Chris Taylor, one of the best developers of the PC world, a PC gaming lover admitted that it was piracy that pushed his company to start making console titles.
Iron Lore, developers of the quality RPG called Titan's Quest closed its doors this week. Reason? Piracy killed Titan's Quest sales.
(rumour) Company of Heroes developer - Relic - has collected data that shows 5 times more people pirated CoH that bought it.
Epic Games has shifted its focus from developing high-quality PC graphical showcases to making easy money in the console space.
The list of unfortunate news for PC gamers goes on and on. They all boil down to one thing: piracy.
Warezing, torrents, eMule, p2p, usenet.
These are the things that are slowly but surely killing PC gaming. Why bother walking to a shop and spending $50 when you can get the same game in 2-3 hours from Pirate Bay? For absolutely free.
So what can be done? What MUST be done before every developer on earth shifts from making PC games to making PC ports of console games?
Here are my ideas:
1) Secure Gaming: also known as on-line authentication. IMO it is the best and most warez-proof system out there. Before installing a new bought game the user has to validate his copy on developer's servers. After installation every time the game is ran it also checked against the server key. You cannot install or run this game without an active internet connection. Single player and multi player modes use the same authetntication system. You won't be even able to benchmark a timedemo without authenticating.
Pros: secure. Hard to crack. Pirates would have to fool the authentication process somehow by routing it to some fake servers or bypass it altogether. So far it's the best protection in PC gaming world.
Cons: no online - no play. Cannot play your original game that you bought for $50 because your line is down. Cannot play it on bus, train etc.
2) STEAM-like distribution only: this is something that probably won't take off. Basically it takes the model I described in point 1) and gets rid of the physical media. You won't be able to buy such game in a brick and mortar store, you'd only be able to download it (legally) from one digital distribution system or the other.
Pros: all the advantages from point 1).
Cons: what if the developer goes belly up? what if his servers are dead?
3) CD Keys: lol.
Pros: none.
Cons: everything.
4) Xbox 360: if everything else fails of if you as a developer are just fed up with PC gamers that have the balls to download your game from the internet and post about it on its official forums BEFORE the game even launches then you can just say "FUCK IT" and release your game on Xbox 360. Limited if not non-existant pirac, easy money, faithfull fanbase.
Pros: everything.
Cons: none.
Any more ideas gaffers?
Iron Lore, developers of the quality RPG called Titan's Quest closed its doors this week. Reason? Piracy killed Titan's Quest sales.
(rumour) Company of Heroes developer - Relic - has collected data that shows 5 times more people pirated CoH that bought it.
Epic Games has shifted its focus from developing high-quality PC graphical showcases to making easy money in the console space.
The list of unfortunate news for PC gamers goes on and on. They all boil down to one thing: piracy.
Warezing, torrents, eMule, p2p, usenet.
These are the things that are slowly but surely killing PC gaming. Why bother walking to a shop and spending $50 when you can get the same game in 2-3 hours from Pirate Bay? For absolutely free.
So what can be done? What MUST be done before every developer on earth shifts from making PC games to making PC ports of console games?
Here are my ideas:
1) Secure Gaming: also known as on-line authentication. IMO it is the best and most warez-proof system out there. Before installing a new bought game the user has to validate his copy on developer's servers. After installation every time the game is ran it also checked against the server key. You cannot install or run this game without an active internet connection. Single player and multi player modes use the same authetntication system. You won't be even able to benchmark a timedemo without authenticating.
Pros: secure. Hard to crack. Pirates would have to fool the authentication process somehow by routing it to some fake servers or bypass it altogether. So far it's the best protection in PC gaming world.
Cons: no online - no play. Cannot play your original game that you bought for $50 because your line is down. Cannot play it on bus, train etc.
2) STEAM-like distribution only: this is something that probably won't take off. Basically it takes the model I described in point 1) and gets rid of the physical media. You won't be able to buy such game in a brick and mortar store, you'd only be able to download it (legally) from one digital distribution system or the other.
Pros: all the advantages from point 1).
Cons: what if the developer goes belly up? what if his servers are dead?
3) CD Keys: lol.
Pros: none.
Cons: everything.
4) Xbox 360: if everything else fails of if you as a developer are just fed up with PC gamers that have the balls to download your game from the internet and post about it on its official forums BEFORE the game even launches then you can just say "FUCK IT" and release your game on Xbox 360. Limited if not non-existant pirac, easy money, faithfull fanbase.
Pros: everything.
Cons: none.
Any more ideas gaffers?
