In what way is online-only play inherent in the game's design? Be specific. It may be inherent in a few niche features, like the Auction House, but the actual s

In what way is online-only play inherent in the game's design? Be specific. It may be inherent in a few niche features, like the Auction House, but the actual substantive design of the game? I don't think so. In any case, DRM is by definition an access control mechanism. Limiting post-sale access to your content by means of a mechanism that remains under their control is DRM, whether that DRM is part of the game's design or not. Also your mouse-and-keyboard analogy is not apropos. Mice and keyboards are conventions of PC gaming, and even if they weren't, you could buy them and be done with it. Ditto a console or motion controller, and so on. You can't, on the other hand, go buy a Battle.net and be done with it. Blizzard has put a system in place that perpetually limits your access to the content you've purchased. That's DRM.