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Mass Effect for PC: Why do people hate DRM?

Mike Doolittle writes:

''Bioware's highly acclaimed and formerly XBox 360 exclusive RPG Mass Effect is fast approaching its release on the PC. Most PC gamers were undoubtedly pleased to hear about enhanced graphics, faster load times, and a re-designed menu system; but it's likely that fewer were happy to hear about the evil digital rights management that will be unscrupulously bundled with the game.

Like an increasing number of PC games nowadays, Mass Effect will require an online activation when it is installed. This has been common practice ever since Half-Life 2. But Mass Effect will also "phone home" every 10 days to make sure the key is valid, and it will carry a three-install limit. This has set many message boards afire with rants about "draconian" DRM and people threatening to pirate the game precisely because of the DRM.''

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harry190 - contributor
Published: 59 days 3 hours ago | Article | Xbox 360 | Gaming | PC

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Showing: 1 - 28 of 28 Comments

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gamesR4fun - 59 days 5 hours ago

1 -

maybe people just want to be able to play the games they paid for?

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Amanosenpai - 59 days 3 hours ago

1.1 - Yes BUT...

If Piracy levels continue increasing in the actual rate... who knows...

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barom - 59 days 1 hour ago

1.2 -

I think everyone should copy what Valve does and put all their games on Steam.

I mean I bought a copy of Half Life 2 like 3-4 years ago. Registered it to my Steam account. And now 3-4 years later, I've lost the disc but I can still download the full game off Steam. That to me is f'in amazing. Because of that convienience I wouldn't mind registering all my products at all. In fact I would be glad to as I never ever have to wonder where I put my discs. I really think Steam could help the PC game industry.

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JBaby343 - 59 days ago

1.3 - If You Don't Like Them Doing This...

Quit pirating games. Simple as that. If you can afford a gaming rig to run the latest games you can afford the game. They are cheaper than console games anyway.

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ki0365 - 58 days 11 hours ago

1.4 -

alright, so all i have to do to stop them using DRM is to stop pirating games?

ok ive never pirated a game, do i no longer have to suffer because of their game bugs and only 3 installs? no

your argument is completely flawed, it is not the standard user who pirates games and it is they who are suffering

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Idmpc - 58 days 11 hours ago

1.5 - @1.3

I'm not the one pirating games. I just want to be able to buy and install and uninstall and reinstall this game, like every other PC game I have. I don't have much space on my hard drive, so sometimes when I'm not playing a game for a while and I need the space I just uninstall it, but keep my saved games. Whenever I feel like playing it again, I just reinstall it and keep on from where I left off. I'd really hate to know that I can only do that 3 times because of that DRM thing. That would definitely make it so that I will NOT buy this PC version of the game, if I were thinking of buying it in the first place (I already own the Xbox 360 version). It's not like we can control piracy so you can simply say "Don't like it? Stop pirating". ki0365 (1.4) comment is correct, we're the ones suffering from this and we're not pirating anything.

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Bloodwar - 58 days 11 hours ago

1.6 - My thing is..

if their server is calling "home" every ten days, what happens if my computer isn't on? Do I lose one of those acitvations? I don't have my computer on when I am sleeping. Thats a waste of electricity. Please. I am planning to get the game. Already got it for my brother for his 360. I may just borrow his copy or buy the 360 version again. I am legal purchaser of every thing I own. I don't believe in pirating. So, unfortunately, yes the industry is doing right perhaps by doing this DRM for their own protection, but at least for me, there is the legal alternative.. the 360. Not as crisp as the PC, but still a worthy alternative. It is a shame that piracy exists. Whats really sad is if the game developer makes a decent game for the PC only because of lack of funds and can't afford to make the game also for the consoles and then finds 6 months down the track that he has to close shop and let go all of his programmers and artists. Thats exactly what does happen thanks to piracy. Thats my 10 cents.

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Charlie2688 - 59 days 5 hours ago

2 -

I LOL at this guy he talks about the Mass Effect DRM as it is SUPPOSE to work and yet Bioshock was THE best example of how in practice it ALL went to hell (The severs wouldn't active your code, the server might eat one of your activations, activations that would never "de-activate" regardless of what you did, calling support didnt guarantee you a new code, the support might not even answer, getting a new code only to face the same problems you did with the original one)

but hey if you want to gable in a 50/50 chance that what you paid for will work...be MY GUEST

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gamesR4fun - 59 days 4 hours ago

2.1 -

Funny thing bout that was that the pirated version came out first and worked 100% of the time...
Personally I say if a games good it will make money I mean look at oblivion one of the best selling games of all times with no copyright protection at all.

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TheIneffableBob - 59 days 2 hours ago

2.2 -

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion used Sony's SecuROM copy protection.

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OblivionStalker - 58 days 16 hours ago

2.3 -

Oblivion uses only a simple cd-check, nothing more.

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LastDance - 59 days 4 hours ago

3 -

ive install some of my games over 7 times.. games like Age of mythology and command and conquer.. 3 install limit is so bad.

ps. its people who pirate games that have ruined it for the rest. dont blame the companies for wanting to make money off their product.
Its come to this and you know exactly why.

