There's been a lot of talk lately about the rise in always-on DRM. Most recently, Blizzard announced that Diablo 3 was going to require a constant connection to play even the single-player mode. An idiotic decision if ever I heard one, and one that will probably halve sales. When I say halve, I mean instead of six million copies being sold, there'll probably be three million sold, which will still be a commercial success by anyone's measure.

The problem with all the boycott incitement is this - whenever I hear the word "boycott", it evokes a sense of having to miss out on an essential good like fuel, food or water. You boycott Esso because of their environmental record. Farmers boycott supermarkets for not offering the prices they feel they're entitled to. Mothers boycott Nestle baby milk products for their activities in Africa.

But I don't "need" Diablo 3. Nor do I "need" Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3. If I don't like the look of a luxury product, or the company producing does something that I personally find offensive, I just won't buy it. I'm not going to encourage everyone else to boycott any particular title because I know that there are enough idiots and fanboys out there that will buy it nonetheless to make any organised boycott, no matter how large, a futile exercise.

Three years ago, when DRM started to become popular, I got angry. Why? Because I felt that my childhood passion was in danger of being overrun with a "€60 rental" attitude. Now, thanks to the sheep-like mentality of many fanboys, this danger has become a reality and I practically never buy full-price games anymore - at least not on the PC.

And this is the problem - many gamers and, by extension, the publishers, seem to believe that these titles are essential goods. Companies like Ubisoft and Blizzard believe that, if you are faced with only titles that force you to accept a certain restriction, that gamers will accept it.

Unfortunately, this is an erroneous way of thinking. If you try to force gamers into your way of thinking by cornering them, many won't accept it - they'll just do what I've done. Gradually stop gaming altogether.