Penny Arcade: Guest column about DRM by Chris Remo

Penny Arcade: Guest column about DRM by Chris Remo

On the other hand, I can’t help but feel a lot of the vocal protestors are simply getting caught up in the righteous fury of the moment. It looks like we’re at five activations per game now, up from three; that’s unlimited installs on each of five PCs, as I understand it, and a deauthorization tool is coming. Realistically, how much more do you need? Obviously, it’s not as good as “infinity installs (plus one)” but can’t we just come to terms with the fact that no amount of internet petitioning or Amazon guerrilla warfare is going to take the activation limit out of the realms of the finite?

I’ve seen this argument a few times now, but it misses the point that he came so close to just one paragraph earlier:

… adding yet another complicated, irritating thing that PC gamers have to deal with …

It doesn’t matter what number of installs you’re allowed. What matters is that there is a limit. When you buy such a game, you have two options:

• Closely keep track of your installs, uninstalls, system hardware changes, etc. to make sure you don’t go over the limit
• Decide ‘oh it probably won’t affect me’ and live with the nagging doubt that one day you could wake up and your game doesn’t work any more

Either one of these is extra mental baggage that is forced on you when you buy the game, and that you can never get rid of as long as you still care about owning the game. For many people, computers are already sources of frustration. They buy games to have fun. And DRM can ruin that good feeling they would have, because of the fear, uncertainty and doubt that it introduces into the experience.

That’s right: these video game companies are using FUD against themselves.

Remo goes on to rant about the media blowing things out of proportion, but the more important story is of the would-be customer who takes a look at the words ‘activation limit’ on the box, thinks about it for a moment, and slowly puts their credit card back in their wallet. Because it just isn’t fun any more.