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gamesR4fun - 59 days 4 hours ago

3.1 -

Naw most ppl who only play pirated games wouldnt buy them anyways but fact is 90% of the guys who dl a good game will end up buying it heck anyone in the scene doing the actual hacking has a game collection that would put most of us too shame. Piracy however makes for a good scapegoat when your game bombs...

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tonsoffun - 58 days 20 hours ago

3.2 -

Totally agree here - it is the piractes that have ruined gaming. More and more compainies are realising that PC games are not the best way to go: having left PC gaming years ago, I was actually thinking about coming back and buying a dedicated gaming rig.

GamesR4fun: that is utter nonsense. People who pirate games are ruining this industry: more and more games production values are going up and every pirated copy takes money away from those devs: they will either eventually dissolve, or move to consoles.

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zagibu - 52 days 21 hours ago

3.3 -

tonsoffun said: "GamesR4fun: that is utter nonsense. People who pirate games are ruining this industry: more and more games production values are going up and every pirated copy takes money away from those devs: they will either eventually dissolve, or move to consoles."

While it is true that pirating is a problem, it is NOT true, that a pirated copy means money stolen from the developer. Most pirates wouldn't buy the game, if there was a copy protection that made pirating impossible.
Also, it is nearly impossible to estimate the impact of piracy.

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harry190 - 59 days 4 hours ago

4 - DRM

=fail.

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Trekster_Gamer - 59 days 3 hours ago

5 - Good for bioware

I think it is great to make it even harder for the game to be pirated. This is just another reason why PC gaming will continue to decline in sales, pirating has always been around moreso by a mile in the PC arena.
They know when they make the game for a console the vast majority of its installed user-base has not modded there hardware.

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jaja1434 - 59 days 2 hours ago

5.1 -

This in no way makes it harder to pirate a game. What it basically comes down to is that current DRM punishes people who actually pay and does nothing to hurt those who don't.

So in effect DRM has to be one of the stupidest moves on a companies part as it only pisses off people who would want to pay for it. Take ME, I know they got ride of the 10 online thing, but something like might make me go from being more than happy to pay for such a great game to wanting to pirate it simple to avoid the hassle of DRM.

I don't really have a better alternative to DRM, just noting how it's effect is far from what it should be.

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xplosneer - 59 days 1 hour ago

5.2 - jaja

You're right, I buy ALL my games. DRM doesn't affect piraters in the least, because someone will always get a copy out enventually. It just sucks more for me.

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Revvin - 58 days 23 hours ago

6 -

Welcome to the world of PC gaming, a world where everyone is considered a thief and you have to jump through hoops just to be able to play the game you paid good money for. As if having to spend time tinkering with settings just to get the game to run adequately because its poorly optimised and full of bugs you also have to worry about copy protection.

Of course this is nothing new, I remember SafeDisc causing me problems trying to run the original Age of Empires game, I had to buy a new CD-Rom drive just to get it to run in the days when CD-Rom drives cost £100. Many more PC gamers have had issues with SecureRom, Starforce etc. In some cases I've seen people on forums give up and download pirate copies so why can't the software companies see they are harming the legitimate gamer and turning more people towards piracy.

Unfortunately copy protection is the easy way out for software companies, far easier than lobbying their governments to improve laws on piracy and copy protection and put pressure on countries that don't do the same. Copy protection is easier than putting some of their vast profit into working harder with worldwide law enforcement agencies to kill piracy at the source. We as gamers can do our bit too but it will count for nothing if software publishers continue to crucify the honest gamers.

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Horny Melon - 58 days 22 hours ago

6.1 - It's amazing!

The world of PC gaming DRM looks just like the Music and movie industries world of DRM. And we can see where that is going. They are down to using the paddles (CLEAR!) on the music industry, and constant injections of super hero's in the movie industry.

This isn't a piracy problem . It is a business model problem.

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LorD - 58 days 20 hours ago

7 -

DRM always causes problems. Windows is bloated as it is, without need to run extra junk to ensure my copy is "legit". Anyone remember the Starforce DRM, and how many problems that haD???

Besides, hackers will ALWAYS break the DRM, you can't fight the market forces. You need to adapt your business model or go bankrupt.

Look at Sins of the Solar Empire, no DRM whatsoever, and that game is selling like hot-cakes.

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retro - 58 days 18 hours ago

8 - why? what's that for a question?

people hate DRM because if I PAY for something I don't want nobody to tell me how to use it!

e.g. I don't want them to know when I play via online big brother/stasi-stuff. NO THANK YOU!

DRM = is a bad idea and it endangers your and my privacy. That's WHY!!!

DRM means that the music mafia (yes that's what the industry is!) want you to buy a CD for your living room, the same album as MP3 for your PC (ripping is stealing even if you OWN the CD, ya'know?!) and for your handheld player you should buy at least the MP3 file again... WTF??!!!!!
If you seriously defend such unfair (and illegal IMHO because of privacy issues) ideas then you're just a pawn in the game of the music mafia-slash-industry.[/quote]

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ASSASSYN 36o - 58 days 15 hours ago

9 -

I am a pc fan because it has the best game. But I am glad I jumped ship to consoles. That drm crap would annoy me to death

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snipermk0 - 58 days 13 hours ago