IGN UK has posted a Q&A with Rockstar on the subject of Grand Theft Auto IV and DRM on the PC. The title will employ SecuROM with online activation, but without installation limits. On the other hand, you do need to keep the disc in the drive with the retail version.
GTA IV PC uses SecuROM for protecting our EXE until street date has passed, to ensure the retail disk is in the computer drive, and is used for Product Activation of the title. Product Activation is a one time only online authentication when installing the game. GTA IV has no install limits for the retail disc version of the game, and that version can be installed on an unlimited number of PCs by the retail disk owner.
Online play will also require *two* accounts and you also need a bunch of additional components installed. Thankfully Games for Windows LIVE accounts became free a while back.
In order to upload videos to our internet site and play online multi-player modes, you will also need an active internet connection and accounts with both Rockstar Games Social Club and Games for Window-LIVE. 21d0
GTA IV PC also requires a number of software installations, including Games For Windows, Adobe Flash, Internet Explorer, SecuROM and our Rockstar Games Social Club application.
In other words, for minimum hassle, buy the game from Steam. It won't require a disc for obvious reasons and since there are no installation limitations, the only inconvenience is the requirement to activate the game online after installation. Main reason for the activation in this case is to ensure that even if someone could get a leaked copy before release, it won't do any good because the executable is encrypted and the activation decrypts it.
