News EA to loosen Spore install restrictions

[CardJoe]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/09...restrictions/1

EA has announced that it will loosen the install restrictions imposed by the SecuROM DRM used in Spore.

[ChaosDefinesOrder]

Unfortunately for EA, there's absolutely nothing they can do to rescue this situation other than remove SecureROM from the game completely. This should serve as a lesson that they can't get away with it. Of course it's wishful thinking that they'll actually learn their lesson...

"EA has renewed the pledge that if the online authentication servers were ever deactivated for any of their games then a patch would be released beforehand to ensure players can still continue to enjoy the game"

Pfft - This just shows that they don't need to have it there in the first place, and therefore makes it even worse! Hype it all you want, EA, demonstrating that they don't HAVE to have online activation just goes further to alienate your intended market.

[naokaji]

sure, the number of those installing it at this time on more than one computer at the same time is low, what that statisitc doesnt show though is reinstalling after reformatting hdd due to hdd / mainboard upgrade or data corruption which will eat up the install limit over the time.

[Silver51]

Originally Posted by ChaosDefinesOrder

Unfortunately for EA, there's absolutely nothing they can do to rescue this situation other than remove SecureROM from the game completely...

Sadly, this won't affect the bulk of their sales. Not everyone is a technician. People's mum's, grandparents, kids et al will still clear out shelves of the game faster than a tray of magic cookies at a music festival.

[badders]

Originally Posted by The Article

According to the figures in a sample of 437138 Spore users, only 14 percent ever tried to activate on more than one machine and less than 0.5 percent ever tried to activate on more than three.

Well I'm not really surprised - it's only been out a week.
the 0.5 percent who tried to activate on more than 3 machines must either be REALLY unlucky, or were testing the activation limit.

Expect those figures to rise significantly as the next 51 weeks pass, THEN see what EA has to say on the matter.

[Tyrmot]

Originally Posted by badders

Well I'm not really surprised - it's only been out a week.
the 0.5 percent who tried to activate on more than 3 machines must either be REALLY unlucky, or were testing the activation limit.

Expect those figures to rise significantly as the next 51 weeks pass, THEN see what EA has to say on the matter.

Yes exactly, the attitude here should be 1% *already* - and in fact EA have said that 25% *already* have used 2 installs, and this game has only jut come out! I think you can expect to see a lot of pi44ed off customers coming over the horizon....

And now that Red Alert 3 has secuROM, that's another sale lost from me (4 and counting now...). Good going EA

[Paradigm Shifter]

Those statistics are anything but reassuring.

Although I do wonder just how many non-tech people will hit the activation limit over the next year or so, and then silently go out and buy another copy when they get told to by the activation program...

[bowman]

'One thing that is a bit surprising though is that, according to a recent EA survey based on a customer sample, the number of users who even try to install the game on three different systems is tiny - making up only one percent of the actual market.'

Well that sure is a valid metric right after it's been released.. What about when these people get new PCs, or format, or whatever? I could almost, _almost_ understand this BS if it was 3 _simultaneous_ installations or something. But 3 registrations, in a row, from the same user, and then you're reduced to begging EA Customer Service, over international phone charges, on a 'case by case basis'? Pure unadulterated bullshit.

[impar]

Greetings!

Originally Posted by Joe Martin

Is that enough for you, or are your grapes still sour? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

By parts and quoting the MTV article:

EA Response: That will be changed, according to the EA spokesperson, who told Multiplayer that the current limit on the number of computers that can be associated with a single copy of “Spore” is “very similar to a solution that iTunes has. The difference is that with iTunes you can de-authorize a computer [that you no longer want associated with your iTunes content]. Right now, with our solution, you can’t. But there is a patch coming for that.” The official timeframe for that patch is “near future.”

Ok, so a Spore gamer has now five activations credits for his/her Spore DVD, may be able in the "near future" to de-activate and recover activations credits and, if he/she ever needs a sixth credit, all he/she needs to contact EA Support and ask politely for the activation.

Whats the point in limiting activations, then?

Some stats regarding this issue — EA provided Multiplayer with updated information indicating that it is rare for consumers to perform installations of recent EA PC games on more than one PC, let alone three (these figures, incidentally, offer a window into “Spore”’s current rate of sale):
Mass Effect
...%%%...
Spore Creature Creator
...%%%...
Spore (main game)
...%%%...

On the number of activations in different computers, Mass Effect is 3 month old and Spore is two weeks old. I really didnt expected those games to have used that many activations.
Would like to know these numbers in the future, though.
With hardware changes triggering activations and gamers switching computers the numbers may look quite different.

Its just an EAs excuse.

An EA representative has clarified that the above numbers cover a sampling of the people who have bought “Spore” and should not be interpreted as a representation of sales data for the game.

