It seems to me games are just different.

music (and video) effectively require no "smarts", no CPU behind them. A vinyl record, a cassette tape, a VHS tape are all analog.

Games on the other hand require some sophisticated device (a CPU) to run them. The difference means to me that basically it will always be possible to *effectively* DRM games because there is no analog hole.

At least it seems that way to me. I'm not saying it's impossible to pirate 360 games (or Wii or DS or PS3) but it IS possible to make it hard enough and put enough barriers to doing so that the DRM is effective at keeping the market viable.

On top of that, DRM on those systems, because of the CPU issue, is not a problem for most people. I don't expect to play a 360 game on my car stereo, my cell phone, etc because I know that a 360 game requires a 360. This is different than music or video where the expectation is that I should be able to play it anywhere.

So, in other words, there's no need for an equivalent of concert sales.

I idea that there could be some "standard" game platform is pretty ludicrous and shows a basic misunderstanding of technology. Unless you are taking about simple flash games each console has serious technical differences, not to mention input device differences and those differences are going to always be important at least until our computers are capable of creating the Star Trek Holodeck level of experience.

Posted by: greggman on October 16, 2007 06:35 PM