I prefer DRM free games but that won't stop me from playing stuff on Steam or anywhere else. I think this whole "oh god I want to own my games" sense of entitlement is going overboard - publishers don't exist to serve the customer, they exist to serve shareholders. If EA made shitty games with DRM, nobody would buy them. But EA makes decent games with DRM, and therefore people who don't care about DRM and people who care a little bit (but not enough to not purchase Mass Effect 37: The Attack of the Flying Penises) will still buy the games.

Most of the more recent ones I've been seeing on the basis of a random spot check in Media Markt have required Steam.

The version purchased on Gamersgate doesn't have DRM. Every other version requires Steam for updates and patching only...you can play the game without Steam running or even installed.

Oh, and the Paradox Webshop isn't actually a digital retailer. They sell physical copies of the games.

I always wondered about this. Is there any reliable source for it?

---

Also maybe it was already stated but at least from a principal point of view all genuinely massive multiplayer games that rely on the existence of a server for principal reasons will never be DRM free because the server's existence will act as natural DRM. So these games cannot be played by players refusing to have any DRM of any sort at all times. However all other games, especially but not limited to all single player games or all single player parts of all games, could in principle always be delivered DRM free. That's all I want to say about the topic.
Also the boxed version of CK2 will need Steam activation. So they are basically only selling license keys and putting part of the download on a physical media, which is nice for people having slow internet connection but otherwise completely valueless. I actually prefer to call all these physical copies redundant waste and I make a difference between traditional stand-alone physical copies and digital downloads including a box for solely decorating purposes. I strongly prefer the first one and see not much reason for the existence of the latter.

Sorry for interrupting, I only wanted to make clear that there is a clear distinction to be made, but I did not want to offend anyone in any way.

are you serious? how about you Google "witcher 2" +securom...?

Yes I am. But are you? Did you try out your own advice?

http://www.gamezone.de/news_detail.asp?nid=97962

Second hit for "witcher 2 securom"

http://www.google.de/search?q=witcher+2+securom&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:de:official&client=firefox-a

And also the only article about this issue. In the article they say clearly that you can never be sure and that it is only a hint. Also it's not official while here in the thread it was presented as fact. The doubt mentioned in the article has been left out. It seems to be more like a rumour.

However it might well be so.

There was a whole thing about Witcher 2 and the Securom on the boxed copies when it launched last year. The publisher wanted DRM on it and there was a bit of a spat between CD Project and think it is Namco Bandai over said Securom DRM. Searching about on the net the story is Namco Bandai suing Cd Project Red over removing the DRM from Witcher 2 and also something to do with the publisher of the 360 version.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/07/08/cd-projekt-facing-legal-action-after-dropping-drm-from-the-witcher-2/?mtc=comment-97594#comment-97594

I bought the boxed version of the game on day of release and it did have Securom, however this was patched out about a month after release.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witcher_2:_Assassins_of_Kings

"Note that patch 1.1 removes the DRM. Tech Spot claimed, based on user reports, that the DRM on the retail version of The Witcher 2 drastically reduced frame rates and increased load times. Patch 1.1 reportedly increased frame rate simply by removing the DRM. The release notes indicated that the "Game now runs 5-30% more efficiently and game loading has been accelerated. Efficiency increases will vary depending on system configuration and game version." The release notes also stated that owners of the boxed versions of the game would notice the most significant improvements."

Not only Namco Bandai suing CD Projekt Red but also winning the case afaik.

These threads crop up almost as much as people begging GOG to release 'insert' game. I don't like DRM but I love games and if the DRM is that bad (like some Ubisoft games) I just wait until they're dirt cheap on console and buy them on my console of choice (depending on which offers the superior game).