Witcher dev: DRM is 'worst thing in the gaming industry'

The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red believes digital rights management (DRM) is the "worst thing in the gaming industry." Speaking to Forbes, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt project lead Konrad Tomaszkiewicz said such measures negatively impact gameplay experiences.

"In my opinion, DRM is the worst thing in the gaming industry. It's limiting our rights to play games owned by us," Tomaszkiewicz said. "Let’s imagine that you have a game that requires Internet connection to prove that you actually bought it. What if you lose your connection because of your Internet provider? You can't play anymore."

The Witcher 3 is DRM-free.

Tomaszkiewicz claimed that DRM does not stop piracy and is instead only a "real pain" for legal users. He said fans appreciate CD Projekt Red's long-stated anti-DRM stance and that these users--on forums and elsewhere-- actively attempt to persuade would-be pirates to purchase a legitimate copy instead of downloading a game illegally.

Battlefield and FIFA publisher Electronic Arts previously referred to DRM as a "failed, dead-end strategy."

Also in the interview, Tomaszkiewicz confirmed that The Witcher 3 will not feature a multiplayer component. He explained that CD Projekt Red "strongly feel that this final saga of Geralt has no place for meaningful multiplayer." A multiplayer component was never confirmed for The Witcher 3, but the studio teased last month that it was exploring opportunities.

Another game element that will not be featured in The Witcher 3 are quick time events. Tomaszkiewicz explained that these moments in past games "usually frustrated players" and that they will not appear in the upcoming game.

The Witcher 3 is Geralt's final story and reportedly has 100 hours of gameplay. The role-playing game is due to launch in 2014 for PlayStation 4, PC, and other "high-end" platforms.

For more on The Witcher 3, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.