digital distributors only need to put a sentence with something like this:

"you are not buying this game but only a authorisation to play it. The game is and will remain the property of company XYZ"

I hope I'm wrong though

@Xenuri ah! of course you can have only a client and all info being downloaded for each game... in that case you don't even need the excuse of the market. just consider it a web-based game with a client and you buy the right to install the client.

@Xenuri it all depends on the level of "need" for on-line info. but, if like come said, the on-line market is only a plus and not a unavoidable interaction, i. e. if you can play a game without ever using the said market I'm sure you will be seeing a non-on-line crack. Shouldn't be very difficult to have a simulated market generated even. But maybe I'm just having too much faith on the abilities of hackers and crackers.

imho, creators and developers should make interesting to the players to buy the games. This new trend of on-line recheck of the game license at every play attempt is just plain nonsense. I like to be able to play games without the need to be on-line (since I actually do it often during travel) and the lack of that makes me not want to spend my precious money. But maybe that's because I'm poor :)

oh. and define breaking the game.... if it's still playable (single-player) is it broken because it doesn't have the multi-player or some kinda of market functions? some people I know would disagree with you :D

PS: I'm the proud owner of some (not many due budget) on-line and off-line games and I'm not trying to promote the illegal copy of games or programs whatsoever.

@Ayato_Kamina_1 there are ALWAYS on games with no connection cracks. Many of them in fact and Simcity will be one of them :)

@baal46 I love Sins too but u should check Gemini Wars. Indie and unfinished but with many many good ideas. Doesn't have multi player yet but when it finally arrives... it'll be awesome.

Anyway, I'm getting rebellion :)