Will Witcher 3 be DRM-free on Steam?

[Scholdarr]

I see no reason to buy the game from steam. cdproject red stated that thy will sell drm free games where thy can have control over it. the question is what valve demand for publishing the game on steam. i think that buying the game on GOG is the best solution, you will receive DRM free game with a lot of benefits(soundtrack and such) and directly support CDprojekt red

Valve demands only ONE thing: about 30% of the money. That's their usual cut. Everything else is up to the publisher, especially DRM. That's no secret but a known fact.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

That's wrong. Once you've downloaded a DRM-free game on Steam you don't need the Steam client EVER again. You can move the files freely and even put them on another PC without being forced to start the Steam client.

You can, but you never guaranteed to be able to do it before you buy the game, since Steam doesn't care to inform you about it. With a big number of titles you can't. Plus, I was talking about the official Steam backup tool. Not about manual workarounds. All in all, Steam is not DRM-free, but in practice you can manually bypass it in these cases. All this is enough of a reason for me to never use Steam. Helping DRM proliferation is not a good thing.

 

[HarelMor]

Valve demands only ONE thing: about 30% of the money. That's their usual cut. Everything else is up to the publisher, especially DRM. That's no secret but a known fact.

With the installer of GoG the game is stored in the local computer, and can be easily used on any other machine.
The "DRM" that GoG provide is no more then a purchase wallet that grand an easy usage.

 

[Kinley]

I sense this will be a good thread.

 

[Scholdarr]

The installer of the GoG game is stored in the local computer, and can be easily used on any other machine.
The "DRM" that GoG provide is no more then a purchase wallet that grand an easy usage.

The files you downloaded from Steam can be copied to another PC just as easily. For a true DRM-free game the Steam client just functions the same way you described above.


Anyway, this is not an "I hate Steam thread" and shouldn't be abused for trolling. The question was whether the Witcher 3 version on Steam has any DRM or not (and I exclude "being on Steam" as DRM here).

 

[Georgie_Porgie]

I checked that list of so called "DRM free Steam games". Installed Trine 2 and Half Life 2 and uninstalled Steam. Unsurprisingly no of them launched

 

[GHOSTMD]

You can easily disable auto-patching in Steam...and a DRM-free game on Steam can be played without even letting the Steam client run. That's the whole point of the topic, you know...

Oh they changed it? Last time i "allowed" STEAM to go online it turned back on... what means you have to turn off auto patching every time you start steam.
But correct me if they changed this... anyway.... its still a platform to screw up costumer rights (in my opinon) and no social "features" can cloak that
for me....

This is wrong.

Is that so? I was sure there was a statement at the conference that you NOT NEED THE GOG Client at all for the game....
what intents its not bound to GoG that tight as STEAM does it with the games ....
still might be bound. I won t go further in this because it might end up in sensless bashing...

You know... i still remember how it is to have the feeling "to OWN" the games you buy even if its still only the license
So there is definatly NO REASON to buy it over steam... what cuts out that feeling and in my opinon your right as customer

(right to own things you pay for )

Anyway, this is not an "I hate Steam thread" and shouldn't be abused for trolling. The question was whether the Witcher 3 version on Steam has any DRM or not (and I exclude "being on Steam" as DRM here).

I checked that list of so called "DRM free Steam games". Installed Trine 2 and Half Life 2 and uninstalled Steam. Unsurprisingly no of them launched

Should say it all.... YES DRM FREE W3 will get DRM if you go for STEAM
No furher questions your highness

I sense this will be a good thread.

Are you entertained? I hope so my lovely panda <3

 

[Scholdarr]

I repeat:

Anyway, this is not an "I hate Steam thread" and shouldn't be abused for trolling. The question was whether the Witcher 3 version on Steam has any DRM or not (and I exclude "being on Steam" as DRM here).

 

[Kinley]

I hate Steam.

 

[thislsmadness]

@LordCrash

[*]family sharing

You can share with your family using the gog version, and without the crazy family share restrictions.

[*]in-house streaming, [*]community features, [*]add-in (e.g. for screenshots or tutorials/guides), [*]easy chatting with friends

All of the above stuff is available if you add a non-steam game to steam.

