ThatGuySkip

On an unrelated note, there is a mysterious countdown timer on the dragon age news section.

5 days 6 hours and counting.

Presumably (after a quick tag history-check), this is the DRM that will be used with Assassins Creed 2?

I have one of these flaky internet connections.

I am a Steam member and I expect to have these sorts of issues with Steam - it comes with the downloadable software bit. This is the same reason that the DLC from Neverwinter Nights and now Dragon Age doesn't irritate me - I am fully aware of the details when making my purchasing decision.

When I buy something in a box, I rather prefer to not HAVE to connect to the internet; particularly if I'm excited about the game and don't pay as much attention when buying. For instance, I didn't expect Dawn of War 2 to be a steam install. That was just strange.

It's on a box, on a shelf - like a book, I should be able to take it home, run it into the ground and sell or donate it to someone else.

Furthermore, this is all from the perspective of a person who is tech-savvy (or at least considered to be so by others). I feel sorry for the innocent/ignorant mum's and dad's who buy their children these sorts of games.

Unnecessary online authentication = poor retail experience in my opinion.

@16 Why is it that people throw around annual wage figures, but never bother to consider things like living costs and tax. Yes, our average weekly earnings may be just over AU$1000 (see http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6302.0 ), but that is BEFORE tax and BEFORE the rent, mortgage, bills, food have been paid for.

Average National disposable income sits at approximately $9000 per capita (http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&52060_dec%202006.pdf&5206.0&Publication&2945ECECB60ECB87CA257296001C1001&0&Dec%202006&07.03.2007&Latest).

Allow for savings (which is unfortunately on a decreasing trend), then subtract beer costs [;)] and I'm sure you'll find people aren't exactly excited enough to spend $1000 on a gaming console, especially with the lackluster launch lineup. Not to mention an extra controller and one game will set oyu back another 180 dollars.