenly available for free even more readily than they are today), then I don't even know what to say. That'd be a great world to live in.
Do you know that at least 25 percent of people pirated the indie game pack that was up a little while ago? The one where you could name your own price, as low as $1, and you could designate that the money go to charity if you wished? Yeah, online pirates sure are noble. (Source: http://kotaku.com/5535744/why-are-people-pirating-a-charity-game)
Companies aren't going to stop trying to protect their games. You have every right not to purchase those games if that really offends you, but in this case I just can't muster any righteous indignation over the possibility of one day being screwed by a company that doesn't exactly have a track record of screwing people.
Warder to starry_nite
Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
Starcraft II won't have crazy DRM.
28/05/2010 01:59:14 PM
- 861 Views
Could be worse. I'm still miffed about its release structure, though. I feel milked.
28/05/2010 03:01:54 PM
- 530 Views
Still a load of shit.
28/05/2010 06:39:46 PM
- 527 Views
I'm pretty anti-DRM, but one-time connection seems reasonable enough.
28/05/2010 07:03:24 PM
- 466 Views
Don't get so excited, sheesh.
28/05/2010 11:04:47 PM
- 535 Views
Go start your own game company? Really? That's the only response?
08/06/2010 03:49:33 AM
- 499 Views
Even just a single authentication?
08/06/2010 05:00:38 AM
- 466 Views
Will they?
08/06/2010 06:50:01 PM
- 477 Views
Re: Will they?
09/06/2010 12:06:38 AM
- 424 Views
If you think DRM will stop pirating...it wont
09/06/2010 12:21:03 AM
- 463 Views
Your posts are like the lovechild of a video game fanboy and a 9/11 conspiracy theorist.
09/06/2010 03:05:34 AM
- 522 Views
Re: Your posts are like the lovechild of a video game fanboy and a 9/11 conspiracy theorist.
09/06/2010 02:18:17 PM
- 459 Views
I have to agree... the more restrictions and hassles they put on playing purchased games
09/06/2010 05:37:40 AM
- 432 Views
Who doesn't have the internet these days?
09/06/2010 06:08:19 AM
- 468 Views
The majority of people, actually.
09/06/2010 06:27:30 AM
- 476 Views
That's just a terrible argument. If they have no Internet, they can't illegally download games.
10/06/2010 02:18:34 AM
- 487 Views
I think he was saying ...
10/06/2010 03:10:08 AM
- 438 Views