There was a time when I wanted to make a blog about video games, and this is that blog. I’m not really posting anymore, so there’s no point in this, but I can’t quite bring myself to closing this blog.
When I wrote about the advantages of GTA IV’s PC conversion, I forgot one point — which I always forget, because I don’t have a gaming PC: DRM.
Turns out that even the version you can download from Steam will include the same copy protection as the DVD; I thought the best advantage of Steam was precisely that you avoided ruining your pristine Windows setup (yeah, oxymoron) with that kind of crap?
Rockstar spilled the beans to IGN, where it detailed the particular SecuROM installation and rationalization behind it. Grand Theft Auto IV will have no installation limits and can be installed on an unlimited number of PCs, but it will still have to phone home and it obviously requires installation of the SecuROM software.
Actually, I don’t quite get the point of putting DRM on your product if it’s not going to limit the number of installations. I read in another article that the main purpose was to prevent people from trading the game on BitTorrent before its official release but (a) recent games have been leaked regardless of protection, and (b) that’s absolutely not worth the inconvenience users will have to face for years to come.
There are still people playing cops and robbers online in GTA III; wonder how well those original GTA IV DVDs will fare seven years down the line.