Epic Games considering always-on DRM for Fornite

Epic Games' new co-op survival, Fornite, may require you to always be connected to the internet to play.

As reported by RockPaperShotgun, Epic Games is considering an always-on DRM for Fornite. Interpreted by many gamers as a way for publishers to limit the use of digital content, Epic maintains that it would be used to "improve the game" and not as a defense against piracy.

At this point, the studio is still weighing the options, but it's a phrase no PC gamer wants to hear. Blizzard pulled the same stunt with Diablo 3, requiring players to always be connected to the internet and Battle.net to enjoy the game. This raised concern among gamers because while Diablo 3 does allow multiplayer gameplay, the campaign can be played primarily alone. Of course, as the story goes, when Diablo 3 first launched Blizzard's servers crapped out due to stress, leaving players unable to enjoy the game they purchased. That, my friends, is the downfall to DRM.

Speaking to the site, Epic producer Tanya Jessen emphasized that "it's going to be really depended on gameplay, and it's also dependent on platform – the method of getting updates and stuff like that."

"So I can't say for sure today one way or another whether or not we're going to use it," she claimed.

"Fortnite is a game that's being developed as a co-op experience primarily. That's our number one focus," she explained. "This is a game you're going to want to play with your friends, and it's most fun with your friends."

“So whatever we decide to do there is going to be more relevant to the most fun experience you can have with your friends [than it is to piracy]. But I can’t nail that down today.”

At San Diego Comic-Con, Fornite was revealed as a PC-exclusive and the first game ever to run Epic's Unreal Engine 4.