240°

Valve: DRM is Backwards and Piracy is Just Not an Issue for Us

Speaking with Kotaku, Valve co-founder and managing director Gabe Newell has slammed aggressive DRM and dismissed piracy as a non-issue.

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Pikajew4615d ago

If piracy is not an issue than why do users get banned if they have a pirated game?

psyxon4615d ago

I agree lol. I respect Valve, but I think a lot of what Newell says is jutt off the top of his head BS.

Voxelman4615d ago

more like he is not actually involved in writing TOS or the day to day running of Steam. He runs Valve for fun I doubt he worries about anything other than making games, not have to go to stores or put in discs to play games and making it easier to see what indies are doing so he can find new people to hire. He is a big picture man.

-LUKE_SKYWALKER-4615d ago

Am I the only one who thinks Valve is trying to pick a fight with pirates and hackers.

Trust me Gabe the lawst thing you want is for those A holes of LOLSEC to come down on steam.

MAJ0R4615d ago

how do they find out u have pirated a game from Steam?

ECM0NEY4615d ago

They track your net activety and scan your files. Origin will do the samething.

The Meerkat4615d ago

"They track your net activety and scan your files. Origin will do the samething."

Seriously?

If that's the case then i think i'd rather pirate.

NuclearDuke4615d ago

They have a database of the available CD-Keys for Steam Purchased products. They cannot scan your entire PC or your net activity - They can see the changes made to your .exe files in your Steamapps folder to prevent hacking or modifying your game.

@ECM0NEY: You are clueless.

dangert124615d ago

I believe he believes its not so much an issue because steam tend to give the people want they want and in that sense they are rewarded back with lower piracy rates which sort of makes sense as i will support people like vavle but then i have not a single ubisoft game since GRAW 2 and that was console the publishers having the post problems with DRM and piracy are the ones who push it the most like why the hell would i pay full price for a game i can only play connected to the internet lol

hadriker4615d ago (Edited 4615d ago )

I'm assuming you didn't read the article. take for instance, this quote

“This belief that you increase your monetization by making your game worth less through aggressive digital rights management is totally backwards."

He thinks overly aggressive DRM is actually a detriment to sales,because consumers don't want to have to deal with it, (look at the whole From Dust debacle for instance).

Steam in itself is a form of DRM, but its wrapped in a piece of software that its users like and don't find intrusive, so it works.

He isn't condoning piracy.

4615d ago
ATi_Elite4615d ago

No one knows more about Piracy than Valve. Remember their whole Source Code and Half Life 2 was stolen but thanks in part to a dedicated PC community they got it back and found the Ass Clown that did it.

Gabe is correct when he says “I think [publishers with strict DRM] will sell less of their products and create more problems.”

Always on the Internet is a turn off to some gamers, limited installs is a turn off to some gamers, GFWL is a turn off to ALL gamers etc.. DRM is only a deterrent to legitimate customers as ALL DRM is able to be "Cracked".

Valve follows a simple formula......Non-intrusive DRM and they make quality games that they constantly improve over time with patches and support. Valve's games ALL sell very well on the PC which is why I see Gabe saying Piracy is a non-issue with Valve.

if you make a good game people will buy it!!

kcuthbertson4615d ago

I don't know how you have disagree's ATi, everything you said makes perfect sense.

Valve is top notch in my book.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4615d ago
Corrwin4615d ago

Says one thing, does another.

Why can't I play all my Singleplayer-only games in Offline mode?

Perjoss4615d ago

Its fine when Valve do it with Steam, but when Blizzard announced Diablo 3 being online only people screamed.

hadriker4615d ago (Edited 4615d ago )

I can why can't you?

IF you want to play offline you DO have to sign in first and "store your account info" on your pc. it is a form of drm but its not technically always on drm.

Pro_TactX4615d ago

Why can't you? I can play my SP games just fine in offline mode.

Corrwin4615d ago

Not all SP games - some are restricted by developer or publisher.

Still a form of DRM.

Bolts4615d ago

What he meant to say is that piracy isn't an issue for Valve because of Steam's DRM.

In short Steam's DRM > Your DRM

The difference being that a large population of PC gamers openly embrace Steam's DRM like it's their best friend while viewing "other" DRMs as corporate approved viruses.

Seferoth754615d ago

If I buy soemthing on Steam today and 5 years down the road I want to play it again I simple download it. Some DRMs only allow for 3-5 isntalls before you need to buy again. Those are the kinds I try to avoid.
Requiring online really isnt an issue for me because I have had internet for the past 12 years or more. Not like I am suddenly going to lose it for good.

NuclearDuke4615d ago

With steam, you can play offline singleplayer, offline. The option has been there for several years. There is only "DRM" on multiplayer games because they use Steamworks as a tool to connect you with friends/communities.

What communities/friends does Ubisofts DRM support you with? Nothing. Just unstable servers. I've hardly experienced Steam downtime during the time i've used it, so how much DRM is there actually.

ZeroChaos4615d ago

I think the difference is, is that Valve is unlike anyother developer where they know they can take the risks where other companies can't.

Setting prescent on the PC like what Valve does means a big loss in money.

opinska4615d ago

yet they have tons of money...

kcuthbertson4615d ago

It's because of how they treat their customers...

They're business model is crazy, yet somehow it works perfectly for them.

Pandamobile4615d ago

Are you trying to say that Valve is less profitable because of their focus on PC?

