The big joke is, you can download the games before release day, cracked.

Normally the download is faster then downloading from steam as well (if you decide to take that route instead of the DRM-packed retail disc).

The downside is, there can be things much worse then DRM in the dodgy downloads.

More and more people are turning to cracks and dodgy downloads because of not wanting DRM on their PCs. So, DRM is effectively (however indirectly) helping to make the virus/trojan situation a lot worse then it currently is.

I completely understand companies wanting to protect their IP but when that security messes their customers around, they need to find something considerably less intrusive.