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99.8% of Gamers Don't Care About DRM, Says EA
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 7:00
by News Reader
99.8% of Gamers Don't Care About DRM, Says EA
arcticstoat writes "If you thought that EA might have been humbled by the massive Internet backlash against its use of SecuROM in its recent games, then you'd be wrong. Speaking at the Dow Jones/Nielsen Media and Money Conference, EA's CEO John Riccitiello claimed that the whole issue had been blown out of all proportion. 'We implemented a form of DRM and it's something that 99.8 per cent of users wouldn't notice,' claimed Riccitiello, 'but for the other 0.2 percent, it became an issue and a number of them launched a cabal online to protest against it.'"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Author: CmdrTaco
Category: pcgames
Read more...
Source: Slashdot: Games
Description: News for nerds, stuff that matters
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 9:11
by Lee
99.8% of gamer's don't know about DRM but I bet alot of them would care if they found out.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 9:13
by amblin
.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 9:21
by Dog Pants
amblin wrote:76.98% of all statistics are either made up, complete bollocks interpreted to reflect a desired outcome, or both.
Yeah, their data has probably been manipulated and spun. I wouldn't be surprised if they were basing this on the amount of people who bought the game vs the amount who contacted them to complain about the DRM.
I care about DRM, and my statistics* tell me that 90% of other people who do are against it.
*Made up, naturally
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 9:54
by nunoncastors
amblin wrote:76.98% of all statistics are either made up, complete bollocks interpreted to reflect a desired outcome, or both.
This. Also, I can't help but think EA is talking out of it's arse.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 10:41
by FatherJack
99.8% of arse
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 13:39
by deject
I do care about DRM. I'd much rather prefer not to have it, but if the game is good enough and worthwhile, I will tolerate it to enjoy the game.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 13:54
by fabyak
Homer Simpson wrote: Aw, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forfty percent of all people know that.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 14:32
by Fear
It's the reason I haven't pre-ordered the new Command and Conquer.
My dustpan and brush are ready, however.
Re: 99.8% of Gamers Don't Care About DRM, Says EA
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 14:34
by Baliame
Re: 99.8% of Gamers Don't Care About DRM, Says EA
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 14:53
by spoodie
He's a bit too angry. Perhaps he should play something calming instead.
I think I remember having a problem with FEAR and daemon tools, I just closed daemon tools while I played. Not the end of the FUCKIN' world.
Re: 99.8% of Gamers Don't Care About DRM, Says EA
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 14:57
by Stoat
Angry Man wrote:[DRM] is designed to stop shit like this, who how come there's 40 fuckin' cracks here for every version including the god-damn beta?!
I lolled.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 15:06
by buzzmong
That bloke is a bit ragey, and doesn't present his point nicely, but nonetheless presents a rather excellent point.
DRM hurts legit players, the pirates arn't affected.
The days of the serial key really should never have left.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 15:37
by Shada
DRM doesn't really bother me :/
It will when it actually fucks up a game in any way for me, but until then I don't see it as anything other than a buzzword that people love to throw around lately.
I do think it's a bit useless, though. If a pirate wants to crack dat shit he goes right ahead and does it. But I've not actually seen or heard enough cases of "legitimate buyers hurt" to get all up in arms about it.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 15:38
by Dr. kitteny berk
Shada wrote:I've not actually seen or heard enough cases of "legitimate buyers hurt" to get all up in arms about it.
Starforce.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 15:42
by Shada
Yeah, never had any trouble with Starforce games. Never knew anyone who did, either. Just lots of internet rage.
If you had any trouble with Starforce at any point then I guess that's one person I know. But still I just think stuff like this gets blown out of proportion a lot. THEN AGAIN EVERYTHING ELSE DOES TOO. AAAAAA.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 15:50
by Dr. kitteny berk
Shada wrote:Yeah, never had any trouble with Starforce games. Never knew anyone who did, either. Just lots of internet rage.
If you had any trouble with Starforce at any point then I guess that's one person I know. But still I just think stuff like this gets blown out of proportion a lot. THEN AGAIN EVERYTHING ELSE DOES TOO. AAAAAA.
I didn't have any of the OMFG ITSS COOKED MI OPTICAL DRIEVS! from starforce, but it did hurt performance quite badly on one of my machines.
The real problem I have with DRM is that I don't like to be treated like a criminal, especially not when It'd be faster and cheaper for me to steal a game.
I've often considered not buying any games and just sending £30 the devs of any game I like. It'd give them a fair cut and me a game that doesn't piss me off.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 20:09
by HereComesPete
If I want a game I'll get it, either with money or inter-broom. DRM? Couldn't care less really. Generally it doesn't harm me or my machine, so I pay it no thought beyond the occasional whinge*, just because I like grousing about stuff. If it does impact upon me at some point, then I shall do something about it, so far I'm not too concerned.
*Like when EA use it, because they're cunts.
Posted: October 16th, 2008, 21:51
by buzzmong
I moan out of principle, if I've bought a game, I expect to be able to install it on as many machines as I want and as many times as I need to at home. I've got no problem with needing to have a cd/dvd in the drive (well, in general anyway).
I resent being treated like a criminal and being given 3/5 installations PERIOD, or take spore for example, one account per user PER GAME.
I change my hardware, format the OS, suffer failures etc, I don't expect to not use software I've bought due to another part of my pc changing, I also resent them saying I can't use DemonTools or similar, they have no right to dictate what I can and cannot use on my pc outside of the use of their actual product.
I do patch my games though so I don't need to use the CD alot of the time, much less hassle, but I pretty much always own a retail copy.
Posted: October 17th, 2008, 9:47
by Dog Pants
buzzmong wrote:I moan out of principle, if I've bought a game, I expect to be able to install it on as many machines as I want and as many times as I need to at home. I've got no problem with needing to have a cd/dvd in the drive (well, in general anyway).
I resent being treated like a criminal and being given 3/5 installations PERIOD, or take spore for example, one account per user PER GAME.
I change my hardware, format the OS, suffer failures etc, I don't expect to not use software I've bought due to another part of my pc changing, I also resent them saying I can't use DemonTools or similar, they have no right to dictate what I can and cannot use on my pc outside of the use of their actual product.
I do patch my games though so I don't need to use the CD alot of the time, much less hassle, but I pretty much always own a retail copy.
Pretty much this ^
I've never suffered from any problems from DRM aside from not being able to activate Bioshock because I didn't have broadband at the time (which wasn't mentioned by Amazon when I bought it). That's beside the point though; legitimate customers are being potentially disadvantaged while the pirates just get a cracked version with no DRM. It isn't working, and it's a risk.
To use an exaggerated example, what if the government decided everyone must be GPS tagged by law? Criminals would probably still remove them and suffer little consequence because they're criminals anyway, while law abiding citizens have to put up with a plastic bracelet on their ankle.