Error 37: The future of always-online
It’s fair to say that Diablo 3’s launch did not go to plan. Had it gone smoothly, Blizzard’s always-online Trojan Horse would surely have snuck quietly by, with few gamers batting an eyelid. As it stands, its horribly botched release has invited a furious consumer backlash, igniting serious debate on the ethics of demanding players maintain a permanent internet connection, even if they’re attempting to enjoy a seemingly solo, offline gameplay experience. So strained was the game’s record-breaking release that the South Korean government launched an investigation into Blizzard’s Seoul office. As a result, Blizzard was forced to offer players a full refund. Is an always-online future inevitable? Can it ever be good for gamers? Are developers even interested in following Blizzard’s lead? We reached out to a number of key industry figures in search of consensus. First things first, what is always-online really about? Is it, as Blizzard would have us believe, all about enabling new features, widening the gameplay experience and keeping the player safe? Or is it, as more cynical internet commentators might argue, merely thinly-veiled DRM administered to make the lives of honest gamers ever more miserable. Read more…
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