After DOOM, DOOM II, and DOOM 3 all released on modern-day platforms, to the excitement of many, players were shocked to realize that they were forced to use a BethesdaNet account in order to actually play the games. This decision was met with a sizeable amount of backlash, with lots of fans criticizing Bethesda for adding online DRM to a 25-year-old classic game. After the minor controversy, Bethesda is walking back the decision, and is looking into patching all three games to make the login optional, saying it was initially included so that Slayer's Club users could earn points for their account, by playing the games. A fix should be out soon, though if you're really determined to play it without making an account, there's already a workaround on certain platforms.

Source

 

[EmulateLife]

Close, but I'd imagine it like this.

Todd Howard: Okay, we have recieved a lot of feedback for our ports of doom. Some of it positive but mostly negative. And we have processed this feedback and we will be re-releasing Doom 2016.

people clap and some random employee screams for no reason

Todd Howard: You will need to login to bethesda.net everytime you launch the game, the game will run in slow motion and you know the digital copies for the original you bought? Well, we will be pulling the original from digital platforms so you'll have to buy our re-release.

audience is silent

Todd Howard: But, you will get points for your Slayer's Club account if you buy the re-release.

audience cheers and claps while one bethesda employee screams and says "we love you todd!"

There just leaked Bethesda's conference for E3 2020.

You forgot the main event, more updates to Fallout 76.

And the news on Elder Scrolls 6 is that there is no news.

 

[Kioku]

I highly disagree with you. These games are over 20 years old so losing money is out of the question. And you can easily bypass that security by just taking the WAD file and slapping it on a PC and playing it in an emulator.

The fact you refer to it as "playing it in an emulator" is concerning...

 

[Dimensional]

I wonder what level of incompetence is required to not play-test the game and see this crap? "It's meant to be optional", then how come it wasn't fixed before release? Sure someone in the distributor company would have had this play tested and discovered this glaring problem from the start. Heck, they just had to boot up the game and see the message. So saying it wasn't meant to be mandatory either is a load of BS, or someone was really really incompetent to allow it through the first time.

 

[Viri]

Remember those PAL V NTSC Sonic 1 comparison? This reminds me of that, just take a listen.


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Old

 

[AbyssalMonkey]

I wonder what level of incompetence is required to not play-test the game and see this crap? "It's meant to be optional", then how come it wasn't fixed before release? Sure someone in the distributor company would have had this play tested and discovered this glaring problem from the start. Heck, they just had to boot up the game and see the message. So saying it wasn't meant to be mandatory either is a load of BS, or someone was really really incompetent to allow it through the first time.

Incompetence is their excuse because they can't admit they wanted to force people to join their service at any means necessary. If they admitted that, they would get even more backlash than what they currently did.

It's a win-win for them to release it in such a state: they don't take as much negative PR from openly admitting being assholes, and they also get to grab in the gullible or the uncaring into their service. They see no need to be above board when it is only downsides.

Fuck Bethesda and fuck the entire AAA industry. I don't even bother to pirate their games anymore because they are all based around MTX progression and not actual gameplay.

 

[eyeliner]

By the way, have people started messing with the game, trying to mix the wads from other Doom variations?

 

[borka]

It is not incompetence. No way.

They had these lines in the eShop, that the Bethesda login is required for Doom I/II. (But not for the III).

So it 100% was intentional (you just can't pretend that it is an error if you yourself stated otherwise in the official requirements), and they are just backing out.

An no, it was not DRM. They are not so stupid. It was damned marketing and pushing and promoting their online club by any means.

 

[kuwanger]

Meanwhile, DOOM 3 BFG which includes all three games is selling for $6.59 on Steam and as Memoir points out you can just grab the data files to play in a source port (I'm on Linux, so that's basically a necessity). Add to this the option to play with neural net enhanced graphics, different resolutions, lots of options on lighting, etc. I've done the same with Heretic/Hexen (was only $4.99 during the Summer Steam Sale) and Strife (was free for Twitch Prime some time ago).

Now imagine what it'd be like if Nintendo supported homebrew? Poor Bethesda might be out $10 for rereleasing 25 year old game plus whatever advantage it gets from this whole login fiasco--and obviously they only require it for their own advantage. People shouldn't have to hack their Switch and void their warranty to get basic access to their hardware. Nintendo shouldn't act as a gatekeeper, enriching themselves along the way, to keep reselling the same games. Really, Bethesda is merely guilty of trying to cash in like everyone else; ie, it's rotten from the top.

