EA Exec calls DRM a failed dead end strategy :)

GDC 2013: EA miniboss says DRM is “a failed dead-end strategy”

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, EA Labels president Frank Gibeau discusses the messy SimCity launch, batting away conspiratorial accusations about its always-online structure. He says that was a decision from the creative team at Maxis, who believed they were designing an MMO, and not some corporate directive to curtail piracy. In fact, he goes further, slamming the DRM as “a failed dead-end strategy; it’s not a viable strategy for the gaming business.”

“DRM was never even brought up once,” says Gibeau. “You don’t build an MMO because you’re thinking of DRM – you’re building a massively multiplayer experience, that’s what you’re building. [...] For the folks who have conspiracy theories about evil suits at EA forcing DRM down the throats of Maxis, that’s not the case at all.”

He has regrets, though. He acknowledges there was a failure in communicating what the game was (and, I’d say, in then convincing players that the online elements were something they should care about). The shoddy launch was “unacceptable” too, although he points to the company’s attempts to make good with free games and continued tweaks.

SimCity’s problem seems to me less about its disastrous launch, and more that the fundamentally appealing parts of its design don’t need any online element. Maxis may have set out to build an MMO, but I don’t think the end result convinces me that I want that – and what’s more frustrating than seeing the game you do want locked inside, made inaccessible?
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There!
 
lol, so it's Maxis fault. I'll believe it when the next EA game is DRM free.
 
instead origin should be an always connected piece of software on your computer and report all activity to EA.
My God you people do more than games and we need to know.
So we can keep you informed of major updates to things.
yea things.

You know like the razor mice do.
 
This guy won't be employed be EA much longer...or EA is going to shut down Maxis and fire all the employees under that label. Possibly both.
 
Hornet said:
lol, so it's Maxis fault. I'll believe it when the next EA game is DRM free.
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The next game will also be an MMO experience, just like every other new game silly, it's not DRM!

EA must think we're all stupid...makes you wonder if this idiot is trying to infuriate more people into SimShitty refunds?
 
"I have not green lit one game to be developed as a single-player experience," Gibeau said. "Today, all of our games include online applications and digital services that make them live 24/7/365."
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:rolleyes:
 
Can't decide if he's serious or he's just trying to help the already doomed EA. Either way, his words fall on deaf ears. We all know regardless of his statement, nothing will change in favor of removing DRM from their games. Doesn't matter how you sugar coat it. They'll add the shittiest, most worthless multiplayer component to a game, if only to justify DRM.
 
Hmm i just cant make of this story. Down with EA or down with Maxis and that PR chick
 
LOL, I do not get the impression that DRM is "a failed dead-end strategy" to EA. How dumb do they think we are?
 
EA made it mandatory that all their games have multiplayer. Though I suppose EA merely said that any single player game must have a multiplayer component.
 
In other news, as EA admits DRM is a failed strategy, they begin to move to their even better strategy which is to require an Internet connection for single player games.

I am looking into my crystal ball...

220px-Carnac.jpg


GDC 2020: EA miniboss says always on Internet connection for single player games is “a failed dead-end strategy"
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This is such BS marketing speak. He's denouncing DRM and making claims that they never considered their "online features" as such to distance away from the extremely negative stigma that surrounds it. SimCity is not an MMO in any form (that whole Massively part), nor was it designed as such.

What is sad is that they refuse to acknowledge their failure and continue to try to say otherwise.
 
I really don't understand how some of you don't get the problem with Sim City wasn't origin, drm, or anything. You are not entitled to a single player game or the "product" you deem should be produced.

They took Sim City in a different direction to reboot the francise. They went with an MMO social aspect. This is what the game was going to be, there wasn't going to be an offline single player because that is not what the vision was. They wanted social interaction with other cities/players. They NEVER claimed this before launch and then didn't include it. You shouldn't have bought it if you didn't like the direction, which is why I don't own it. The smaller cities and social aspect didn't appeal to me.

The WA WA there should be a single player because that is how it used to makes you look like an entitled spoiled brat, its not the product they designed and thought would sell. It was there IP and there choice.

The issues with Sim City was the gross under estimated server need and the bugs all through out the game. It was going to be an MMOish type game from the start, so they should have invested in the infrastructure to support that. That and they should have tested it more to sort out all the AI bugs.
 
Based on the thread title, I was about to say, "Make this man CEO!"

...Then I actually read his quote. Just sounds like more blame-shifting and marketing BS.
 
Maxis thought they were building an MMO that works pretty much the same way when you hack around the requirement of an internet connection.

Alright.
 
caddys83 said:
Hmm i just cant make of this story. Down with EA or down with Maxis and that PR chick
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Heh except Maxis *is* EA. Their designation of Maxis as a "label" is a cute play on a 'department.' Their paychecks/direct deposits say EA, their group health insurance is under EA, they work in the EA Emeryville building. This minutiae that they try to spin that theyre an independent body is silly.
 
