DRM has often been one of the most talked about topics in gaming, with the very idea of DRM being flamed by millions of gamers left, right and centre. However, publishers have a different outlook. In an interview with TorrentFreak, a Square Enix business manager went on to state that DRM is almost a necessity for publishers and developers to protect their IPs, and it’s here to stay.
“The primary benefit [of DRM] to us is the same as with any business: profit,” said Square Enix senior manager of business and legal affairs Adam Sullivan. “We have a well-known reputation for being very protective of our IPs, which does deter many would-be pirates. However, effectiveness is notoriously difficult to measure–in short, we rely on the data available to us through our sales team and various vendors, along with consumer feedback.”
“The key to DRM is that it can’t interfere with the customer’s ability to play the game,” he continued. “It’s not uncommon for people to get a new computer every few years, or to have multiple computers. Sometimes they don’t have reliable Internet connections. There’s no perfect solution yet.”
Sullivan was then asked about whether, despite the backlash that DRM has received, it will be around some time down the line. Sullivan replied, “This depends on your definition of DRM, but generally yes–I think DRM will be essential for the foreseeable future.”
“So long as we’re concerned about things like data privacy, accounting sharing, and hacking, we’ll need some form of DRM,” Sullivan said.
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