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BioShock 2 will shock PC gamers with not one, not two, but three different layers of DRM, all in the name of preventing piracy. The problem is that the game has already been pirated and is doing the rounds on the various BitTorrent networks, and so once again, it will be law abiding and paying customers that gets the short end of the stick.
The "Games For Windows" version of BioShock has limited installs (15 before you have to call up Microsoft for another one), Windows Live authentication (which means you have to be logged in to your Gamertag to play the game), and to add insult to injury, it also includes Sony's SecuROM, which is a pain to get rid of once it gets into your system.
The Steam version of the game at least removes some of these restrictions, but still features SecuROM on top of Steam's own DRM which does exactly the same job.
One then wonders why so many layers of DRM is needed, especially as it has proven totally unsuccessful in preventing piracy. One also wonders if these measures are aimed at stopping BitTorrent based pirating (which it totally fails at), or perhaps to prevent casual piracy, where customers may "lend" the game to friends who may also install copies without having to pay for anything (but again, this cannot be prevented).
So other than ensuring legitimate customers have a nasty time trying to play the game, or having to install cracks just to play their own purchased games, what exactly does three layers of DRM do? The companies that license out these DRMs schemes will have gotten paid, and this could very well be the whole purpose of this otherwise pointless exercise.
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The "Games For Windows" version of BioShock has limited installs (15 before you have to call up Microsoft for another one), Windows Live authentication (which means you have to be logged in to your Gamertag to play the game), and to add insult to injury, it also includes Sony's SecuROM, which is a pain to get rid of once it gets into your system.
The Steam version of the game at least removes some of these restrictions, but still features SecuROM on top of Steam's own DRM which does exactly the same job.
One then wonders why so many layers of DRM is needed, especially as it has proven totally unsuccessful in preventing piracy. One also wonders if these measures are aimed at stopping BitTorrent based pirating (which it totally fails at), or perhaps to prevent casual piracy, where customers may "lend" the game to friends who may also install copies without having to pay for anything (but again, this cannot be prevented).
So other than ensuring legitimate customers have a nasty time trying to play the game, or having to install cracks just to play their own purchased games, what exactly does three layers of DRM do? The companies that license out these DRMs schemes will have gotten paid, and this could very well be the whole purpose of this otherwise pointless exercise.
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