Gabe Newell on DRM @ DevelopOnline.Net

On the always controversial topic of DRM, developer site Develop Online posts a short excerpt of Valve co-founder Gabe Newell's speech at the GDC about the ongoing issue of copy protection in games. Newell, whose company also owns the digital distribution site Steam, states DRM can be a negative that diminishes the value of games:

Speaking last night at the Game Developers Choice awards – where he picked up the Pioneer Award – Newell cited what he saw as a central problem with DRM.

“One thing that you hear us talk a lot about is entertainment as a service,” he said.“...It informs all the decisions we make, and once you get into that mindset it helps you avoid things like some of the Digital Rights Management problems that actually make your entertainment products worth less by wrapping those negatives around them.”

Newell’s comments were greeted with cheers from the packed crowd looking on at the Moscone Convention Center – cheers that, tellingly, resonated from the developers and industry luminaries in the room.

The article goes on to talk about some of the problems Ubisoft is facing following it's new stricter DRM policies:

Newell’s criticism of DRM comes in the wake of a new row regarding Ubisoft’s “always-on” DRM technologies.

For the PC edition of Assassin’s Creed 2, customers need to play with a stable and constant net connection – which sends continuous data to Ubisoft verifying that the game is genuine.

Criticisms have centred mainly on how Ubisoft is basing tough security measures on temperamental net connections. Spotty net connections on the user’s end – or even just a router that needs a quick off/on – will prevent players’ access to the game.