GOG offers numerous titles protected by digital rights management, such as Hitman 2016.
GOG offers numerous titles protected by digital rights management, such as Hitman 2016.
Absolutely, I concur the lines between a "lootbox game" and DRM are unclear. As long as you can play the game without needing activation—like using a launcher—it doesn’t really feel like DRM. If it’s an online-only title, the experience might resemble that, though I’m not sure I’d label it strictly as DRM either (though this situation is definitely open to debate).
It really hinges on current trends in popular games... such as battle royale titles, for instance. Online connectivity is essential there—publishers and players alike appreciate it. Most of my projects are either single-player, mostly single-player with optional online, or very limited to local play. The era when these were considered cool and acceptable is over (I had a great time with them from about 2008 to 2012—they were so different, no loot boxes, no pay-to-win mechanics, etc.). Of course, mobile games are a separate story.