Demigod release plagued by piracy

[Sedako]

Around 120,000 users were connecting to Stardock's servers for Demigod. While under normal circumstances this would normally be seen as a great success for a new game's first day in retail, it is not so for Demigod. Only 18,000 of those users were actually legitimate, while the remaining 102,000 were the result of piracy. Stardock opted not to include any sort of DRM in the game as well. Only time will tell if the illegitimate downloads will turn into sales, but this really does put the problem of game piracy into perspective:

http://forums.demigodthegame.com/346815/

 

[bam23]

wow, so pirate copies can play online in stardock servers?

this will get ugly

 

[Somefool]

wow, so pirate copies can play online in stardock servers?

this will get ugly

Online requires a CD Key. I think this had to do with all of those users trying to download the release day patch, causing a server overload. Then again, I think it would lag too if a bunch of people tried to connect to the servers trying to play online.

 

[Eejit]

Eh, their no-DRM approach worked for Sins of a Solar Empire in the end didn't it?

Anyway most of the pirates are probably dota players who want to check if it's worth buying, they'll quickly either stop playing or buy it I imagine.

 

[Jintor]

Someone said somewhere that Demigod was DOTA with the fabulous omission of the DOTA community.

 

[Link]

If anyone can name any game, ever, that employeed DRM succesfully* then they can use this as a case for it. If they can't, they can't.

*Defined as stopping pirating without being a pain in the arse for the users. See spore for more details...

 

[Eejit]

Steam usually works pretty well.

 

[Quixoticism]

I'm waiting for the demo to come out to try it. Too bad so many people felt the urge to pirate it.

 

[OmegaX]

You can't play it online without a proper CD Key, so I don't know how the multilayer servers are getting flooded.

 

[Sedako]

You can't play it online without a proper CD Key, so I don't know how the multilayer servers are getting flooded.

Supposedly the game automatically connects to the servers when you start playing it, probably for update purposes.

 

[Adabiviak]

Steam usually works pretty well.

Seconded.

 

[Kyorisu]

Oh ffs. The authentication server got kicked in the knees. If anything this just proved they were not prepared adequately for a high number of users. Pirates cannot play online, pirates cannot download the patch. The patched game now connects to a different authentication cluster. I don't even own the game and I at least bothered to find that much out. This is Stardocks own fault for doing any online checks before the player clicks Multiplayer.

 

[Jintor]

Of course they weren't prepared adequately for the high number of users, Gamestop broke release date, and Stardock had to spend the time they should have had relaxing after crunch time scrambling to fix their coding and servers.

 

[Kyorisu]

Broken release date or not they clearly lacked the hardware required. Such simple things should be in place and working (stress tested. It's fairly simple to simulate clients.) weeks before release. Oh that and bad design, can't forget the bad design.

 

[Bakurei]

WTF! Demigod was released! Is it any good?