There seems to be a lot of fuss about the DRM implementation, and for good reason since the end choice affects us all. So, lets take it up to a vote and maybe we can help the devs choose an option that is most balanced for all of us, and maybe convince them to release it on a digital distribution service they may not have otherwise considered.


Note #1: No DRM isn't considered a valid option because:

- If I included a "No DRM" option, it would obviously get practically all the votes. Not surprising, and not useful information

- No DRM is not a form of DRM. The question is which form of DRM would you prefer to see. If I asked the question "What fruit do you prefer to eat?" a "no fruit" option wouldn't be valid, as it doesn't tell me what kind of fruit you prefer, but rather that you don't like fruit -- not the information I was after with the proposed question.

- I doubt it would come to fruition, and the purpose of this is to help nudge the publishers to see what we think of various forms of DRM

Note #2: This is NOT a place for bashing any digital distribution service. If you aren't interested in digital distribution, just simply select that option.

I personally would greatly prefer to see just a disc check and product key approach, but am not against some mild authentication. I've not used Steam to date simply because it doesn't offer me anything I want and I like to have an actual usable copy of the game. Getting a game in-store that authenticates through steam pretty much nulls the benefits of getting the retail copy (besides getting the box art). For a game that doesn't have any online aspect, the use of a gaming client like steam seems a bit silly.

That said, I think there definitely should be a digital distribution option for those who want it, more choice is always a good thing after all.

Edit: For some reason I thought that Oblivion had a product key, I just checked my copy and realize this is incorrect. That was my bad. I'll fix it in the next iteration if that comes to be, otherwise sorry.

Its not that im against steam (the only digital thing i would use) but I want my TES:V to be a hard copy. Also, just a disk check and serial plz.

I would love if I could have a hard copy of the game that had full Steam integration. I'm a huge Steam fan, but would love to have a CE. And no way I'm going to buy two copies of the game.

Oblivion didnt have any disk check or product key. and neither did the GOTY edition. And it still sold like hot cakes.

It did have a disk check, but not a key.

I really hate disk-checks.... Digging through a pile of 30 games to find the disc I need gets a lot more bothersome than having steam activate for a few seconds.

It does disc check, but you are right, it doesn't have a product key. For some reason I could've sworn it did. That was my bad.

and the GOTY version of Oblivion used a mild form of SecuROM for authentication.

If I had to choose, I guess the simple old disk check would be my preference

Disk checks are annoying, but it beats needing an internet connection to register/play. Normally i just burn another copy of the game and leave it out for convenience and so i dont scratch the original.

Easy fix: Keep better care of your games.

Disc check is simple and easy. And I like Steam but I usually never buy games from it anymore.

Care? the disks are not worn out.

Disc check + product key - sorry old school preferences here - I'd rather not use steam

Care as in keep them more organized. You make it seem like it's a chore to grab the disc from a shelf or something.

Steam or traditional disk check please. Everything else is AIDS.

Simple disk check and product key. No steam requirement, no Securom, no DRM of any kind. I know that is just wishful thinking on my part, but if I had my way that is what would happen.

I don't have anything against Steam - and as an avid Valve fan it's actually pretty convenient to me since I already have a steadily growing collection of games on there. I could it coming off as a headache for people who have to install it just to play TES V, though. Ideally there shouldn't be any DRM.

I think there could be more to prevent file sharing with this game the best way would be to offer something that can't be offered if you download it illegally. extra drm would stop nothing

I can't speak for Gurkog but I'm just not an organized person so if it was an either or thing I'd prefer steam. I lose stuff all the time, telling me to be organized is like telling the scorpion not to sting the toad. I actually get agitated if I'm in an overly organized area. I suspect it will come out on steam whether or not the physical copy purchases uses disk check so I'll just be buying it from steam.

Ideally there shouldn't be locks on doors. And yet almost all of them have them and we use them even though it is cheap and easy to circumvent them.

STEAM! Steam is the best DRM out there.

There was no product key in Oblivion. i am sure of it.

Disc check + product key (Oblivion) or Steam authentication. I want GFWL to die.

...and I would even abandon this game for PC if it had GFWL authentication or always online DRM. With my laptop I do too much of my gaming away from an internet connection... I'd do what I do for Ubisoft games, buy them used from gamestop.

Other: No DRM.


"The state of the market" is a poor reason, particularly when you're talking about a trend-setting market leader.

I'm a modder. For good development flow, I need to be able to put my installation in a location that's convenient for me, and possibly have more than one copy installed at a time. No digital distribution system will allow this, so I will not use any digital distribution system. I don't plan to buy multiple copies just for the privilege of extending Skyrim's shelf life, so no online verification either, making product keys a joke.

Any disk-based authentication can be circumvented without much hassle, and most people who do this will be legitimate paying users tired of the greater hassle of swapping disks around. It's an empty gesture, futile and customer-infuriating, and ZeniMax is not a publicly traded company so there's no buzz-driven shareholder pressure to piss all over reason.

No DRM is a perfectly sane option, there's a reasonable likelihood it costs less than piracy^{[citation needed]}, it's the only one that fully satisfies my (legitimate and reciprocally beneficial) needs, and Bethesda are actually in a position to offer it. That's my vote.

I ALWAYS and ONLY buy my games from Steam.
I hate retail with a passion. :dry:

If I were to ask the question with a "No DRM" option, it would horribly skew the data, as very few people would choose any other option. Hence the "prefer" in the title. It isn't that you necessarily want that DRM in the game, but if there is going to be DRM, that one is what you feel the best option.