What are the benefits of a DRM free game on steam?

[C1REX]

Steam has a few DRM-free games like Baldur's Gate and Cyberpunk. What are the benefits of not having DRM in a game?

Would such a game work without the Steam client on another PC?

Also, why do some people hate certain DRMs and are okay with others?

[C1REX]

Publicado originalmente por SlowMango:

Publicado originalmente por C1REX:

Is this performance difference even noticeable? Lies of P has Denuvo and amazing performance. It also works offline and has working mods. Capcom is using their own Enigma DRM that includes Denuvo withing it and their games are considered well optimised.

Capcom doesn't use Enigma in everything. They only recently tried it in Revelations.

From what I've heard this is different as they wanted to add it to an 11y old game but some other games had it already.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/222480/discussions/0/6852856365571853244/

Capcom also seems to use different DRMs including Denuvo in other games.

[Christina]

Benefits are:

-You won't need internet to play unless you're playing online

- Your game can't be forcibly updated with changes you dislike - you can keep copies of the older versions even if an update comes out as long as you downloaded and backed them up in time.

- You can't be locked out of your game or have it pulled from your library.

-------------------

As for some people hating certain DRMS's and being fine with others, I think it's that some people care about the game restriction while others are just upset about the performance impact. I've heard a lot of talk about Denuvo causing people grief.

People will also have standards of DRM they find too invasive. Even I - as someone who generally hates DRM - admit that some of the really old DRM forms don't bother me as much, such as entering a CD key before installing my game from a disc (as long as the CD key doesn't need to go through any kind of internet check).

[C1REX]

Publicado originalmente por Christina:

As for some people hating certain DRMS's and being fine with others, I think it's that some people care about the game restriction while others are just upset about the performance impact. I've heard a lot of talk about Denuvo causing people grief.

People will also have standards of DRM they find too invasive. Even I - as someone who generally hates DRM - admit that some of the really old DRM forms don't bother me as much, such as entering a CD key before installing my game from a disc (as long as the CD key doesn't need to go through any kind of internet check).

The most intriguing situation for me is when people despise Denuvo and refuse to purchase a game solely for that reason, yet they mock others who can't upgrade to Windows 10 because their PCs are too old and Steam DRM prevents them from accessing games they've purchased :(

I'm not pro or against DRM. Just this subject is interesting.

[sumolagann]

Well my take is i'd like gaming not to be filled with potential malware, anti consumer things as standard, give them an inch and they take a mile.

[Enigmatic]

wait those are triple A games?
They have no DRM?

I despise malicious code.

Publicado originalmente por C1REX:

Steam DRM prevents them from accessing games they've purchased :(

Or you pay for a product that treats you as the product.
I don't mind Denuvo. But I do mind data collection. 2K is a good example.

They are like a tumor that has attached itself to Fraxis.

[Mr. Tex]

If I want DRM-free I will buy the game on GOG, if available.

There are pro's and con's with both. A game on Steam, whether DRM-free or not, is much more likely to get patched or updated quickly. The GOG-versions are not updated as quickly in my experience, ... if updated at all.

Some of my DRM-free games I have to update myself manually, which is a minor annoyance.

The main benefit of DRM-free is of-course the independence you get as a player.

In the past I used to prefer DRM-free on GOG, but today I prefer Steam because of the quicker updates and patches. I value that more these days. Most importantly, Steam has a lot more games that I want to play, that's my #1 priority.

[Hitokiri-X]

My reason for not wanting extra DRM is simple. Steam is already a form of DRM and having one is enough for me. 99% of the games I enjoy playing are offline single player titles, so there is zero benefit to me as a consumer by having more DRM added. I simply don't want it.

Performance does not even come into the equation nor does piracy simply by the fact that I have enough games to last me a lifetime. I don't even pay attention to upcoming releases these days. I check what is released on search and if a game adds in extra DRM, I simply add it to my ignore list and remove it if the game comes bundled with another game I want.