So, a sampling that allows for objective conclusions or a sampling that skews the data towards EAs interpretation?

EA Response: “There’s no viruses, no spyware and no malware…We have located a download off of one of the Torrent sites that is a virus. The thing I would say to the consumer audience is that, if you’re concerned with a virus on your computer, the chances of that are infinitely higher when you’re downloading off of a hacked version than it would be downloading the authentic game. We would never put any spyware on anyone’s computers. That’s not going to happen.”

Besides the blatant FUD towards torrenting, my question is: can Securom be removed easily? If not, its malware.

EA Response: The company has already stated this is a misprint in the manual and referred Multiplayer back to a statement issued by “Spore” executive producer Lucy Bradshaw apologizing for “the confusion.” But EA has not replied to Multiplayer follow-up questions regarding why the company implemented this restriction and what EA makes of complaints from households that include multiple people who want to have separate “Spore” accounts associated with a single copy of the game.

EA has no excuse here. Misprint or not a game that can be played by the entire family (hardcore or casual gamers) should allow for multiple profiles.

EA Response: “If we were to ever turn off the servers on the game, we would put through a patch before that to basically make the DRM null and void. We’re never walking away from the game and making it into a situation where people aren’t going to be able to play it.”

A patch is applied to an already installed game, if/when EA decides to close the authentication servers, how will you be able to even install the game?

PS: My grapes are still sour, Joe Martin.
(Whatever that expression means. )

[steveo_mcg]

"EA has renewed the pledge that if the online authentication servers were ever deactivated for any of their games then a patch would be released beforehand to ensure players can still continue to enjoy the game"

And ea's word is its bond...

Promises from companies aren't worth the electrons they're displayed with.

[BlackMage23]

What did they think was going to happen. Pirates always find a way around protection systems, so they are only hurting legit customers.

[Leitchy]

To late, I am on my maiden voyage of pirate martyrdom. I hope they learn there lesson for Red Alert 3!!!

[plagio]

I don't care about statistics. If I buy a game it means I own the game and I am free to do whatever I want with it. We are not talking about making copies of the game or stuff like that (which should be allowed as well) , we are talking about installing a legitimate copy we purchased as many times as we want. This is renting not buying.

And again, people who purchased the game have these restrictions not the people who torrented the game. Isn't this crazy ? To fight piracy they give issues to the people that bought the game whilst the people with pirated copies are fine. Is it me or this is wrong and a change in strategies is required ?

[DXR_13KE]

this is a huge load of FUD!

the game is in its usage infancy and these statistics tell me that things are starting to go wrong.... PLUS, all those people that refuse to buy it because of their usage patterns.... if EA does the same thing with RA3, they can bet it will sell really bad.

[[USRF]Obiwan]

I really hope they release RA3 with all the security whistles and bells. And then I will sit back with a bowl of popcorn and beer watching the Anarchy and Chaos immerse...

[DougEdey]

Originally Posted by Star*Dagger

Between the reviews and the DRM issues I will not buy, nor will I recommend to the people who ask me about it.
EA lost several hundred sales from me alone.

You sound like the kind of guy that people should be warned about.

[TGImages]

I was prepared to buy it right at release... or even pre order it... however I have yet to see any discounts. That alone may be accounting for some of the piracy too. In my case I'll just wait awhile and see what happens. Perhaps I can find one on ebay in 6 months that has only 1 instal against it and isn't going for retail! Then again that brings up an interesting situation for the secondary market. If you've used your 3 installs (or whatever the new count is), how can you sell it if/when you get bored with it? It will be basically useless to the buyer unless they are willing to call EA everytime they want to install. I really can't see how EA thought this through in any way. I almost feel bad for Wil as he put a lot into this game and EA is messing it up on him. I hope he got paid upfront.

[Dannythemusicman]

My impression is that a lot of people who did not previously consider downloading a pirated copy have now done so, and are thus more likely to pirate more games in the future... that in my opinion is where the real damage has been done. EA aren't the ones affected here as they can cope with the hit, but smaller publishers may feel the hit in future.

[Darth Joules]

Originally Posted by Dannythemusicman

My impression is that a lot of people who did not previously consider downloading a pirated copy have now done so, and are thus more likely to pirate more games in the future...

Well said. And it something that could end being a never ending downward spiral. More people pirate because of bad DRM, publishers increase DRM usage/restrictions in retaliation, then more people pirate, then more DRM. Until someone wakes up and realizes that DRM is damaging the PC gaming market or finds the holy grail of DRM which doesn't impinge on the user (Steam is close, but not perfect).

[Almightyrastus]

So now you can de-authorise your pc to get the activation back, do you have to have access to the pc to do this? If so then what happens if your system goes belly up and you have to reformat and reinstall your OS? does that count as a completely new system with no way to remove the activation taken up by it previously?