This just emphasises how lazy many developers have become, or publishers push them to be, regarding releasing a complete game (or as close as) day one, with updates and DLC merely fixing unfortunate elements that slip through the cracks, and add additional worthwhile content to the game, respectively.

Thirded. I know that that word doesn´t exist, but it´s still suiting!

There's a difference between the game having some bugs and being deliberately non-functional. I'm not calling it DRM, but it's definitely dodgy IMO.

How about people who buy the game used?

I think the question is more whether CDPR condones the patch being uploaded to third-party servers. If they do, I have no problem with that. But if they resent sites like Patches Scrolls hosting the patch for retail copies, that's when things start to get a little suspect.

Officially they said:

"This file will either be downloaded automatically during installation process or you can choose to download it manually from a dedicated website."

No idea as to what will be a "dedicated website".

It at least sound like you can download it somewhere, and store for later use. So as soon as you have the file somewhere, you can reinstall the game as much as you like without ever connecting to GOG again.

Where would you fit the giant red scorpion from Serious Sam 3? :P
Forth... thingy. +1

I, like so many here, am torn about this.
I completely understand that pirating has to be fought against, but i honestly thought that CDPR's efforts for Witcher 1 and 2 would be enough :( Thinking about those gorgeous physical releases...

I can live with downloading that extra file.
I LOVE that an actual GoG Code is added to the retail versions.
I HATE that this code is essentially used a DRM.

At least the pure fixes should be available without registering. If you need to, require registering for the DLC and any future free or paid feature upgrades. I wonder what will happen if a plot stopping bug will be found. Someone who does not wnat to register his copy will be out of luck. And sorry to say this, but what is the likelyhood, especially considering the size and complexity of Witcher 3, that there will be no such plotstoppers hidden somewhere?

You need to be more valuable than a pirated copy. And easier to use, but i think Galaxy will at least take care of that. A pirate will not have any issues getting the patches, i am absolutely sure about that.

By the way, are there numbers available on how much Wither 1 and 2 were priated?

Well CDPR have been kind of hypocritical regarding their own game and the consequence of DRM Free is the issue of trust which seems to be sorely lacking when it comes to The Witcher 3. First with the regional gift locking and now this "security measure" which apparently is not DRM but how is it any different from online CD key verification in practice really when customers that have bought a retail copy need to download a small file to make the game actually playable.

I think this is a little shady of CDPR and as others have pointed out there could be server issues that prevent a lot of customers from downloading the file on time. We have seen the GOG website take a big hit whenever there is a freebie being offered and GOG bears come out in full force. There is no guarantee that things will go super smooth for what is potentially the biggest release in the history of CDPR and GOG. As I have said before, any restriction which could become a hassle for legitimate customers is bad policy.

Maybe the shareholders of Namco Bandai demanded all this?

What does Namco-Bandai have to do with America? They are not worldwide publishers of Witcher 3, you know.

If you want to split hairs, this isn't really DRM, since you don't have the Digital Right to play the game before it is released anyway, but practically speaking, it is at least copy/piracy protection, which is not necessarily the same thing as DRM. It's virtually the same thing as the old disk checks or "fifth word from the second paragraph on page 26 of the manual" (i.e. copy protection, not DRM), just updated for the internet age.

That being said, the assumption that everyone who might legitmately buy this game on release day will have internet access to get the "unlock file" is really stupid and strays far too close to some of the most hated aspects of actual DRM. I can only assume that CDP had to do this as a concession to some of their distributors who otherwise would have demanded more invasive true DRM.

The opening post was about an article in a German games magazine about a Polish game on release, I didn't think of America at all now, but I can't imagine it to be any different with the American version regardless if it's sold by WB, since the argument is total control of the release date, no matter from whom it actually came.
I'd like to know whose idea this was.

That's pretty much the DRM argument, isn't it?

CP Projekt could very easily distribute the Updates and Patches to major websites and magazines, the same way it was done a few years ago. The users will take care of the distribution themselves, no need to worry about that.

Well that sucks. I was considering getting the physical release but if it requires online activation it's just a coaster anyways. :/

Also I fail to see how this isn't DRM. How is it different than having to activate a game on Steam? Do you not consider that DRM?