DRM News

This isn’t exactly an original idea for an article to write, but in the aftermath of the announcement that Civilization V is using Steamworks, it seems like a good time to cover it.

The minute I had finished reading the press release making that announcement, I felt a sense of dread. Why? I knew what the result would be. Let’s be honest…all of us did. We were all about to be embroiled in to the usual battle between the extremists on the DRM debate, Steam Edition.

And it didn’t take long! No, the Steam fanboi brigade was out in full force, engaging in the usual idiocy that fanboiz are renowned for as they essentially took the “If you ain’t with us, you’re against us.” section of the Bush foreign policy and used it on anyone who so much as paused before bowing before the golden altar of the almighty Steam.

And on the other side we were treated to the equally obnoxious rantings of the hardcore anti-Steam types, as they described everyone who doesn’t consider Steam to be the work of Satan himself to be an idiot, a sheep and in aid of the destruction of the PC platform itself.

Those of you who don’t frequent gaming forums probably think I’m exaggerating. Those of you who DO go to such places are sighing right now with the knowledge that I may actually be understating how ridiculous it was. It was one of those awful days where I was embarrassed to describe myself as a gamer.

And this happens every single time. Every time an announcement like this is made, the shrieking harpies on both sides try to out shout each other, and everyone caught in the middle just gets to enjoy what passes for ‘debate’. Then we actually wonder why politicians and serious organizations look down at us like we’re a bunch of children? Simple, WE ACT LIKE THEM. Not all of us, but the ones who are the loudest and most ridiculous, and therefore the ones that get the attention.

Are the people who cannot stand the very idea of Steam as it exists wrong? No, they’re right…for themselves. Are the people who consider Steam to be a panacea of digital distribution wrong? No, they’re right…for themselves. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and everyone is entitled to discuss those opinions. I for one am sick and tired of those on either side acting as though only they can be correct. That isn’t a discussion. And discussions are what’s needed in an increasingly complex digital world with increasingly complicated rules and restrictions.

Maybe you agree with me, maybe you think I’m completely out to lunch. Both of those are completely legitimate opinions, and you’re free to express them. Can we all just agree to perhaps start letting actual discourse drown out the tantrums of the few? The majority of us who are capable of actually having a reasoned debate about something need to take the discussion away from those who treat it as though it’s an artillery duel, with explosions and screaming and casualties and somebody ‘winning’.

This is definitely not a problem limited to gaming, or even to Entertainment, but we all have to start growing up somewhere. It might as well be here.