 

[raxadian]

It's slower than the original. No reason for it as well.

And another reason to use the fan made ports then.

 

[SlasherGamer21]

An no, it was not DRM. They are not so stupid. It was damned marketing and pushing and promoting their online club by any means.

Keep calling it that. Your just like the other guy I ousted for defending Bethesda. It is DRM. If you have to be online to play the damn game then it is 100% DRM. You need to search up the facts and read the books before you go out spurring false info.

 

[Spider_Man]

Which Xbox version are you talking about? Xbox Live? That's been removed since the launch of Bethesda's version on Xbox One two days ago.

Prior to Bethesda patch, Doom 1 and 2 requires you to login to bnet at least once to play the game offline. For Doom 3, you need to login to access specific contents.

On the switch (backup) you dont, ive been playing them.

Hence my point people who bitch about drm or this, whats the deal in having an account if your legit then its no harm.

Like someone mentioned about here, bitch about habing to have an account to use the forum.

People who bitch are likely those that pirate and cant make the account because it wont work or they get banned.

But again for switch its not needed i know ive been playing and looking for codes and ive not had to make an account or log in.

 

[tiamat999]

Well steaming wasn't enough now we got drm streaming probably coming welp now gaming's dead pack it up every one

 

[Issac]

Hence my point people who bitch about drm or this, whats the deal in having an account if your legit then its no harm.

Could be like in my case, legit user who don't have access to wifi at all times, and actually had trouble playing thanks to it earlier today (like I previously wrote in this thread).
Sure, I don't have a big problem with having to create and link an account, more than it's a step that I don't really see the reason for. I want my console games to be on the console and not require any third party log-in or server or whatever to run. However, it's not more than a minor annoyance. BUT the "you have to go online when you boot the game" part sucks. And so do the error that pops up when you've been logged off from the servers while being in sleep mode. And trying to continue to play the game and get a pop-up every 5 seconds... That was horrible!

 

[eherrera322]

Had to make another email for this darn thing. Long live patches!

 

[xdarkx]

On the switch (backup) you dont, ive been playing them.

Hence my point people who bitch about drm or this, whats the deal in having an account if your legit then its no harm.

Like someone mentioned about here, bitch about habing to have an account to use the forum.

People who bitch are likely those that pirate and cant make the account because it wont work or they get banned.

But again for switch its not needed i know ive been playing and looking for codes and ive not had to make an account or log in.

I have no clue what are you talking about. What do you mean by backup? I buy my games straight from eshop if I am on my Switch. Also, if this is not DRM then what should it be? Or better yet, how would you define DRM? The fact that you are force to create an account in order to access certain features should signal DRM, or in this case, to play Doom 1 and 2.

 

[Dr.Hacknik]

I find it more odd DOOM I and II are ported into unity. Best guess is for ease of porting, but still A DRM is just dumb.

 

[Spider_Man]

I have no clue what are you talking about. What do you mean by backup? I buy my games straight from eshop if I am on my Switch. Also, if this is not DRM then what should it be? Or better yet, how would you define DRM? The fact that you are force to create an account in order to access certain features should signal DRM, or in this case, to play Doom 1 and 2.

Yet i dont need to create an account i cannolay doom 1 2 and 3 without one.

Why do people bitch drm ehh.

And mine are nsps sx os

 

[Tigran]

What if you weren't online? You couldn't play?

You can play the games offline just fine.

Also.. you can use any email.. LITERALLY any email. Even something like "[email protected]" and it'll take it.

It's a stupid decision, or bad QA, but it sure as hell isn't DRM.

 

[Ericthegreat]

You can play the games offline just fine.

Also.. you can use any email.. LITERALLY any email. Even something like "[email protected]" and it'll take it.

It's a stupid decision, or bad QA, but it sure as hell isn't DRM.

So your saying you can just play in airplane mode? btw I think they said it was only there for "slayer points" not drm.

 

[Silent_Gunner]

Considering how the past few years have been going for them, this might as well be their slogan.

With a mix of "the fans will fix everything!...on PC, though. You're gonna get banned on anything else!"