[SteamWake]

Now please just leave DRM bashing out k thanks...

okay so you sell a product that requires an online connection to a server to be able to play as a protection from piracy.

You sell a couple of 10 thousand or so units right off the bat, a couple thousand or so more later down the road (at a discounted rate). Thats a one time income source.

Two years down the road sales drop because most everyone that is going to get the game already has. They may sell a few here and there but nothing like when it was released.

Regardless the servers (and people whom run them) are there from day 1. I would assume the cost to maintain and run these servers is a BIG upfront costs but the cost curve probably declines a bit over time.

Still you have to pay salarys and replace the occasional piece of hardware. Not to mention bandwidth providers etc. These are ongoing expenses. Yes they will reduce a bit with time but there on going.

How... do you continue to pay for those ongoing costs once the sales of the product begin to dry up?