Fallout: New Vegas To Use Steam DRM

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Fallout: New Vegas will use Valve’s Steamworks for digital rights management and, not only that, you will be able to install the game on as many computers as you like. Hmmm, I can think of a few other companies that could use this approach.

Use of Steam will be mandatory at retail. So what does that mean? We’ve implemented Steamworks in as light and unobtrusive a way as possible. Yes, you will have to install Steam when you install Fallout: New Vegas if you don’t already have it. And yes, you will have to be online at the time of that initial install. However you can install the game on as many systems as you want (with no restrictions!), and you do not have to be online to play the game after your initial activation. Not only that, but once the game has activated on Steam, you can throw out the game DVD entirely and just download the game over Steam. If you don’t even have a DVD drive, you can just take the CD-Key from the box, enter it into Steam, and download it without ever using the disc at all.
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Glad to hear it! I'll take Steamworks DRM anyday in its current state over several other methods companies are using...

Will I still pick this game up? That remains to be seen with the use of the Gamebryo engine still...I'm holding out hope though.
 
Sounds like a good way to manage DRM. Sounds like you get an unlimited use license (as many installations as you want) in return. I think that seems like a fair compromise between the wants of the publishers and the wants of the consumer.
 
Awesome. I wish all games had Steamworks integration. Steam is the best thing to happen to PC gaming since consoles started getting exclusive access to most games. Now if someone could just come up with magical APIs that would provide every possible feature across multiple platforms while making development extremely cheap and easy. ;)
 
This right here? This is the right way to do it. It provides the game company with a benefit (less unlicensed copies of the game) while also giving the consumer an incentive (unlimited installs, no media necessary) - it's a win/win, really. The company sells more games and the consumer gets *increased* convenience.
 
For those concerned, this will have no affect on mod development whatsoever. Modders will still be able to create and distribute their plugins the same way they have in the past
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Thats the line that really caught my attention. When so many developers are locking out modding from their games so they can peddle DLC, I'm really happy these guys are making a stand and keeping the modding scene alive. One of the best parts of PC gaming in my opinion was user created content. There are games where I played a mod more than the base game itself. Counter-strike comes to mind. Probably put 500x more hours into it than I did Half-life.

The relaxed DRM was nice, but I still hate online activations. But I will say steam is one of the easiest to live with DRM methods, and the modding line bought them a customer.
 
DRM is something that will never go ago so might as well find a way to NOT piss off your customers. This is the right way to do DRM. I don't mind Steam one bit.

Now if only more companies would use this business model...
 
I'm down. I use steam for a bunch of other games and am quite happy with it. Just wish I had a faster connection do download stuff faster.
 
I love Steam and will gladly tolerate their minor DRMs to get such easy access to their library of games.
 
Thumbs up. Another game I can add to my dozens that I can install and play at anywhere/anytime, thanks to Steam.
 
definatly looking at picking this up when it drops :) fuuuuuuuuu ubisoft
 
This sounds right.....and I like the implementation.

But.........for a single player game, why do you even have to get the internet involved?
Sure I understand it, but for us who buy a legitimate copy, what the hell. (yes, I know, age old argument).
 
demingo said:
Thats the line that really caught my attention. When so many developers are locking out modding from their games so they can peddle DLC, I'm really happy these guys are making a stand and keeping the modding scene alive. One of the best parts of PC gaming in my opinion was user created content. There are games where I played a mod more than the base game itself. Counter-strike comes to mind. Probably put 500x more hours into it than I did Half-life.

The relaxed DRM was nice, but I still hate online activations. But I will say steam is one of the easiest to live with DRM methods, and the modding line bought them a customer.
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I completely agree!
 
Seriously, this is a great way to facilitate DRM. Kudos to them!
 
Steam is the only DRM format I can tolerate, and I daresay benefits the end-user. Yes, you have to internet authenticate every time you install the game. However, in return, you get unlimited installs on as many computers as you want, and never have to worry about losing the disk or key.

More DRM like this please.
 
If DRM has to be implemented, it seems like this would be the best way to do so.
 
Personally I'd love to have all my games on Steam. It really is very convenient.
 
magoo said:
This sounds right.....and I like the implementation.

But.........for a single player game, why do you even have to get the internet involved?
Sure I understand it, but for us who buy a legitimate copy, what the hell. (yes, I know, age old argument).
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For you, it's a one-time activation. For me (single-player games only), it's achievements, auto-patching, and no frickin' media to worry about.
 
This is so much better than the total clusterfuck that was GfWL on FO3 especially with the DLC content.

I do not think one single DLC for FO3 installed with zero issues for anyone. The biggest moronic thing was requiring the game to be installed on C: drive. :mad:
 
Betaboy1983 said:
Guess what game I won't be buying...
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Well if you object to Steam style DRM so much that you wont buy games with it I assume either you object to most games on the market, or is it simply a convenient excuse to justify my paying for the game and downloading it? lol!
 
