"CD Projekt Will Never Use DRM, Says CEO"

[Phage]

CDPR has only ever released forgettable mediocre-to-crap games anyway. Their only function in modern society is to function as a potato detector, as all potatoes will immedialy and loudly leap to their defense at any perceived slight of Greak Polski Gaem Industry!

Can't tell if serious

 

[made]

This is what they said the first time.

They said TW2 would be playable without DRM, and they delivered. GOG version was DRM free, and cheaper to boot than other DD platforms.
On top of that, they quickly removed DRM via patch even from retail versions - at no small personal cost as it later turned out.

This is more than any other company in that position would have done and they deserve credit for that, no matter what you think of the game itself.

 

[Ulminati]

CDPR has only ever released forgettable mediocre-to-crap games anyway. Their only function in modern society is to function as a potato detector, as all potatoes will immedialy and loudly leap to their defense at any perceived slight of Greak Polski Gaem Industry!

Can't tell if serious

Potato detected

 

[Kjujik]

This is what they said the first time.

They said TW2 would be playable without DRM, and they delivered. GOG version was DRM free, and cheaper to boot than other DD platforms.
On top of that, they quickly removed DRM via patch even from retail versions - at no small personal cost as it later turned out.

This is more than any other company in that position would have done and they deserve credit for that, no matter what you think of the game itself.

Amen to that. What other company would remove DRM and risk lawsuits from publishers. It takes some balls to say "ok we'll add DRM because we want our game released" and than go "fuck you guys we don't believe in DRM".

Anyway, seeing how many copies they managed to sell regardles of no-drm-patch, and how the part of the lawsuit dealing with the patch got dismissed, maybe when releasing their next game the publishers won't push them so hard to include drm.

 

[Phage]

CDPR has only ever released forgettable mediocre-to-crap games anyway. Their only function in modern society is to function as a potato detector, as all potatoes will immedialy and loudly leap to their defense at any perceived slight of Greak Polski Gaem Industry!

Can't tell if serious

Potato detected

We've already established I'm Kawn Master Race.

 

[Ulminati]

We've just established that potatoes can grow in kwanzanian soil.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

This is what they said the first time.

They said TW2 would be playable without DRM, and they delivered. GOG version was DRM free, and cheaper to boot than other DD platforms.
On top of that, they quickly removed DRM via patch even from retail versions - at no small personal cost as it later turned out.

This is more than any other company in that position would have done and they deserve credit for that, no matter what you think of the game itself.

Amen to that. What other company would remove DRM and risk lawsuits from publishers. It takes some balls to say "ok we'll add DRM because we want our game released" and than go "fuck you guys we don't believe in DRM".

Anyway, seeing how many copies they managed to sell regardles of no-drm-patch, and how the part of the lawsuit dealing with the patch got dismissed, maybe when releasing their next game the publishers won't push them so hard to include drm.

Not the point:

CD Projekt's approach to piracy isn't slapping intrusive, annoying DRM onto a disc. Like any game maker, CD Projekt wants to protect its property. But it does this not by trying to aimlessly (and in futility) block piracy, but by treating piraters as competitors with rival products. Essentially, isn't that what they really are?

"We absolutely think that the best way to fight piracy is to somehow compete with piracy by offering quality support for buyers of the original game. These things cannot be copied by pirates," Kacinski argued.

... and Monolith quite rightly goes on to talk about The Witcher's totally, like, "non-intrusive" DRM.

The point is, they've said "Oh gosh, we don't use DRM. We're totally DRM free!" and yet every game they've made so far has had DRM in it.

 

[Shannow]

Goodwill is hard earned and easily lost. "Never" is certainly too long, but it'll take more than stating the obvious about DRM to make me forget that they participated in one of the most despicable practices that go around in the industry.
But then, I didn't like their games so far, so I'll not pretend that they've lost a customer with me. Perhaps if they behave in the furure and TW4 is a TB game with a robust character system...

Fair enough. Personally I prefer to save my ire for developers that make shitty games and ruin franchises.
DRM, DLC? Those things are annoying, but to me they aren't dealbreakers in and of themselves.

