Battlefield: Bad Company 2 DRM explained

DICE's lead programmer, Mikael Kalms, has explained the DRM system that will be put in place for the final and beta versions of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on PC, revealing that the game will make use of the controversial SecuROM DRM.

"The version which we use is a wrapper around the main game executable," Kalms wrote on the official Battlefield blog. He then promised that the entire DRM package will therefore be uninstalled when the game is and that it only runs when the game does.

For the actual mechanics of verification DICE has provided players with two options; one online, one offline.

The offline authentication is intended for those who don't have an internet connection or who aren't comfortable with the idea of an install limit and is a basic disc check system that requires the CD to be in the drive whenever the game is run.

The online option means you only need the disc to install the game, but limits you to only ten concurrent installs. Install credits are automatically refunded, so to speak, whenever the game is uninstalled - though you'll need to be online for both the installation and uninstallation. The online authentication only needs to run once though, then you can run the game for 10,000 days (27 years) before being forced to authenticate again.

A version of the SecuROM DRM will also be applied to the closed beta, which is only available to those who have pre-ordered the game. The beta is set to start on January 28th, while the full game ships on March 2nd.

Let us know your thoughts in the forums.