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EA Can't Say It Wasn't Warned About SimCity DRM

[Dec 18, 2012, 12:23 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

A few days ago the developers at Maxis subjected themselves to a reddit AMAA session to discuss SimCity, the next installment in EA's urban planning series. In this case, the offer to ask then anything provoked a number of questions about the controversial decision to make being online a requirement to play the game, and Techdirt points to a separate thread compiling comments from the session on this proposed DRM. Thanks Shok.

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Re: EA Can't Say It Wasn't Warned About SimCity DRM

Dec 19, 2012, 09:04

Bhruic

Beamer wrote on Dec 19, 2012, 08:40: While they likely believe socialization will increase sales, they know it's not necessary to force. If you put it in there with a "login to Facebook to find friends" then those that want it will use it. Those that don't will not. They're not dumb enough to think that people that don't want it will magically be persuaded to use it. They know a good chunk of people will avoid playing with anyone. They just don't care. They think the pirates they avoid will make up for the sales they lose. Forcing people to use it is exactly their intention. Making it optional means that lots of people won't use it. There's a reason that most companies prefer to use opt-out rather than opt-in when it comes to things like this. People are lazy. Now does that mean they aren't happy with the side-benefit of it acting like a DRM? Of course not. I'm sure that factored heavily into their decision making. But EA has stated - repeatedly - that they are no longer in the business of making single player games.

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Comment [quote="Bhruic"Dec 19, 2012, 09:04][quote="Beamer"Dec 19, 2012, 08:40]While they likely believe socialization will increase sales, they know it's not necessary to force. If you put it in there with a "login to Facebook to find friends" then those that want it will use it. Those that don't will not. They're not dumb enough to think that people that don't want it will magically be persuaded to use it. They know a good chunk of people will avoid playing with anyone. They just don't care. They think the pirates they avoid will make up for the sales they lose.[/quote] Forcing people to use it is exactly their intention. Making it optional means that lots of people won't use it. There's a reason that most companies prefer to use opt-out rather than opt-in when it comes to things like this. People are lazy. Now does that mean they aren't happy with the side-benefit of it acting like a DRM? Of course not. I'm sure that factored heavily into their decision making. But EA has stated - repeatedly - that they are no longer in the business of making single player games. [/quote]

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