Witcher Dev Explains Why It Hates DRM -- "We Don't Want to Assault Anyone"

The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red's anti-DRM stance is now very well-known, but if you need a refresher, the company's marketing head recently laid out the reasons why the Polish studio is so against putting those kinds of security measures on its games. Michal Platkow-Gilewski says in a new interview that DRM is simply an ineffective way to stop piracy.

"We don't want to assault anyone," he told IGN. "Each time we are thinking about a decision, the first rule is we have to treat gamers like we'd like to be treated. We don't believe in DRM because we hate DRM. It also doesn't protect, not really. Games are cracked in minutes, hours, or days, but they're always cracked. If you want to pirate you'll find a way. But if you're a committed gamer and are buying the game why should we place a barrier on you?"

CD Projekt Red is famously against DRM. The company previously labeled DRM the "worst thing in the gaming industry." The company also maintains that it has no interest in treating gamers like wallets with legs.

Also in the interview, Platkow-Gilewski addressed the topic of DLC--another major trend in the video games today that CD Projekt Red doesn't follow in a significant way. The problem with DLC oftentimes, he said, is that the amount of content gamers get for their money is insignificant.

"Then, with DLC, it's small content. Like one-thousandth of the whole game," he said. "Why should you charge for that? If it's small, give it for free. I know it's not always possible or easy but this is what we want to give gamers; a little bit of love, which we'd like to get from other developers as gamers ourselves."

Whether or not upcoming RPG The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will have expansion content might not be much of an issue. Platkow-Gilewski says the upcoming RPG will offer over 100 hours of gameplay--50 for story missions and another 50 for sidequests.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt launches in February 2015 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC; it will be followed by another big RPG from CD Projekt Red, Cyberpunk 2077. Platkow-Gilewski says this game will be "totally different to The Witcher, but still an RPG." And it probably won't have DRM.

Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @EddieMakuch