Steamworks Ups Anti-Piracy Solution

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Steamworks Ups Anti-Piracy Solution

March 24, 2009

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Valve on Tuesday announced a new set of features for the free Steamworks publishing and development toolset, including an improved anti-piracy solution.

Steamworks' new Custom Executable Generation (CEG) will supplement existing Steamworks' anti-piracy technology.

"CEG makes unique copies of games for each user, allowing them to access the application on multiple machines without install limits and without having to install root kits on their PC," Valve said in a statement.

CEG also supports in-game downloadable content and matchmaking. Developers have the ability to deliver new content to users, paid or free, within gaming sessions.

Steamworks' matchmaking now includes the lobby system used for the zombie shooter Left 4 Dead.

The additions marks Steamworks' first anniversary.

Today, Microsoft also announced improved anti-piracy measures and the ability for developers to create in-game storefronts within its own online PC gaming service, Games for Windows - Live.

On March 25th Mikail Yazbeck said:

Steamworks is a beautiful thing, just activate once and you never have to be in online mode after that, I always play my steam games at the airport that way, so I'm not sure why folks would say that you need to be in online mode to play after initial activation.

This is best way to secure games with non-intrusive DRM and put an end to starforce and secure rom garbage.

On March 25th 4thVariety said:

How is that supposed to stop someone from creating a universally executable, i.e. copy, which runs on every computer?

How is Valve going to sell offline game content when everything requires an online service to compile me an .exe?

and how exactly is this not DRM? The users will once more complain of having to relinquish all control of the boxed copy they bought to Steam.

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