Super Mario Run has finally been released on iOS devices. It’s a really fun little game, but you know what’s not so fun? The always online DRM Nintendo implemented into it. The backlash Nintendo got over Super Mario Run is a reminder of why DRM still has a long way to go in terms of acceptance.
Super Mario Run’s DRM is its biggest weak point
If any game developer wants to know why DRM is horrible, have a look at the Xbox One reveal. Diablo 3 and Simcity are also prime examples of why DRM isn’t working the way they intended. If it was a simple App or CD check like with early CD games, we doubt piracy would be a widespread issue like it is now. Thank god for retailers like GOG.
Actually, the best example (albeit a bit obscure) of why always online DRM cripple games is with Dark Spore. Even if you had a physical copy, once the servers went down, you can’t even play the game in single-player mode. And all those people who bought a physical copy are now stuck with a coaster.
The disc is basically a link that sends you to places like steam to download the game. If the game is taken off steam, then that link will send you to nowhere in steam. So yeah, Dark Spore a coaster as it does not even need to be a disc. It does not hold any data apart from the link. All the data is on the internet in steam. And that’s why DRM games are a problem.
Well, it used to be that the game’s data was actually on the disk. Worst DRM people in the past had to deal with was having to type in the code from the manual when installing the game. We’ll take that over this always online crap any day.