> patching the game so it does not require a server. Making GaaS are single player games, and are online-only as a form of DRM.
Do you have a single example of this? The Crew does not seem like an example of this since it is a multplayer game. I agree with always on DRM being a bad thing, but online features is not the same as online drm.
> release a closed source binary of the server so that people can run it themselves.
That requires that it was ever a single binary in the first place and not multiple systems. Also would require that the parts that are specific to them, like auth, would need to be able to be toggled or removed before releasing it.
> release documentation so people can implement their own backend.
> release the server as open source
Sure, that's an alternative but it still takes time for them to do it.
> be legally required to put a large sticker on the box saying "THIS GAME WILL EXPIRE. BUYER BEWARE."
There is something to be said about as a consumer understanding that an "online game" will eventually shut down. This should be well understood.
Your proposals are all implying that just doing all of this is just free and one day they can just flip a switch and here is everything for the community but that isn't the reality and it is severely flawed.
Do you have a single example of this? The Crew does not seem like an example of this since it is a multplayer game. I agree with always on DRM being a bad thing, but online features is not the same as online drm.
> release a closed source binary of the server so that people can run it themselves.
That requires that it was ever a single binary in the first place and not multiple systems. Also would require that the parts that are specific to them, like auth, would need to be able to be toggled or removed before releasing it.
> release documentation so people can implement their own backend. > release the server as open source
Sure, that's an alternative but it still takes time for them to do it.
> be legally required to put a large sticker on the box saying "THIS GAME WILL EXPIRE. BUYER BEWARE."
There is something to be said about as a consumer understanding that an "online game" will eventually shut down. This should be well understood.
Your proposals are all implying that just doing all of this is just free and one day they can just flip a switch and here is everything for the community but that isn't the reality and it is severely flawed.