Major digital distributors Direct2Drive, GamersGate and Impulse have refused to stock Infinity Ward's highly anticipated shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on PC due to its reliance upon Valve Software's rival distribution platform Steam, Voodoo Extreme reports.

"We believe strongly that when you buy a game from us, you shouldn't be forced to install and run a 3rd party software client to be able to play the game you purchased," D2D explains in a statement masquerading as a listing for Modern Warfare 2 in its store. A representative later told Kotaku "We don't believe games should force the user to install a Trojan Horse."

Modern Warfare 2 on PC will use Steam and Valve's Steamworks framework for DRM purposes as well auto-update, achievement and anti-cheat features, among others.

However, both Direct2Drive and GamersGate sell ACE Team's Zeno Clash--which requires Steam. D2D also offers several other Steam-based titles... Read more

The non-profit Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) today announced the formation of the "Gamers for Digital Rights," a new group with the goal of providing "tools and resources that will help protect the rights of video game consumers today."

The group has opened a website which allows users to join the movement. Among other information, the site offers a pre-filled form to write the FTC concerning DRM and EULA issues.

"With Gamers for Digital Rights, our goal is to educate consumers about their rights, as well as the copyright and trademark laws associated with such technologies, and then work to open a dialogue between software publishers, developers and gamers," said ECA VP Jennifer Mercurio.

The ECA has also hired Robert L. Hunter, IV ("Beau"), to head up the DRM... Read more

The PC Gaming Alliance has lost two of its founding members, as Activision Blizzard, the company behind such major PC titles as World of Warcraft and Call of Duty, and hardware manufacturer Acer have left due to membership costs.

PCGA president Randy Stude confirmed the cost-related leaves with Big Download, explaining to Edge Online that "a few members cannot justify the budget (membership and staff) required to maintain an active role in the PC Gaming Alliance at this time."

"Membership turnover is a fact of life in any industry consortium particularly so in the current economy," he added. "The PC Gaming Alliance is an industry consortium that relies on membership dues to achieve its' mission."

Despite the departures, Stude asserted that the non-profit organization, dedicated to improving PC gaming, has seen a "net [membership] gain for 2009," with recent joins including retailer GameStop and Sony DADC, maker of the oft-derided SecuROM DRM.

Reports that the PC version of The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena can only be installed three times have sparked another round of outcry from the extremely vocal PC community, though publisher Atari says these reports aren't entirely accurate.

The PC version of Starbreeze's stealthy first-person shooter does indeed have a three-machine install limit, Atari told Shacknews in a statment, but customers can acquire more activations, assuming "it's a legitimate request," by calling the Atari hotline.

"We implement this protection in an effort to avoid early piracy," explained Atari. "The [initial] activation code lets you install the game on up to 3 machines, with an unlimited number of installs on each assuming that you don't change any major... Read more

Now available on FileShack is the EA Game De-Authorization Management Tool, a 5.42MB download meant to help owners of EA PC games balance install limits.

While the publisher has already released a variety of game-specific de-activation tools, this one serves as a catch-all, scanning your system for any Electronic Arts game released after May 2008 that may have authentication limits, and then providing information on the amount of authorization slots in use and how to disable them.

Games covered by the tool include:

• Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3... Read more

The Sims 3 will feature greatly simplified copy protection with no online activation when it launches for PC and Mac on June 2, The Sims label head Rod Humble has announced on the official Sims 3 website. In his words:

The game will have disc-based copy protection - there is a Serial Code just like The Sims 2. To play the game there will not be any online authentication needed.

We feel like this is a good, time-proven solution that makes it easy for you to play the game without DRM methods that feel overly invasive or leave you concerned about authorization server access in the distant future.

DRM proved a thorny issue for EA when Spore's SecuROM online activation technology initially only allowed owners to install the game three times before having to contact EA. Reactions ranged from comical protest creatures in Spore to class-action lawsuits.

Elemental: War of Magic developer and Sins of a Solar Empire publisher Stardock today unveiled Goo, a new technology that the company claims will solve common publisher and consumer complaints with digitally distributed games and DRM.

Short for "Game Object Obfuscation," Goo will let developers "encapsulate their game executable into a container that includes the original executable plus Impulse Reactor, Stardock's [suite of developer tools], into a single encrypted file."

The first time a player runs a "Goo'd" game, they will need to enter their e-mail address and serial number for online activation. The game is then tied to a user's account, with Stardock adding that "the game never needs to connect to the Internet again."

"[Goo] finally makes possible a way for gamers and publishers to transfer game licenses to players in a secure and reliable fashion," said Stardock CEO... Read more

In a press release celebrating its free development and publishing toolset, Half-Life creator and Steam operator Valve declared that "Steamworks makes DRM obsolete."

The studio trumpeted recent additions to the toolset, including "Custom Executable Generation (CEG) technology" and support for in-game downloadable content.