I wasn't talking about DRM or DLC. Though I find DRM to be vastly more than just annoying, I meant:

I hope they will also abandon RLH (Random Lawyer Harassments).

DRM = I don't get to own what I buy = I won't buy
DLC = Either shitty, unbalanced items or content deliberately cut from the game to increase the sales price = Annoying. Purchase is judged on a case by case basis. When in doubt purchase of the GOTY edition when it reaches nice-price.
RLH = Fuck you greedy bastards. You're put on my List and you don't get off easily.


*shrug*

 

[made]

"We absolutely think that the best way to fight piracy is to somehow compete with piracy by offering quality support for buyers of the original game. These things cannot be copied by pirates," Kacinski argued.

Which is exactly what they did. They stuffed the standard box with lots of fluff items that other publishers have you buy CEs for, got rid of DRM by the time my copy arrived, and continue to support the game with extensive free updates (that other publishers have you buy DLC for). Everyone here knows me as a staunch proponent of piracy (hope I don't get banned for saying this) but in this case I don't regret forking over 25 bucks to support them, even if the money largely goes into funding a console port and a further cinematified TW3.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

"We absolutely think that the best way to fight piracy is to somehow compete with piracy by offering quality support for buyers of the original game. These things cannot be copied by pirates," Kacinski argued.

Which is exactly what they did.

Do all potato landers come this brainwashed or is it just something floating around because of the debt crisis?

They stuffed the standard box with lots of fluff items that other publishers have you buy CEs for, got rid of DRM by the time my copy arrived, and continue to support the game with extensive free updates (that other publishers have you buy DLC for). Everyone here knows me as a staunch proponent of piracy (hope I don't get banned for saying this) but in this case I don't regret forking over 25 bucks to support them, even if the money largely goes into funding a console port and a further cinematified TW3.

And yet...

CD Projekt's approach to piracy isn't slapping intrusive, annoying DRM onto a disc. Like any game maker, CD Projekt wants to protect its property. But it does this not by trying to aimlessly (and in futility) block piracy, but by treating piraters as competitors with rival products. Essentially, isn't that what they really are?

So why did they slap intrusive, annoying DRM onto the disc in the first place? And why did they try to aimlessly (and in futility) block piracy? Two things they've expressly said they wouldn't do.

 

[made]

Because Jews forced them to do it. Otherwise no TW2 at all outside of Poland.

 

[MetalCraze]

Damage control after that shit CDP pulled. Too bad they don't realize that sheeple will still keep buying while the rest of the people will now think they are assholes anyway so now they act like some big publisher PR department to soften the edges.
Just keep releasing your cinematic shit further. Retards will buy it anyway and then come to Codex to whine how there are no TB RPGs with complex character systems and rulesets.

 

[Father Walker]

C'mon, we all know that CDP are just two faced. They release "DRM-free" games and then harass random people with their lawyers. They release "hardcore", "PC exclusive" titles with QTE's, and so on. It's just their marketing. They can't compete with EA and Bethesda in terms of sales, so they try to play the edgy kid of the game industry. They've just found their niche. If some people buy this crap, then it's their problem. And yeah, their games are mediocre.

 

[Kjujik]

So why did they slap intrusive, annoying DRM onto the disc in the first place? And why did they try to aimlessly (and in futility) block piracy? Two things they've expressly said they wouldn't do.

The DRM in the inferior foreign editions was added on express request of publishers, after the ultimatum – DRM or no publication. So technically speaking it wasn’t CDP slapping the DRM on their own free will. But I see how it can be infuriating.

And yes, I'm a raving fanboy. DRM is an absolute No-No for me. Most games CDP publishes in the Land of Potato come without DRM (ok, sometimes you have to tip in the CD key from the manual, but that’s about it), so any post-2002/3 game I bought was actually published by them (either as retail or via gog). Two notable exceptions were GTA IV and DA – both were gifts. And after GTA IV’s DRM screwed up really badly and forced me to re-install Windows, I’m not taking any more chances, so no new games for me.

 

[Havoc]

They (for me) crossed the line with those German lawyers. TW3? Not buying.

 

[xrm1]

You think other publishers don't have lawyers send out these letters in Germany?
That stuff has been going on for years, CDP even announced that they would do it in advance and anyone torrenting in Germany should be well aware of the risks by now, this is not 2001.