[*]game tracking, [*]auto-patching, [*]achievements

You do lose these things. Personally, I have auto patches off so that one wouldn't bother me. Likewise, Tracking and comparing achievements is very minor features imo. I much prefer supporting the developer and giving them 100% of my money, instead of only 70%.

 

[Damariel]

"Will Witcher 3 be DRM-free on Steam?"

Well sorry to disappoint you but.... no.
At least it's Steam not Uplay/Origin.

 

[Scholdarr]

"Will Witcher 3 be DRM-free on Steam?"

Well sorry to disappoint you but.... no.
At least it's Steam not Uplay/Origin.

Anyway, this is not an "I hate Steam thread" and shouldn't be abused for trolling. The question was whether the Witcher 3 version on Steam has any DRM or not (and I exclude "being on Steam" as DRM here).

 

[ReptilePZ]

We don't know yet, but judging by the previous games - no.

 

[Damariel]

@LordCrash Chill out I don't hate Steam ;]... otherwise I wouldn't have more than 20 games in my Steam library.

I guess W3 will have only "client"(which is free) requirement so it's light version.

 

[Scholdarr]

We don't know yet, but judging by the previous games - no.

I thought they had to implement DRM in case of Witcher 2 at release because of a distribution/publishing deal with Namco?

But you're right, TW2 needs Steam to run if you have the Steam version. Just checked it.

This is very sad given their background as DRM-haters. Other developers are able to deliver games without DRM on Steam (like Larian Studios or Paradox Entertainment).

Well, I for myself hope that they will deliver Witcher 3 on Steam DRM-free as well. I've already pre-ordered the physical CE so there is no reason for me to feel bad about not buying from GOG directly. Personally, I like Steam and I have a huge library there and I don't plan to change that. I will probably buy the Steam version no matter what but a DRM-free version would be a nice additional incentive.


@Damariel Alunnar
If you need the Steam client to run, it's just normal Steam DRM. This isn't necessary though... :-

 

[ReptilePZ]

I thought they had to implement DRM in case of Witcher 2 at release because of a distribution/publishing deal with Namco?

But you're right, TW2 needs Steam to run if you have the Steam version. Just checked it.

This is very sad given their background as DRM-haters. Other developers are able to deliver games without DRM on Steam (like Larian Studios or Paradox Entertainment).

Well, I for myself hope that they will deliver Witcher 3 on Steam DRM-free as well. I've already pre-ordered the physical CE so there is no reason for me to feel bad about not buying from GOG directly. Personally, I like Steam and I have a huge library there and I don't plan to change that. I will probably buy the Steam version no matter what but a DRM-free version would be a nice additional incentive.

They need to push gog after all - PR basically.

 

[Zabanzo]

This is very sad given their background as DRM-haters. Other developers are able to deliver games without DRM on Steam (like Larian Studios or Paradox Entertainment).

Well, at least they give you choice. You want DRM free game? Buy retail copy or buy it on GOG. Is Steam your thing and you dont mind its policies? You can buy it on steam too.

 

[Damariel]

@ReptilePZ Yeah...Btw I wonder how they will make Galaxy any different than Steam

 

[Scholdarr]

They need to push gog after all - PR basically.

I fear so, yes. Still, it's kind of double standards imo, forcing DRM on the Steam version (without any need) and sermonizing about the negative effects on DRM at the same time...

I mean, sure, they want to push GOG. But their primary argument against DRM was that it hurts customers. With DRM on Steam (which they put in on purpose themselves!!!) they hurt their own customers because after all, people on Steam also paid them money for their game.

That reminds me of "dirty tricks" in politics.


@Riordan1
^
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Edit: I guess they use Steamworks for TW2 (which comes with the Steam DRM Steamworks CEG). I wonder which features wouldn't work if they didn't use it...

 

[elvis69]

Will the boxed Collector's edition of witcher 3 be a steam version?

Achievements, as meaningless as they are, are still a nice bonus and a way of showing others what progress you have made. It's also nice to have the safety of it if your discs get lost.