"[CEG] compliments the already existing anti-piracy solution offered in Steamworks," explained Valve. "A customer friendly approach to anti-piracy, CEG makes unique copies of games for each user allowing them to access the application on multiple machines without install limits and without having to install root kits."

"As we roll out these features, we continue to look for new ways make PC games easier to create and better for customers to experiences," said Valve co-founder Gabe Newell.

The Steamworks toolset allows PC developers to integrate the various aspects of Valve's Steam platform into their games, including achievements, Steam community support, automatic updating, shared settings across multiple computers, and more.

Utilizing digital rights management as a means to prevent piracy is "a waste of time," according to 2D Boy co-founder and World of Goo co-creator Ron Caramel.

"Don't bother with DRM," he said during a GDC 09 talk attended by GameSpot. "You just end up giving the DRM provider money. Anything that is of interest gets cracked, and the cracked version ends up having a better user experience than the legit version because you don't have to input in some 32-character serial number."

The topic of digital rights management has become increasingly controversial, as publishers feel they must make some effort to prevent piracy while protesters complain that DRM punishes legitimate buyers with install limits and online activations.

"We don't see the point in having DRM," he added. "Anybody who wants the game is likely to find it on BitTorrent sites. It's going to get cracked even with DRM, it's going to be available very quickly."

Creative Assembly's historical strategy game Empire: Total War will ship to retailers on March 3 and be available for purchase on March 4, publisher Sega confirmed today.

Initially expected on February 3, the PC game will require owners to install Valve's digital distribution platform Steam in order to activate both retail and downloaded copies. North American customers will see the Steam release of Empire: Total War arrive on March 4, with buyers able to pre-load the game roughly 48 hours before.

In addition, Sega sent along the minimum system requirements:

• Operating System: Windows XP 32(service pack 2), Windows Vista 32 OS.
• Processor: 2.4 GHz Single Core Intel or AMD... Read more

Now available on FileShack is the DRM deauthorization tool for Crysis Warhead.

The paltry 1.04 MB download allows owners of the Crytek-developed PC shooter to deactivate their installation of the game, freeing up one of its five activation slots.

As with the Spore deauthorization tool, launching a de-authorized install will prompt a re-authorization, and Vista users are advised to turn off UAC (User Account Control).

Thanks to spaceyme and acare84 for the heads up.

Some of those that recently bought GSC Game World's S.TA.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky and Egosoft's X3: Terran Conflict were temporarily unable to activate and play those games, due to reportedly resolved problems with the TAGES-run authentication servers.

Both games utilize TAGES DRM to enforce a 5-machine activation limit, and received a resurgence of attention as they were featured in the Steam Holiday Sale. The promotion saw 10-75% discounts on games sold via the PC digital distribution service.

Upon attempting to run either game, first-time players were told that they needed to activate their copy with a serial number. Some attempts were met with a network timeout error, while others, such as Shacker Stucky_101, report they that had no problems.

The issues began cropping up en masse between December 26 and 31... Read more

Now available from FileShack is the Spore PC De-Authorization Tool.

As the controversial DRM behind EA Maxis' popular simulation allows the game to be installed on up to five different computer, this tool removes a machine from the list, freeing up an authorization slot for another install on a different computer.

Launching a de-authorized install of Spore will prompt an attempt at re-authorization.

Windows Vista users are advised to turn off the UAC (User Account Control) in the User Account portion of the Control Panel before running the tool.

Valve co-founder Gabe Newell left no doubt about his company's stance on DRM in a recent email to a fan.

"As far as DRM goes, most DRM strategies are just dumb," said Newell in an email to gamer Paul Reisinger, which was then picked up by GamePolitics.

"The goal should be to create greater value for customers through service value (make it easy for me to play my games whenever and wherever I want to), not by decreasing the value of a product (maybe I'll be able to play my game and maybe I won't)," he added.

DRM, or digital rights management, has recently become a subject of intense controversy in the PC gaming field. High-profile games utilizing DRM to restrict overall installations, such as EA's Spore and Mass Effect, have been criticized by users and industry figures alike.

Valve requires its boxed games to be activated online initially, but allows for an unlimited amount of installations over a product's lifetime.

"We really really discourage other developers and publishers from using the broken DRM offerings, and in general there is a groundswell to abandon those approaches," concluded Newell.

The December 2-due PC release of Grand Theft Auto IV will utilize the oft-criticized SecuROM copy protection, publisher Rockstar has confirmed, though some controversial SecuROM features, such as install limits, will not be utilized.

"SecuROM is the most effective form of disc based copy protection and allows us to manage authenticity on a global level for Grand Theft Auto IV," IGN was told.

The game requires a one-time activation via an internet connection, and those with a physical copy will need to have the game disc in their DVD drive while they play.

However, the retail version will have no install limits, with Rockstar clarifying that the physical version "can be installed on an unlimited number of PCs by the retail disk owner." As for digital distribution, the company stated that "each digital download vendor has its own policy on the number of installations that are allowed."