 

[Shannow]

CDP: "I'll kick you in the balls."
CDP: *kick*
xrm1: "Uhh....argh..."
xrm1: *puke*
xrm1: "Ahh...ow...that's...that's ok...many devs kick me in the balls. Ow...ha-...happens all-...all the time..."
xrm1: *puke*
xrm1: "But thanks for telling me in advance. I'll remain your loyal fan as long as you punish me or other random people."
CDP: "That's not good enough. We realized DRM is useless and now we'll save the money we used to have to spend on it. Crawl on your knees and lick our boots. Oh, and buy TW2 xbox version. We added free QTEs in our newest DLC pack."
xrm1: "You are the bestest."
xrm1: *crawl, lick, buy*

Hmm, k.
(If anyone finds sarcastic hyperbole they can keep it.)

 

[DarkUnderlord]

So why did they slap intrusive, annoying DRM onto the disc in the first place? And why did they try to aimlessly (and in futility) block piracy? Two things they've expressly said they wouldn't do.

The DRM in the inferior foreign editions was added on express request of publishers, after the ultimatum – DRM or no publication. So technically speaking it wasn’t CDP slapping the DRM on their own free will. But I see how it can be infuriating.

But doesn't that prove that you can't trust them? I mean, what's going to happen with TW3? "Oh sorry, we had to put DRM on. Erm.. it's the publisher's fault. Again." If they're so against DRM, why aren't they negotiating contracts that keep their games DRM free? Especially if this is so important to them.

Standing by your word isn't about what you do when you're in control and everything is perfect. It's about what you do when you're not. It's about what you're willing to sacrifice when you're in a tight spot. Putting yourselves up as a paragon of DRM-free virtue and then turning around and slapping DRM on the minute you need a bit of cash is selling out to the highest bidder.

"DRM free? Oh sure. But not unless we're desperate for cash. At that point we'll do anything. Slap on the most intrusive DRM known to man for $5? You betcha! Would you like us to bend over for you as well?".

 

[made]

Standing by your word isn't about what you do when you're in control and everything is perfect. It's about what you do when you're not. It's about what you're willing to sacrifice when you're in a tight spot. Putting yourselves up as a paragon of DRM-free virtue and then turning around and slapping DRM on the minute you need a bit of cash is selling out to the highest bidder.

It's doing whatever it takes to get your game out there. Upon seeing that their fans are suffering at the hands of DRM despite their best intentions, they went and patched it out virtually immediately.
Maybe now they're in a better position to negotiate, maybe they'll publish Europa-wide themselves, maybe they'll pull the same stunt again. I don't care; the end result matters.

 

[Alex_Steel]

Standing by your word isn't about what you do when you're in control and everything is perfect. It's about what you do when you're not. It's about what you're willing to sacrifice when you're in a tight spot. Putting yourselves up as a paragon of DRM-free virtue and then turning around and slapping DRM on the minute you need a bit of cash is selling out to the highest bidder.

 

[xrm1]

My point was that you have to stop buying pretty much any kind of media if these cease and desist letters are a huge issue for you. There are very few companies out there that don't like free money.

 

[Shannow]

ok. links to bio, beth, obs, larian, blizzard, etc using it, pls.

 

[made]

Bist du wirklich so begriffsstutzig? Hatten wir schon zig mal:

http://abmahnwahn-dreipage.de/datenbank.htm
http://abmahndatenbank.de/Gesamtliste abgemahnte Werke.html
http://www.verein-gegen-den-abmahnwahn.de/zentrale/neuigkeiten/wer_mahnt_was_ab/index.html

 

[Shannow]

Was soll das mit Begriffsstutzigkeit zu tun haben? Ich wollte die Links um die anderen Fanboys auch ärgern zu können
Und das kann ich jetzt
And anyway, Obsidian, PB and CDP are the only relevant ones that are listed. No Bethesda, Bioware, Blizzard or alliteration-breaking Larian as far as I can see.
Seems like the more the codex likes you, the more of a dick you are. Makes a strange kind of sense.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

CDProjekt is worse then Bioware. Period.