CD Projekt RED Speaks Out Against DRM Rumors

With rumors and speculation surrounding “digital rights management” systems, commonly referred to as DRM systems, mounting in the past few weeks, developer CD Projekt RED has made its internal DRM policy public. The developer currently working on The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings emphasised that a final form of DRM management for the upcoming Action RPG has not yet been decided upon, but that it would adhere to the basic set of principles that is included after the jump.

The principles emphasize that DRM measures may not limit the experience of users who acquired a legitimate copy of the game. As such, common measures such as a limit on the number of installations that can be performed with a single CD-key or the requirement that players remain connected to the internet while playing are ruled out.

Adam Kiciński, CEO of developer CD Projekt RED, stated that there currently exists a paradox where the life of individuals who acquire a legitimate copy of a game is made difficult by DRM measures, while those who pirate a game often to not have to deal with such problems. Marcin Iwiński, CEO of the Polish publisher CD Projekt, indicates that many other organizations solely focus on combating piracy, rather than seeking ways to encourage consumers to buy legitimate versions and adds that “this [focus] is also a good way to forget one of the keys to this business: taking good care of your customers.”

The basic principles on which CD Projekt RED will base the DRM policy for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings can be found after the jump. The game is expected to be released in Q1 2011 and will be available exclusively for the PC.

1.   We believe that the chief way to achieve favorable sales of legal game copies is to establish the right relation between game price and product quality. In our opinion, it is more important to encourage acquisition of original game copies than to punish those who play pirated copies.

2.   Copyright protection cannot impede or hamper the use of legally acquired game copies. In particular:
– Games that do not require an Internet connection for gameplay reasons should not require an active Internet connection for normal use.
– Game installation should in no way be limited, neither as regards the number of repeated installations on a given system, nor in terms of the number of systems on which a game can be installed.
– Internet-based registration of game copies is advisable only where the developer makes available, free of charge and via the Internet, additional game content or other services requiring an Internet connection.
d.   Traditional forms of copy protection like CD-check and serial numbers are acceptable provided they are highly stable and reliable.

3.   All patches and updates should be made available free of charge as additional services provided to consumers who acquired original game copies. Charges can be applied only to completely new material providing additional gameplay time.

Our chief aim is to provide our customers with a positive and satisfying game experience. We strive always to remain true to our principles and find solutions that enable CD Projekt to operate effectively in the games industry while allowing us to pursue our stated aim.