[C1REX]

Publicado originalmente por Hitokiri-X:

My reason for not wanting extra DRM is simple. Steam is already a form of DRM and having one is enough for me. 99% of the games I enjoy playing are offline single player titles, so there is zero benefit to me as a consumer by having more DRM added. I simply don't want it.

Performance does not even come into the equation nor does piracy simply by the fact that I have enough games to last me a lifetime. I don't even pay attention to upcoming releases these days. I check what is released on search and if a game adds in extra DRM, I simply add it to my ignore list and remove it if the game comes bundled with another game I want.

This one is the most difficult one to understand for me when 1 DRM is OK but adding a second one is a hard no. You do explain why but the motivation is difficult to understand. I obviously respect the choice.

[Hitokiri-X]

Publicado originalmente por C1REX:

Publicado originalmente por Hitokiri-X:

My reason for not wanting extra DRM is simple. Steam is already a form of DRM and having one is enough for me. 99% of the games I enjoy playing are offline single player titles, so there is zero benefit to me as a consumer by having more DRM added. I simply don't want it.

Performance does not even come into the equation nor does piracy simply by the fact that I have enough games to last me a lifetime. I don't even pay attention to upcoming releases these days. I check what is released on search and if a game adds in extra DRM, I simply add it to my ignore list and remove it if the game comes bundled with another game I want.

This one is the most difficult one to understand for me when 1 DRM is OK but adding a second one is a hard no. You do explain why but the motivation is difficult to understand. I obviously respect the choice.

Understandable, as everyone has different tolerance levels. If you're okay with an extra layer of DRM, that's fine by me. I can't understand that position either, so to each their own.

[ZanyScum]

DRMs have to change all the time to be able to defend against hackers who want to remove them.
That means, a driver/tool which is potentially very deep in your system is regularly changed with the focus of the developers NOT on YOUR security but on the game's security.
So... if you can stop yourself from playing all games with DRM which is not VAC, then do it, it will lessen the chance of your system being open to people who use the DRM to invade your PC.

Me, I want to play these games, I am too weak to not play them :-)

[C1REX]

Publicado originalmente por ZanyScum:

DRMs have to change all the time to be able to defend against hackers who want to remove them.
That means, a driver/tool which is potentially very deep in your system is regularly changed with the focus of the developers NOT on YOUR security but on the game's security.
So... if you can stop yourself from playing all games with DRM which is not VAC, then do it, it will lessen the chance of your system being open to people who use the DRM to invade your PC.

Me, I want to play these games, I am too weak to not play them :-)

I’ve heard Denuvo is checking you online but I couldn’t trigger any problems. Lies of P with Denuvo seems to work for as long as you want. Not sure if indefinitely but definitely long enough.

Windows itself has DRM, right?

[alumlovescake]

You are still going to be locked out of them when Valve decides they don't like you so really there is not any

[C1REX]

Publicado originalmente por alumlovescake:

You are still going to be locked out of them when Valve decides they don't like you so really there is not any

Fully DRM free games should work without steam at all but very few games seems to not use steam DRM.

[ZanyScum]

Publicado originalmente por C1REX:

Publicado originalmente por alumlovescake:

You are still going to be locked out of them when Valve decides they don't like you so really there is not any

Fully DRM free games should work without steam at all but very few games seems to not use steam DRM.

Get your games from gog.com, then you are pretty sure the game will continue to work. If it does not need any servers, that is.

But this is a good way to install games for people whom you don't want to bother with Steam and stuff. Because.. you know.. some relatives... it would just not work.

[omgitsbees]

Publicado originalmente por C1REX:

Steam has a few DRM-free games like Baldur's Gate and Cyberpunk. What are the benefits of not having DRM in a game?

Would such a game work without the Steam client on another PC?

Also, why do some people hate certain DRMs and are okay with others?

No one makes pointless threads on the games forum asking for no DRM.