Spore Gets DRM Loosening Update Soon

No timeframe other than "near future" was given for the update.
Translation: We'll let it blow over in a few months hoping that the ADD people forget and we won't do a thing

EA also provided some numbers which it claims are a sample--not actual sales figures--backing up earlier claims that the three-install limit affected less than one percent of users.

So EA can produce fabricated numbers that happen to support their statements. Would would've thought?

I can see having to register a game like Red Alert 3 to an online account if I have play online. Their game, their service, their rules. But if I can't install and play the single player campaign without registering online, then it's a no go.

Even using EA's Extreme-spin, Dramamine required numbers this situation is so far beyond the pale it is not even funny.

.8% of Mass Effect Users installed more than once. If ME sold 100,000 copies that is 800 people that could be unable to install their paid for software.

Spore has been out in retail channels for less than 2 weeks (other channels not withstanding). If Spore sold the same 100,000 copies that leaves us with 400 users who could potentially see issues. 400 of our friends and neighbors getting bilked out of their hard earned ducats. Think about that for a moment.

The next time someone bows up with the “DRM ain’t that bad, quit whining pirate, <insert anti-consumer diatribe here>” hang onto this thought and do your best not to choke the life out of that someone who probably deserves whatever beat you would give them.

As others have said imagine 1 year, 2 years, etc. down the road; Using EAs own numbers and a little common sense shows hundreds if not thousands of people stand a greater than zero chance of not being able to use a product that they openly and honestly paid for (i.e. did not pirate). Add in the Securom/rootkit issue and it is a real mess.

Who is really coming out ahead here?
The consumer? I would have to say no based on extrapolation of EA’s numbers and that whole installing a rootkit on my rig thing. Add in people who may not expect the for or have an internet connection available for what is a single-player game experience as well as those people who read the manual and wanted multiple profiles and it looks like the Consumer is in a less than favorable position here.

EA? In the short term maybe; but their brand has been tarnished. If I were a shareholder I would be PISSED right about now. DRM-gate has seriously damaged the brand.

Moral arguments not withstanding it is hard not to see how the pirate crowd coming is not coming out way ahead on this which is a damn sorry state of affairs.

Fortunately I don’t own EA stock or Spore which means my biggest problem right now is where to spend the $100 I would have spent on Spore and Red Alert 3. Think that one over EA….
(While typing this I received an alert that Stardock is giving beta access to their latest DRM-Free offering Demigod with a pre-order. Oh the irony…)

-Woe

Wonder if this will carry over to Red Alert 3.

"Spore Gets DRM Loosening Update Soon"

"No timeframe other than "near future" was given for the update."

What the fuck is this?

This makes it sound like the DRM used for Combat Mission: Shock Force.

In CMSF, you can install it as much as you want but you can only play it when it's been activated via internet connection. There can only be 2 activations allowed at one given time and you have to deactivate one to activate another installation.

is there any statistic or study that shows any reason for implementing this drm? I mean...I just find it really baffling that they would still use this even though it really doesn't do anything except make people angry...there's got to be some kind of number that shows that it works or something because I don't know how anyone can go into a meeting and say "we have to implement securom with 3 limited installs and we should make people call us up directly to get install tokens"

it just makes absolutely no sense

Oh, ok, I got it - so now our food has 40% less human excrement in it than it use to?

Still not eating it.

Considering that the game was pirated before most stores could even stock it, what is the point of this DRM exactly? Why limit people who pay for the game, yet the pirates have no drama?

So, is this their idea of "better, more interesting and online offerings going forward"?

http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=54455

I can't help but wonder if this type of DRM will make its way to consoles.

This is only a week, two weeks after release. People will hit this barrier, and be pissed off, when its a month, two months afterwards.

On other news: 83% of Spore owners haven't finished the game yet.

Meanwhile an interviewed pirate asked "What limits?".

Stay tuned for more ground breaking developments.

"Sure enough, by EA's numbers, 0.9% of Mass Effect PC owners had tried to exceed the limit, while only 0.4% have managed to hit the same barrier with Spore. 83% of Spore owners had installed the game just once. "

No shit! Both of these games are recent releases. Check back on them in a few years and see how many people are pissed off because they can't install their legally owned game anymore.