Episode
· 02:17
Welcome to another deep dive into gaming history! Today, we’re looking at how a simple CD burner purchased by a Valve cofounder’s nephew helped push the company towards embracing digital rights management, or DRM. Back in the late '90s, game piracy was already a concern, but when Monica Harrington—Valve cofounder and then-Chief Marketing Officer—realized her nephew was using school money to buy a CD burner specifically to copy and share games, she saw the makings of a major industry shift. This revelation wasn’t just about one person pirating games, it was about an entire generation growing up with the tools to do it easily and without guilt. Valve’s early experiments with CD key authentication for Half-Life proved effective, but the lessons from this era would help shape Steam into the powerhouse it became—a built-in DRM solution that changed PC gaming forever.
Monica Harrington’s Eye-Opening Moment: She received a thank-you note from her nephew after he spent school supply money on a CD burner, excited to copy and share games. This made her realize game piracy was becoming "acceptable and widespread."
Piracy as a Business Threat: CD burners created a new level of ease for illegal game distribution, which Harrington feared could "put our entire business model at risk."
Half-Life’s Early DRM Test: The original Half-Life launched in 1998 with a CD key verification system, and message boards quickly filled with complaints from people saying the game didn’t work. When Valve investigated, they found that "none of them had actually bought the game."
This little anecdote is a fascinating glimpse into how one seemingly minor personal experience helped shape the future of PC gaming. Got thoughts on DRM? Love it or hate it, there’s no denying its impact. Stay tuned for more gaming history!
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