I think one thing that is interesting in this is that they do not have to hire a team of people to try to code some "un-breakable" DRM that will be cracked in less than a week after the game is released. That will save them tons of money (part of which will go to steam I am sure). Honestly this could turn out to be the most profitable way to release a game.
 
Great news. Funny how a publisher like Bethesda chooses to make money on game publishing rather than throw it away on non-functional DRM schemes that only serve to scare away potential customers. It almost makes too much sense, doesn't it?
 
I am very pleased by this news! Few things irritate me as much as game companies making lame excuses for intrusive, buggy, copy protection schemes. Makes me want to actually do business with them, instead of avoiding them like the plague. :)
 
Betaboy1983 said:
Guess what game I won't be buying...
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DRM is the most evil of all evils. Developers trying to protect their intellectual properties from those nice guys who share software on the internet are a bunch of turds and should go die in a fire.
 
I used to think Steam's method was odd and a little bit intrusive. Then I started using it and I realize how awesome it is.

It's pretty much the perfect anti-piracy DRM: The only way to defeat it is to succesfully spoof a CD-key or hack someone's account. It also is easy on the customer, doesn't include rootkits, and allows for unlimited installs but ties them each to an account.

I love Steam as a game manager, and as long as I continue to have high-speed internet, I will continue to love Steam as a distributor of games. They've even slowly improved their frontend program, which used to "feel" really shitty. The speed and reliability improvements are noticeable.
 
Oh for the...did everyone forget that FEAR 2 used STEAM DRM (although it was a complete bitch to get the server to respond and validate my copy after 4 days of trying), and people think this is something new?
 
Although I have nothing against STEAM being the most reliable and popular method of DRM and end user protection, and at least if my disc is knackered for some reason I can download the game anyway.
 
I agree that Steam is a great way to do this and they are going to right way with this. I will also go on to say it is too bad something like this can't be adopted for say music and video. You keep your library in a digital format, and you can download it whenever and however many times you want to however many computers/devices you have.

The one cravat is that you are basically auctioning off your rights in favor of convenience. While its all good and all while Steam is around and playing nice, but what happens in the unlikely event that Steam goes out of business, or is say bought out by another group that changes things radically (Here's Lookin' at you UbiSoft and Activision). Now what are you left with? Nothing, as you gave your rights away (and your money).

Anyway not saying anything like that will happen, only that it is always a possibility if however small and to not discount your rights. Every time you buy something (or not) you are voting or legitimizing someones position.

Anyway I like steam, I am just leery of the future "what ifs". We have seen in the past servers shut down, or DRM turned off making the money you spent and the media you bought useless.
 
I'm very glad Bethesda chose Steamworks for DRM management. Steamworks just works. Haven't had any issues with them at all.
 
DarthVain said:
I agree that Steam is a great way to do this and they are going to right way with this. I will also go on to say it is too bad something like this can't be adopted for say music and video. You keep your library in a digital format, and you can download it whenever and however many times you want to however many computers/devices you have.

The one cravat is that you are basically auctioning off your rights in favor of convenience. While its all good and all while Steam is around and playing nice, but what happens in the unlikely event that Steam goes out of business, or is say bought out by another group that changes things radically (Here's Lookin' at you UbiSoft and Activision). Now what are you left with? Nothing, as you gave your rights away (and your money).

Anyway not saying anything like that will happen, only that it is always a possibility if however small and to not discount your rights. Every time you buy something (or not) you are voting or legitimizing someones position.

Anyway I like steam, I am just leery of the future "what ifs". We have seen in the past servers shut down, or DRM turned off making the money you spent and the media you bought useless.
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Valve is private company so there is no option of hostile takeover and whoever would want to buy Valve for Gabe Newell (who already have shitload of money) they would have to spend huge ammounts of money for it (10-20 billion at least). New owner also wouldnt be able to make radical (negative) changes, because his future revenue could be easily ruined if he piss off his current 30 million customers.

 
Looks like I will probably be purchasing this one. Loved Fallout 3 anyway.
 
I still refuse to buy any game that requires some entity to remain in business and maintain activation servers. Almost all of my old games can still be installed and maintained no matter the developer/publishers status.

MMO's are the exception
HL2 is the exception, because, well it's HL2, but that was a mistake even as it was so boring I couldn't even be bothered to finish it.

I own all of Bethesda's games Morrowind and forward. But... this one isn't even being developed by Bethesda... so maybe I just pass. Crappy DRM, questionable developer. Yea, pass.
 
This sucks, because Fallout 3 was GFWL. That's not to say that Steam games (Dirt 2, Batman AA) cannot also be GFWL, but it appears that F: NV will not.

I'd like to keep all of my achievements, plz.
 
dook43 said:
This sucks, because Fallout 3 was GFWL. That's not to say that Steam games (Dirt 2, Batman AA) cannot also be GFWL, but it appears that F: NV will not.

I'd like to keep all of my achievements, plz.
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What do you mean? Fallout: New Vegas is a standalone game. Steam has achievements. I'm not sure what you're getting at here. :confused:
 
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