Why Microsoft feels DRM will not have much negative impact

[CDiablo]

ViktorBKK said:

Physical copies of Activision & Bethesda require Steam as well. My point was that even mega publishers go through Steam, because it maximises their profit. I believe you agree with that. Steam has a fixed % cut for digital purchases, I don't know if they get a cut for physical steam-enabled copies. Other than that, the publisher/developer sets the price. Personally, I don't care for call of duty. If I can get cool games like Alan Wake or Hitman Absolution for less than 10 bucks, then I'm cool with that. To be honest though, since I got Playstation Plus I don't have nearly enough time to finish the games I get from there, so go figure ^^.

Now you may not like Steam, but I assure you the Xbox marketplace will be A LOT more expensive. And yes you are wrong, the Bone will fail. Massively. DRM or not, 500 dollars is completely out of touch with the market.

Publishers go through steam because it is a widley used DRM platform that removes ownership from the user and results in no second hand market or (legal) way to lend/give away games which in turn results in being more profitable(in publishers eyes, I can go into the benifits of the used market but thats a long discussion). XBone could potentially be the console equivalent of that(though Im not sure what is going to happen with the 10 person share thing). I agree MS store will be a lot more expensive based on their abysmal(save for the occasional sale) G.O.D and GFWL digital services. $500 isnt too far off from $400 and people will go after it if their favorite games are exclusive to that system. There is a legion of "hardcore" gamers on the internet + many vocal fanboys. This is not a representation of the average consumer(which probably makes up 90+% of the market) or how the gen is going to go. If MS can exclusively secure popular games because of the DRM their machine provides it will be a success and will dictate the direction of next gen.