Are you forgetting that Valve is worth billions because of Steam alone?

Show all comments (28)
90°

Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 Fan Projects Shut Down by Valve Takedowns

Fan projects Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 have shut down after Valve intervened in their development.

-Foxtrot99d ago

First they open Steam up to more AI, now they are shutting down fan projects when at one time they used to support or even give the fans jobs.

Wonder what's going on with Valve at the minute.

rlow199d ago

@Foxtrot
It’s called money plain and simple.

JEECE99d ago

I mean, that might explain the Team Fortress 2 thing, because Valve might bring that to Source 2 (though I'm not sure I'd bet on that), but I can't see how Portal 64 hurts them. If anything, it's more attention to the Portal and therefore Valve/Steam.

Giblet_Head99d ago (Edited 99d ago )

There's potential that Valve had already planned to bring Source 2 to TF2 officially after Counter Strike 2. It's been getting some renewed attention lately.

Inverno99d ago

You got Nintendo to thank for Portal64 being taken down. As for TF2, most likely it's due to the probability of Valve working on a source 2 port themselves. It's sucks but Nintendo are the biggest pricks in the business and not letting this drag out into a huge court drama is the best decision.

100°

Valve Opens the Floodgates to Allow More AI Based Games on Steam

Valve has updated its stance on AI games on the Steam storefront, allowing creators to publish AI-created games.

Droppedez99d ago

AI is just another form of slavery for our computer brethren.

Barlos99d ago (Edited 99d ago )

Hell no. I want games that have been made by creative minds who have a passion for their craft, not a bot with a penchant for plagiarism.

BrainSyphoned99d ago (Edited 99d ago )

So instead of paying for an engine and assets to create a game they are paying for an engine and assets to create a game.

290°

Valve Tells Players To Stop Inhaling Steam Deck Vent Fumes

Valve has officially warned against inhaling the Steam Deck vent fumes in an official response due to potential health hazards.

gold_drake125d ago

my god, people are so dumb these days.

shinoff2183125d ago

I read the headline to my girl and she even reacted wtf is wrong with people. People wild

Notellin123d ago

I feel bad for her that she can't read and needs you to do it for her. Keep your head up!

shinoff2183123d ago

Notellin, I've been teaching her 😘

Jin_Sakai124d ago (Edited 124d ago )

This generation is about dumb as it gets.

frostypants123d ago

Huffing things isn't new to be fair.

SavageFlamingo123d ago

This has nothing to do with generations. It’s not a stupid challenge or anything. People just happened to smell it while they were playing. The steam deck exhaust is easy to smell without even trying. Just playing it you’ll smell it in the air around you.

Felix_Argyle_Catbro123d ago

"tHiS gEErAtIoN"
It's every generation, today you just see it more clearly thanks to internet.

k2d123d ago

To be fair, I loved the smell of glue, gas and certain plastics as a kid (new disc cartridges/new hardware, anyone?)

Si-Fly123d ago

Instruction manuals for me, best smell ever 😂

crazyCoconuts123d ago

I actually take a whiff of it once in a while, it's funny that it smells so good lol

DarXyde123d ago

Tide pod fiasco all over again

Felix_Argyle_Catbro123d ago

"tHeSe DaYs"
People have been just as dumb in the past, you just see it clearly now thanks to the internet.

gold_drake123d ago

thanks for that .. insight. ha.

rlow1123d ago

Well good thing about dumb people, they play an important part in human history. How else do we know which plants, animals and foods ar dangerous? Dumb people! They pay the price so the rest of us don’t have to. Lol

FinalFantasyFanatic123d ago

Honestly, I'm not even surprised considering some of the people I come across these days, inhaling fumes would explain a lot of things.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 123d ago
Knightofelemia125d ago (Edited 125d ago )

Wow people will huff anything nowadays some people just have way too much time on their hands.

Abnor_Mal124d ago (Edited 124d ago )

Another reason to love the PlayStation Portal, no chance of breathing in noxious vapors.

Get a Steam Deck they said, to which I reply, what are you high?

KwietStorm_BLM123d ago

Were you high when you typed this?

Abnor_Mal123d ago

Sorry bud no Steam Deck here.

123d ago
FinalFantasyFanatic123d ago (Edited 123d ago )

Even the Steam Deck does streaming better than the Portal (they portal is capped for streaming for some reason, whereas the Steam Deck isn't).

Neonridr123d ago

imagine pretending a glorified streaming device is better than a stand alone unit that can also, stream.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 123d ago
Eonjay124d ago

Stand by for the 'gaming kills' articles.
Que Halloween movie theme.

Nucleux124d ago

What does it smell/taste like?

Barlos124d ago

Better than the Switch cartridges is my guess.

Just to be clear, I've never licked a Switch cartridge, nor have I inhaled my deck's fumes.

Profchaos123d ago

Same never licked a switch cart I've always been worried more about where it's been than the taste but

Fluke_Skywalker124d ago

It smells good, that's the problem lol. When I first turned mine on I noticed it 😅
Better stop sniffing it then.

Barlos123d ago

I've had my deck for over a year, I've never been compelled to put my nose near the vent for a good lungful 😂

crazyCoconuts123d ago

I can't explain it... It smells...new

SavageFlamingo123d ago (Edited 123d ago )

Kind of like cheap bacon cooking. Even cheap bacon smells good.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 123d ago
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