The Dialog Box: Diablo III and Blizzard’s “DRM”
Buy a digital copy is Diablo III and you're stuck in starter (trial) mode for 78 hours. The benefits of online only single player gaming
— Ed Acosta (@EdAcosta) June 21, 2012
To my small twitterverse, what’s your thoughts on this? Is this fair and something we must get used too in the new digital download age?
Calm down, it’s only 72 hours. I like how people keep referencing “single player” when there’s more than that. Narrow focus!
To us no, it’s not an issue. But to those who don’t play with others or use the auction house, the online only aspect is killing them. But then lets not forget the fact that for a new player, you just paid your $60 to only be told to be patient for 72 hours.
It’s a dick move for sure, but early adopters get the reward and late adopters get punished. It’s nothing new (see: Online Passes)
Well how late is a late adopter? It’s only been a few weeks. Online passes wouldn’t really effect someone till a year or two later.
I guess it’s been a month now, just under. I don’t know, it’s strange and anti-customer facing. Despite it all, sales don’t lie.
oh exactly, In spite of the “anti-consumer” practices some are claiming, Acti-Blizz are still rolling in the dough-ablo.
That was well done. It doesn’t dissuade me much. I wish I had local saves to depend on. I just don’t see it changing.
This is where I see developers & publishers wanting to go. It sticks home the point that you don’t “own” the game, just permission to play it.
Which I don’t agree with. You should “own” your own copy of the game. Like if Steam goes down, they’re gonna find a way to release them to you without DRM because you bought and paid for them. They know you “own” those games.
Things will be interesting when cloud gaming & digital purchases become the norm for all platforms to see what rights consumers get.
The Dialog Box is a series where real-time conversations between our staff, our readers, or both occur. A wide variety of topics get raised over Social Networking sites, Instant Messaging, and Text Messages that sometimes get lost before anyone can actually read or comment on them. We’ve decided to take those conversations and give everyone a chance to chime in with their voice.
