 "EA dabbles in DRM-free gaming by offering Dead Space, Dragon Age and SimCity 3000 on GOG")
EA seems to be turning a new leaf. Not only did they start giving away games for free with their ‘ On the house ’ program, they’re now releasing DRM-free titles! The move is unexpected coming from a staunch corporate entity like EA. The game studio/publisher has consistently been voted as the worst company in the world for two years running. It’s also been one of the largest proponents of DRM in gaming. But times are a-changin' . DRM refers to Digital Rights Management. The term describes systems that prevent software piracy by means of digital authentication methods to ensure that a consumer is using a genuine copy of the software. A DRM-free title will not check the authenticity of a game’s license, giving a user the freedom to install the game anywhere and as many times as he likes. While the system sounds nice in theory, excessive use of DRM is more harmful than useful and the gaming community has a very negative view of the system. EA isn’t alone in abusing DRM of course, but alongside Ubisoft, they’ve been the worst offenders. GOG.com is a site that fights DRM by offering legitimate, DRM-free games, trusting the consumer to be responsible with their purchases. The site itself is very popular, notably for its collection of classic gaming titles that aren’t available anywhere else. CDProjekt RED, makers of The Witcher 3 franchise, are among the staunch supporters of GOG. GOG claims that most of their titles are only installed once, or at most, twice, speaking for the efficacy of a DRM-free stratefy. The fact that EA has thrown in some DRM-free titles is good news. Currently, only three EA games are available on GOG.
- Dragon Age: Origins - $7.99 (around Rs 550)
- Dead Space - $7.99 (around Rs 550)
- SimCity 3000 - $4.99 (around Rs 350)
The first two titles are already available on Steam and Origin, but with their respective DRM mechanisms in place.