While I've purchased some games on physical media using Amazon, I've never bought a game digitally there. Is there an easy way to determine the DRM included in an Amazon downloadable game? I didn't see an obvious way to view it on their site.

I wouldn't mind having an answer to that, too. I can confirm a number of games from Ubisoft have no DRM, as I bought a bunch of them for $2.50 a pop during a sale a few months ago that promoted them as DRM-free. However, they haven't really made much of an effort to mark these and other such games as DRM-free. That's something they desperately need to work on. They've started allowing customers to purchase either DRM-free or Steam DRM versions of titles, so the answer should be obvious in those cases. Amazon is powerful, so hopefully they can make some great strides in providing DRM-free alternatives for DRM and Steamworks titles in the future.

Looking at my purchase history, these titles include the SEGA Genesis Classics packs and individual games (which are DRM-free everywhere, including Steam).

The Ubisoft titles I purchased during the sale include Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 1 and 2, Rainbow Six Lockdown, Rainbow Six Vegas 1 and 2, EndWar, H.A.W.X., Call of Juarez 1 and 2, The Settlers: Rise of an Empire Gold, Heritage of Kings: The Settlers, Splinter Cell, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Rayman Raving Rabbits, Far Cry 2: Fortune's Edition, and Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut.

Curiously, while the Dreamcast Collection includes an activation key, I was able to install and play all four titles without having to ever actually use it.


Some other titles I don't have from Amazon that explicitly specify DRM-free include Civilization IV: Complete, Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga, and Stronghold Collection. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid those are the only titles I know of. I'd appreciate a list of confirmed DRM-free Amazon download games myself (being able to filter out DRM listings and specifying the DRM for every game would be even better...), but you can add those to your own list in the meantime.

Amazon is a great place for digital downloads (at least for US customers and those able and willing to defeat the regional system), but their storefront has been chiefly responsible for my lack of patronage. They use a standalone downloader much like GamersGate, but you don't have to defeat the downloader to back up your DRM-free installers.

Apparently they're mostly DRM-free, unless the game's publishers have a DRM layer of their own (like Ubisoft), in which case they're not.

And they don't have localized servers. I once tried to download Crysis 1 from there and the speed was pitiful. It really is only an option for smaller DRM free games or games you can register on other services (Steam/Origin/uPlay) with local servers.

I got Serious Sam 2 from there (on sale), and it was Steam DRM. (Kind of annoying, but I can't complain for only 2.50; I got KOTOR for 2.50 during the Steam Summer Sale, too.)

Some of those Ubisoft games are pretty big. It took me a few days to download everything, but I had acceptable speeds here in the US. It's a shame Amazon doesn't really give a shit about it's international customers. I suppose it doesn't provide much solace to you, but they're pretty great if you're in the US. :/ Back when Serious Sam 2 first showed up on GamersGate, it was listed as DRM-free. The first time they put it at a discount, they also changed the DRM to Steamworks for some annoying and inexplicable reason. Pissed me off royally, seeing as it was on my wishlist from the day they added it.

At any rate, I tried to determine if anybody knew whether it truly needed Steam to run, or if it was only labeled as Steamworks and provided an optional Steam key. There weren't any buyers during the entire sale. Not too surprising considering Serious Sam 2 wasn't all that great, but still. I ended up taking the plunge before the sale ended since nobody else would. Indeed, it was Steamworks and attempting to download it through GamersGate just gave me a download of Steam.

On the bright side, I found that I was able to play Serious Sam 2 without Steam. That's right, I backed up the folder for Serious Sam 2 and have it archived now. Unless they've changed things since then, it's DRM-free. Seeing as you already have it, you might want to give that a try.

As for KotOR, nice little RPG. I wasn't quite as impressed as most other people, but you should be in for a good ride if you haven't played it before, to say the least. Such a shame KotOR 2 seems to be locked away in the LucasArts vault (a hell located somewhere between Hangar 51 and the Disney Vault), along with very nearly everything else. I yearn for the day GOG somehow manages to talk some sense into them.

So the consensus seems to be that, while downloadable games on Amazon are generally DRM free, some are not and there is no simple way to tell?

Most of the time, it's DRM free unless stated otherwise. Example:
http://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Arts-40808A-Soccer-121/dp/B005OTGE8E/ref=pd_cp_sw_0

Look at Additional Information under Product Description

The Amazon DD service doesn't add any EXTRA drm onto any of their games. However, some of the games have their own drm independent of Amazon, which is not always adequately labeled. The best way I've found is to just scour the product's individual forum, as there is generally a relevant thread there. The "tags" aren't always accurate. Divinity 2, for instance, has Steam drm listed under the tags even though it was never a Steamworks game and the DRM was patched out ages ago.