Valve CEO slams DRM use in games

Posted Dec 2nd 2008 6:00PM by John Callaham
Filed under: Biz, Left 4 Dead Series

Valve developed the recent hit zombie co-op shooter Left 4 Dead and released the PC version via Steam. However retail copies of both the PC and Xbox 360 versions were distributed by Electronic Arts, a company that has been slammed by a vocal number of gamers for its use of DRM set-ups in its recent PC titles.

On a personal blog site a gamer named Paul Reisinger posted up an email he sent to Valve's CEO Gabe Newell where he expressed some concerns about Valve's involvement with EA due to the publisher's use of DRM in their titles. Newell wrote back, letting the gamer know what Valve's involvement with EA is and pretty much slamming most uses of DRM in games. Here is Newell's full statement:

Left 4 Dead is developed entirely by Valve. Steam revenue for our games is not shared with third parties.

Around the world we have a number of distribution partners to handle retail distribution of our games (i.e. make discs and boxes). EA is one of those partners.

As far as DRM goes, most DRM strategies are just dumb. The goal should be to create greater value for customers through service value (make it easy for me to play my games whenever and wherever I want to), not by decreasing the value of a product (maybe I'll be able to play my game and maybe I won't).

We really really discourage other developers and publishes from using the broken DRM offerings, and in general there is a groundswell to abandon those approaches.

[Via GamePolitics]

Tags: drm, ea, electronic-arts, left-4-dead, steam, valve, valve-software

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

I think I just filled in the traditional "Step 2: ???" in the equation (where "Step 3:" is "profit"):

Step 1: Make a digital distribution network that's efficient and reasonably-priced.
Step 2: Build a community of adoring fans by releasing quotes like the one above.
Step 3: Profit.

Valve is going to make a hojillion dollars. Which is awesome.Posted at 7:25PM on Dec 2nd 2008 by James

In a few years I have gone from reluctant acceptance of Steam so I could play HL2, to keen supporter.

I am a vehement opponent of DRM. I have been burned a couple of times now, and I now do my research so it won't happen again. On the Steam side of things however, it's always been a quick and painless process to reinstall my entire Steam game collection every time I re-format.Posted at 12:49AM on Dec 3rd 2008 by paralipsis

I just wanted to second what Paralipsis said. I hated the idea of Steam at first, but reluctantly said I'd subject myself to it for the sake of Half-Life 2.

Now, I'm a supporter of Steam, having purchased a number of games over the service*. Also, Steam has encouraged my feelings on digital distribution as a whole. However, there aren't many companies that can successfully do what Valve has done and need to rely on other companies for their DD; unfortunately they will not all have as cool a look on DRM as Valve.

I haven't had an issue with DRM myself, but while the idea is sound, the execution has never been. Game companies have to realize that most of us will buy worthwhile products and lighten up; not think every time we install their game we're stealing from them.

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*As for my one issue with digital distribution, I wish they'd specify what is contained in the retail copy of the same game. I bought L4D at a Gamestop [only place that had a copy, don't judge me] because I thought they'd at least have an entertaining manual or something... Nope.

I paid Gamestop for a DVD insert with basic keyboard commands. I would have bought it days earlier if I'd have known.Posted at 3:04AM on Dec 3rd 2008 by mchat2k6

I hated steam. I used it. and I still hate it.
It's way worse than DRM for mePosted at 10:27AM on Dec 3rd 2008 by mko