GDC: DRM a "waste of time" - 2D Boy
As are publishers for indie games.
World of Goo co-creator Ron Carmel reckons protecting PC games with DRM software is a waste of time and money.
"Don't bother with DRM, it's a waste of time," said Carmel during a GDC keynote, reported by GameSpot. "You just end up giving the DRM provider money.
"Anything that is of interest gets cracked, and the cracked version ends up having a better user experience than the legit version because you don't have to input in some 32-character serial number.
"Anybody who wants the game is likely to find it on BitTorrent sites," he added. "It's going to get cracked even with DRM, it's going to be available very quickly, so we don't see the point in having DRM."
Carmel, one half of developer 2D Boy, went on to say there was no difference between piracy figures for World of Goo and other PC titles. 2D Boy told us last November that 90 per cent of people playing World of Goo had pirated the title.
And Carmel was equally weary about the necessity of publishers for independent games.
"Don't do it," he stated. "Retail distribution - which is what publishers are good at - doesn't generate many sales for indie games. Go with digital distribution, you won't need a publisher for this. Self-fund your game, and when you get to retail, go for per-country flat-fee deals."
World of Goo now deservedly enjoys a healthy following and makes money. Pop into our World of Goo review to see what all the fuss is about.