'Game Dev Tycoon' Update Adds New Ultra Hard Mode That Focuses on Fighting Piracy With DRM
Australian developer Greenheart Games has released a new update for their video game development simulator "Game Dev Tycoon" that will let players experience the difficulties of combating piracy in the video game industry.
Update 1.6 contains a new ultra-hard game mode called Pirate Mode that forces players to find ways around piracy and the consequences that come with those decisions. The developers write that some options include creating digital rights management (DRM) software or selling company shares just to survive in the cutthroat world of pirates.
This is not the first time piracy has come up in "Game Dev Tycoon." When the game first released in 2013, the developers intentionally released a cracked version of the game and uploaded it to various torrent sites themselves. While the cracked version plays similarly to the original game, pirates would soon find themselves facing a unique message:
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"Boss, it seems that while many players play our new game, they steal it by downloading a cracked version rather than buying it legally. If players don't buy the games they like, we will sooner or later go bankrupt."
They would then begin to lose funds at an alarming rate and any new game they create will have a high chance of getting pirated until they eventually just go bankrupt.
Now, Greenheart Games has implemented a similar feature into the game that players can opt for, especially if they are looking for a much more challenging (and perhaps more realistic) experience.
Playing in Pirate Mode will also enable players to unlock two new achievements: Statistical Anomaly for reaching level two in pirate mode and Against All Odds for managing to finish the game in Pirate Mode.
On top of Pirate Mode, the new update adds several new features such as a new review screen, new sidebar messages, and various new topics and icons for game ideas. There are also some new late-game consoles such as a higher spec PC and the new Nintendo Swap console.
"Game Dev Tycoon" is available now on Steam, Google Play, and the App Store.
