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Developers have been fighting piracy hand over fist since the first CD burner hit retailer shelves, but, for the most part, it has been a losing battle. In fact, some have said that the only people who have really been affected by DRM security measures are the people who purchase the game legally. Still, it’s unusual for publishers like CD Projekt to publicly denounce DRM protection. So we were a bit surprised when Paradox Interactive blasted other developers for their use of digital rights software. “I’m so surprised that people still use DRM. We haven’t done that for seven or eight years, and the reason is that it doesn’t make sense,” said Fred Wester CEO of Paradox. “No one should have to purchase a product that they’re unable to install because of the DRM. There might be other reasons, like the compatibility isn’t correct, or whatever. But people who purchase a game should have just as easy a time as those who pirate the game, otherwise it’s a negative incentive to buy a legal copy.” 
Wester’s assessment is absolutely correct, but the problem is that his plumb line is different from Sony’s. Wester is concerned with customer service and product value, whereas Sony is more concerned with controlling the movements of the people who purchase their products. Obviously the world would be a better place if more companies thought like Wester, but Sony still runs things in this reality. By Josh Engen |