The studio also noted, in an ominous tone, that "using a cracked copy of GTA IV PC will result in varying changes to the game experience," explaining that "these can range from comical to game-progress-halting changes."

More details addressing common SecuROM complains, including required software installations and re-authentication, can be found below... Read more

Randy Stude, the outspoken president of the PC Gaming Alliance, has arrived at some conclusions about game piracy after turning his attention to the issue in October.

"I don't think it's getting worse, as much as it's getting easier," said the consortium head to Ars Technica. He offered file-sharing trail-blazer Napster as an example to show that pirates strike all forms of media and are not unique to the games industry.

While Stude represents a collective of hardware makers and game publishers, he surprisingly took the side of enraged gamers who took to the Internet with complaints about Spore's DRM limitations. "I think gamers wanted to make their voices known; it was the equivalent of the Boston tea party," he remarked.

Stude asserted his understanding that PC gamers are a unique and diverse bunch, and as such don't do well with limitations. "[PC gamers] don't buy one machine, stick it in the corner, hook it up to the TV, and play it forever. We play on multitudes of machines, and we want the same rights an Xbox 360 purchaser has, to... Read more

Electronic Arts is the recipient of two additional lawsuits related to SecuROM DRM technology, this time in relation to Spore Creature Creator and The Sims 2 expansion pack Bon Voyage.

Richard Eldridge of Pennsylvania is suing the publisher over the undisclosed installation of SecuROM software on his computer after installing the demo version of Spore Creature Creator, reports GamePolitics. According to Eldridge's suit:

The inclusion of undisclosed, secretly installed DRM protection measures with a program that was freely distributed constitutes a major violation of computer owners' absolute right to control what does and what does not get loaded onto their computers, and how their computers shall be used...

Meanwhile, "avid Sims player" Dianna Cortez of Missouri cites EA for "immoral, unethical, oppressive [and] unscrupulous" conduct after including SecuROM in The Sims 2: Bon Voyage, which allegedly caused a host of problems on Cortez's computer.

The suits follow the trail blazed by Melissa Thomas, who in September sparked a $5 million class action suit against EA for its use of SecuROM in Spore.

GamePolitics noted that the same law firm that represents Thomas is also representing the new plaintiffs, Eldridge and Cortez.

Owners of Ascaron's PC action-RPG Sacred 2--due in North America on November 11--will be able to share the full game with friends and family for one calendar day.

Copies purchased via retail and digital download will both sport the functionality, which allows recipients to access the full game in both LAN and single-player modes, but locks off online multiplayer component. After that one day, those players will be able to unlock the game through an online purchase.

Though the announcement was light on details, publisher cdv indicated that "subsequent installs" of the game will act as the demo version, suggesting that players will have the choice of registering their copy or activating the demo after installation.

"This innovative digital rights management solution raises the bar on how consumers can sample games before they buy them," explained cdv marketing director Mario Kroll.

"Rather than showcasing only a limited character or content selection, as most traditional demos do, gamers can share and enjoy the full game experience, trying out the features that most appeal to them, and getting a true sense of the full game."

PC Gaming Alliance president Randy Stude has decided to turn his industry consortium's attention toward piracy after months of DRM controversy and PC release delays getting attributed to gamers getting their fix by way of a digital five-finger discount.

"At some point next year, we expect to be able to quantify the potential impact of piracy on the industry," promised Stude to Gamasutra, echoing detractors in the piracy debate who warn that most piracy-related statistics available today are inaccurate.

Stude was pushed into the issue by his constituency--a collection of hardware makers, PC vendors and game publishers including Microsoft, Dell, Activision, and Epic Games. "There's a far more urgent imperative [game companies] want to see discussion and debate going on around, which is piracy," he said.

The Alliance president reiterated the most frequently mentioned solutions to the piracy problem, such as digital distribution and taking games online, but he also had a novel idea for what to do before the day that markets go entirely digital.

"Let's monetize every one of those pirates, and let's advertise the hell out of them," Stude asserted. "Serving, for example, six times the number of in-game ads on unauthenticated game versions would be a piracy deterrent that also provides revenues to the developer," wrote Gamasutra of Stude's idea.

Will Wright himself has finally spoken up on the downright ugly DRM controversy surrounding his latest creation, Spore (PC). Kotaku asked Wright for his thoughts and the designer came off as, in a single word, understanding:

It was something I probably should have tuned into more. It was a corporate decision to go with DRM on Spore. They had a plan and the parameters, but now we're allowing more authentications and working with players to de-authenticate which makes it more in line like an iTunes. I think one of the most valid concerns about it was you could only install it so many times. For most players it's not an issue, it's a pretty small percentage, but some people do like wiping their hard disk and installing it 20 times or they want to play it 10 years later.

When asked where to go from here, The Sims mastermind thinks that the dynamic of game commerce will eventually shift entirely online.

I think it's an interim solution to an interim problem. You have games like Battlefield Heroes coming out where the idea is... Read more