Opinion: If You Hate DRM But Still Bought Diablo III – You’re An Idiot
Like the proverbial turkeys voting for Christmas, many gamers have an infuriating habit of shelling out good money for products that ultimately screw us all over. And the weird thing is, a huge chunk of these people are completely aware they’re doing it too.
Countless individuals who complain about day-one DLC will still download optional, additional content for new games they pick up at release, propelling said content to the top of the download charts in the process. They may grumble as they electronically hand over their cash. They may splutter and rage, and vent spleen at the audacity of it all. But they hand over their money nonetheless.
And how many gamers who hate DRM – and the whole notion of being forced to maintain a constant internet connection while playing a solo experience – still went out and bought Diablo III when it came out earlier this month?
If the figures announced by Blizzard last week are anything to go by, then it must have been a hell of a lot. Despite rampant controversy over initial server failures and the resulting inability of many people to actually play the damn game, Diablo III sold more than 3.5 million copies in its first day on sale and over 6 million in the first week – making it the biggest PC launch of all time.
Great work everybody!
Now, while I couldn’t have been more vocal in my condemnation of DRM and the like in my recent article on the subject, I am well aware that many people who bought Diablo III think that it is a truly great game, and actually don’t mind the whole ‘always online’ business. Quite a few of these chirpy, positive souls point out that they have personally experienced little in the way of inconvenience, or else believe that getting cut off occasionally or having the odd bit of lag is a “price worth paying” for the privilege of sinking themselves into a tremendous, long-awaited action RPG.
To them, I simply say that I disagree with such acceptance of DRM, but I also respect your opinion and total lack of hypocrisy on the issue.
However, if you actually hate DRM and actively bitch about the introduction of it, yet still went out and bought Diablo III? Well I’m sorry, but you are a complete and utter fool – and you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.
The reason why so many corporate tactics that many find unpalatable are ultimately allowed to flourish and propagate, is that the very people who profess to despise them often end up passively tolerating or even facilitating the very things they claim to dislike. If you don’t want to see DRM become a standard thing of the future, but you bought Diablo III anyway, then congratulations – you just helped the very gaming nightmare you dread come one step closer to fruition.
"Soon, my plan for universal DRM will be complete..."
Diablo III’s stellar commercial success sends out a clear message to both Blizzard and other gaming giants that their audience will absolutely tolerate and swallow restrictive, irritating practices such as DRM if they want games badly enough, paving the way for other companies – who may have had some doubts due to the possibility of a backlash – to follow suit.
Words cannot express my frustration at this debacle. Genuinely, I wouldn’t mind so much if 90 per cent or more of those who shelled-out for Diablo III were happy with DRM being a present measure, yet I strongly suspect that a large proportion of those millions of fans really, really can’t abide the whole practice, and may have well spent time sounding off on the subject previously.
Caving-in so easily ultimately gives game companies license to do whatever the hell they like if they feel their IP is strong enough, and this is to the detriment of all of us as a result.
It’s the reason why Capcom will continue to make Resident Evil more action-oriented despite so much vocal opposition (Raccoon City may have been a mediocre shooter, but millions of people still bought it), and why the likes of day-one DLC are probably here to stay, despite being so universally unpopular.
The solution to this is simple. If you feel so strongly against something, then vote with your wallet – and don’t fuel the very thing you purport to hate. Your cash is probably the greatest weapon you have as a consumer, and if you simply give-in and throw it to the very companies whose practices you disagree with, then you’ve only got yourself to blame when everything goes to hell.
Publicly condemning an individual piece of a product yet electing to purchase it despite that condemnation due to other merits does not in and of itself prove idiocy. Your argument is poorly constructed.
I completly agree and I am relieved to see that I am not the only one so bothered with such practice by blizzard and the lack of backbone by gamers!
I can say that diablo 3 is a good game itself since I’ve played it (got a guest pass from a friend) but that does not excuse the shit that comes with it! A person who paid 60 bucks for a game and truthfuly is only buying online access to that product is being scammed! The problem is that eventhough all the internet is quite aware of this they still bend over and take it, because it’s blizzard and it’s a game they’ve waited for a lot of time!
Besides that, these problems are being ignored by most of the so called game journalists/critics! Yes they should evaluate the game and not the company policies, but when these policies limit the game that should be taken into the reviews! Diablo, in my book, would be a game that deserves something like a 90 out of 100 without the limiting DRM, with it it’s a 65 out of 100! It limits the gameplay and breaks the exeprience! Why is it seen as such a minor incovinience?
I am glad that you see things this way and hope that you’re arcticle is a call to reason to many people!
P.S.:Sorry for the bad english and the somewhat confusing text. This is something that really bothers me!:D
Before Diablo 3 : http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123655&highlight=always+online+DRM
After Diablo 3 : http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166588
Look at these two threads. It’s a prime example of what this article is talking about. Both were started by the same guy but they represent how he had eaten his words after two years. First he was so disgusted with the always online DRM and now he’s lashing out at everyone who dare to question Blizzard’s DRM.
Hypocrisy and betrayal couldn’t get better than this.
Diablo3 is a fun game, I’m glad it’s doing well.
Hacker Prevention != DRM.
Ubi has always on DRM, for a single player game, this is bullshit and will make me dance a jig when the company finally folds.
Blizzard created an always online game with Diablo 3, unless you want to try and label other MMO’s ‘DRM’ sorry but the entire premise of your argument is faulty.
I certainly wouldn’t describe Diablo III as an MMO, and I think this point is something that is causing quite a lot of debate at the moment.
For many people, the multiplayer co-op component is a crucial aspect of the experience, and I understand that. But the game also allows you to play the campaign solo, and I don’t see why players who aren’t interested in co-op shouldn’t have the option of a single-player mode that is offline. The fact that ‘always-online’ applies in blanket terms is pretty much the definition of DRM in my opinion.
If we take the example of Borderlands – which is pretty much an FPS take on Diablo – this is also a game where many people see co-op as the best way to play. But if it were compulsory for people to maintain a constant internet connection at all times even while playing alone, would this be acceptable?
If you’re giving the player the option of playing ‘single-player’, I don’t see why there can’t be an offline solo mode and an online co-op mode. What’s implemented by Diablo III’s battlenet is effectively DRM by another name.
i hate sites with black backgrounds yet i read this article
I’ll remember that the next time people are cheering the fact that a game developer chooses Steamworks over GFWL.
… oh wait …
people will buy diablo because it is a great game no mater what strings where attached they probably could have gotten way with a subcribction charge too
Vote with your wallet is the only way, but too bad it will never happen in gaming community. Gamers are known for their lack of self discipline.
lol you don’t make any sense guy, d3 has no dlc. and it sold so much because it is a great game and worthy successor to d2.
vent steam somewhere else, internet does not like you.
I’m really not sure what you’re on about. I never said Diablo 3 had DLC. The point is that many people whine about day-one DLC and then buy it anyway, just as many people complain about DRM but still purchase the games that utilize it. It’s called an analogy.
I never even said that Diablo 3 is a bad game. If people don’t mind the DRM and are enjoying the title, good for them. This is an article directly concerned with calling out people who bitch and moan about certain practices adopted by game companies – yet ultimately support those very practices themselves.