Square Enix adds always online DRM to PC version of Final Fantasy X/X-2, nearly 3 years after release. This should be illegal. No response from Valve?

[Mendax]

This should be illegal. What will Steam do?

[Theblaze]

As long as the server are still online and you can play it just fine, I don't see any issue nor being it "illegal".

[Cathulhu]

How is this illegal? Not that i like such actions, but i don't see how it violates a law or why Valve should act on it.

[DeadPhoenix]

Its not illegal, however not everyone has a stable connection. So when your internet drops, you're unable to continue playing the game. Single player games should never be locked to an online only.

[Crazy Tiger]

Valve gives devs the freedom to bring the game to Steam in the way they see fit. As long as it's mentioned, Valve is fine with it. So of course there is no response from Valve.

It's not illegal. There is also no reason why it would *or* should be illegal.

I do agree it's not a nice move.

[AmsterdamHeavy]

Garbage move, but not Valve's problem.

[Trundle]

Well that sucks.

[Start_Running]

If its something they added, one might wonder what prompted the move.

[💖⎛⎝Silver Knight⎠⎞]

Just boycott the game, leave a negative review, try and get your money back. Such a major change should warrant for a refund.

[Mikasa Ackerman]

well , there goes just cause 4 , and tomb raider , both will be put on my ignore list for eternity , ill go through the whole list of square enix games and put them on ignore

[Leonia]

It's like Square Enix is trying to be the Japanese EA.

[galneon]

Originally posted by Leonia:

It's like Square Enix is trying to be the Japanese EA.

If they haven't been the Japanese EA since the merger, what the hell have they been?

[Hakuso]

Originally posted by AmsterdamHeavy:

Garbage move, but not Valve's problem.

It kinda is when you contact Square Enix support and they tell you: "It's not our problem, Valve is at fault."

Square Enix screwed up a much loved game, years after launch when most of us have already made the purchase, and then lay the blame on Steam for their actions.

I think this is very much Valve's problem, not because it's a legal issue, but because their customer (we are NOT the customer here, we are the product, a bunch of little walking wallets) threw them under the bus.

[Hinnyuu]

Originally posted by Waldschatten:

It kinda is when you contact Square Enix support and they tell you: "It's not our problem, Valve is at fault."

Square Enix screwed up a much loved game, years after launch when most of us have already made the purchase, and then lay the blame on Steam for their actions.

I haven't looked into this, but do you have evidence to support this isn't the case? If you call them and they say "Steam did it, not us", would that not be a believable explanation? And if not, what evidence do you have to the contrary? I'm not trying to be contrarian, I genuinely want to know.

[Hakuso]

Even if it is a Steam API issue, which it very well could be as several horribly obnoxious games (like Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 and Azure Striker Gunvolt) have proven to be possible, it is their implementation of the Steam API that has broken the game.

If Steam broke the ability to play offline it would not exist only in this game, others would be affected, and with their history of custom online DRM with Final Fantasy VII & VIII it's not unreasonable to assume they're simply at it again.

[Hinnyuu]

Originally posted by Waldschatten:

Even if it is a Steam API issue, which it very well could be as several horribly obnoxious games (like Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 and Azure Striker Gunvolt) have proven to be possible, it is their implementation of the Steam API that has broken the game.

If Steam broke the ability to play offline it would not exist only in this game, others would be affected, and with their history of custom online DRM with Final Fantasy VII & VIII it's not unreasonable to assume they're simply at it again.

API changes don't have to affect all games the same way. Very possible that there were things unique to this game's way of interacting with it that cause the issue.

Mind you, I don't have evidence either way. But before I'm willing to condemn a publisher, I want to know what's actually happening.