PR double speak is quite typical with almost any business unless they strive for giving truth to the public. EA isn't one of those upstanding companies that actually care about their customers at all. I think we're really starting to see how EA & other gaming companies are purely husks of their former selves (when content & customer satisfaction ruled the day before we woke up to this living nightmare).

Bring me the era of EA when Desert Strike made me aspire to kick Saddam Hussein's ass to the Persian Gulf & back with a godly AH-64 Apache Strike Helicopter. :)
 
SimCity isn't massive, it is hardly multiplayer and it shouldn't be online.

So if you chalk it up as a single player game, it's garbage. And if you chalk it up as a MMO it's even worse.
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
Bring me the era of EA when Desert Strike made me aspire to kick Saddam Hussein's ass to the Persian Gulf & back with a godly AH-64 Apache Strike Helicopter. :)
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Or to shoot the white house, monument, and all surrounding buildings in hopes of finding power-ups...:D
 
SimCity aside, its good to hear EA speaking out like this against invasive DRM. That coupled with the CEO leaving recently makes me hopeful for their future. If I recall correctly, at the start of this last generation of consoles, EA was forward thinking as well. They were investing in more creative games, but over time those just didn't pane out to be as profitable for the giant to maintain. Thus they circled back towards Madden, Battlefield, etc.. and unfortunately they chose the wrong path to combat piracy.

EA is still EA, but perhaps the timing of a new generation, new leadership and public admittance that invasive DRM is a failed concept, we can hope for a brighter future. Personally though, I never let any of this kind of stuff bother me that much. I never boycott developers or publishers. I buy games I want, and if that means suffering through some DRM.. then I've done it. I sleep like a baby at night and don't give a shit if it bothers other consumers that I have supported archaic DRM software from yesteryear. Gaming for me is purely a hobby, something I do in my free time to escape the reality of life. I don't vest myself enough into the entirety of it all to really give a big enough shit about having to be online etc.. I get the downsides, but they have always bothered me little since in reality, I have been online since about 1992.

Regardless, I do recognize that DRM, moreso invasive DRM is hurtful to many, an obstacle and more usually punishing the paying customer for the deeds of filthy pirates. So for that reason alone, I am glad to hear that EA is denouncing that business practice. It doesn't make my future buying decisions any easier, but I suppose it simply is one less thing to cross my mind before clicking Buy, or before eating dinner or whatever I do that night.
 
theNoid said:
SimCity aside, its good to hear EA speaking out like this against invasive DRM. That coupled with the CEO leaving recently makes me hopeful for their future. If I recall correctly, at the start of this last generation of consoles, EA was forward thinking as well. They were investing in more creative games, but over time those just didn't pane out to be as profitable for the giant to maintain. Thus they circled back towards Madden, Battlefield, etc.. and unfortunately they chose the wrong path to combat piracy.

EA is still EA, but perhaps the timing of a new generation, new leadership and public admittance that invasive DRM is a failed concept, we can hope for a brighter future. Personally though, I never let any of this kind of stuff bother me that much. I never boycott developers or publishers. I buy games I want, and if that means suffering through some DRM.. then I've done it. I sleep like a baby at night and don't give a shit if it bothers other consumers that I have supported archaic DRM software from yesteryear. Gaming for me is purely a hobby, something I do in my free time to escape the reality of life. I don't vest myself enough into the entirety of it all to really give a big enough shit about having to be online etc.. I get the downsides, but they have always bothered me little since in reality, I have been online since about 1992.

Regardless, I do recognize that DRM, moreso invasive DRM is hurtful to many, an obstacle and more usually punishing the paying customer for the deeds of filthy pirates. So for that reason alone, I am glad to hear that EA is denouncing that business practice. It doesn't make my future buying decisions any easier, but I suppose it simply is one less thing to cross my mind before clicking Buy, or before eating dinner or whatever I do that night.
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Is this sarcasm or extreme-kool-aid-drinking-optimism? You have fallen headfirst into believing the spin he put on his words.
 
So they want everything to be an MMO now? Since their Star Wars MMO was such a hit. ;)
 
TheMadHatterXxX said:
OMG...you win my internets for today for jogging up those awesome memories.
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I do what I can. :D The Strike series is still on my all time favorites. I beat every game w/ zero cheats or help guides. Since my dad had been in the Saudi Arabia during the Desert Storm, Desert Strike really had my imagination going when I was young. I wish someone would make an isometric top down shooter like that again... Maybe I should throw the idea out to some indie devs & see what they think. :)
 
This just in: Common sense and allowing the artists to do their jobs by staying the FUCK out of the game would be a great way to make awesome games.

DRM fail no shit sherlock. I have an undying hatred for corporations. Their soulless, vanilla flavored, fear fueled pathetic existence is an anathema to happiness.

most hated 2013 front runners
 
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It's typical EA bs, blame the devs, blame the consumers, blame anyone but themselves.
 
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