Executive producer Lucy Bradshaw described the copy protection built into EA Maxis' upcoming life-sim Spore (PC, Mac) as a necessary element of the PC gaming business, adding that the software will not burden legitimate users too heavily.

"[Spore has] copy protection, it is a necessary part of our biz," Bradshaw told Eurogamer. "But we've worked to make it something that does not punish the legit owners," Bradshaw said.

Publisher Electronic Arts made waves last May when the company revealed that Spore would require online validation every 10 days to function. The copy protection software was scaled back following consumer backlash.

"You need to authenticate once at the first install," Bradshaw explained. "This happens online. You can install on three separate computers and you do need to... Read more

As promised last month, Microsoft has released a new digital rights management tool allowing gamers to more easily consolidate licenses for downloaded content to a single console for online and offline play.

Performed entirely online, the license migration tool transfers licenses from old consoles on Microsoft's website, and allows users to easily redownload the licenses to a new Xbox 360.

Previously, licensing restrictions prevented redownloaded content and games from functioning on new consoles without an active Xbox Live connection. The license migration tool lifts this restriction when the licenses are transferred, allowing content to effectively function as it had on the original system on which it was purchased.

Update: While 2K Games has removed the install limit from the PC version of BioShock, other forms of copy protection are still present.

"Our other methods of copy protection remain," community manager Elizabeth Tobey elaborated. "You will still have to activate your copy, and you will still need to keep the disc in the drive. SecuROM has not been removed--just the activation limits on number of installs and number of computers you can install BioShock on simultaneously."

Tobey concluded with a promise that, "if we ever stop supporting BioShock [online activation servers], we will release a patch so that the game is still playable."

Original Story: Publisher 2K Games has disabled the installation limit built into the PC edition of 2K Boston and Australia's BioShock, lifting a restriction which allowed users only five simultaneous installations of the deep sea first-person shooter.

Last year, BioShock creator Ken Levine assured gamers that the DRM would be disabled when retail sales of the game were "no longer a factor."

"As promised, all activation restrictions, including install limits, have been removed from BioShock PC as of today. You don't have to patch or install anything for... Read more

Atari today announced that the PC version of the new Alone in the Dark game will ship with SecuROM activation. Compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista, the activation process means that following installation, you will have to go online to download an additional component that allows the game to run.

Once the game has been activated, you can play the game while offline. Uninstalling the game and revoking the serial number allows you to install the game on another computer. More information is available at aitdunlock.com.

Already released in Europe, the Eden Games developed survival horror game will be released in North America next week for PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii.

Several gamers have complained that the digital rights management software built into the PC version of BioWare's Mass Effect (PC, 360) only allows three lifetime installations, regardless of whether the user uninstalls the game.

According to consumer advocacy website The Consumerist, a tech support representative at publisher Electronic Arts confirmed to a user on the official Mass Effect forums that no additional activations are earned by uninstalling the game.

Those gamers who have reached their three install limit must contact EA technical support to request additional activations. Though the protocol is meant to guard against piracy, many affected users claim that hardware issues, operating system ... Read more

Continuing this morning's progress towards resolving Aspect Ratiogate 07 and DRMgate 07, BioShock creative director Ken Levine has informed Joystiq that the game's oft-criticized SecuROM copyright protection will eventually be removed.

"At some point we'll move back from online activation," Levine stated. "If people want to play BioShock ten years from now, they'll be able to play it." Based on his wording, it's presumed that SecuROM activation will be disabled when retail sales of the game are no longer a pressing factor.

Levine then ended the brewing Betrayaltongate 07 scandal, conclusively vowing that there is no PlayStation 3 version of the Xbox 360 and PC game. "I promise you, there is no secret plan about the PS3 that we're keeping from people," he said. "There's no PS3 development going on that we're hiding."

As for the PS3 mention in one of the demo's configuration files? ... Read more

In a story that has truly swept the nation, 2K Boston and Australia's BioShock release woes continue. The newest complaint stems from the PC version of BioShock, which uses SecuROM copyright protection, preventing users from installing the game more than two consecutive times.

Responding to the concerns, steadfast 2K Games community manager and soon-to-be mental patient Elizabeth Tobey explained the issue in a thread on the 2K Games forum.

"You can uninstall and reinstall this game, and if, by chance, you have 2 computers you want to simultaneously play this game on, you... Read more

So the big fuss lately in the music world is the slight hope that music companies may finally give up on the idea of DRM when it comes to music purchased on the internet. According to this open letter by Steve Jobs published today Apple is all for ditching DRM making music purchased on iTunes or anywhere else playable on all digital music players. A couple of very interesting stats are provided:

Today’s most popular iPod holds 1000 songs, and research tells us that the average iPod is nearly full. This means that only 22 out of 1000 songs, or under 3% of the music on the average iPod, is purchased from the iTunes store and protected with a DRM. [...] In 2006, under 2 billion DRM-protected songs were sold worldwide by online stores, while over 20 billion songs were sold completely DRM-free and unprotected on CDs by the music companies themselves. The music companies sell the vast majority of their music DRM-free, and show no signs of changing this behavior, since the overwhelming majority of their revenues depend on selling CDs which must play in CD players that support no DRM system.

In theory the idea of DRM has always made business sense and made an easy sell to companies with products that could be sold and transmitted over the internet. In practice its almost always a different case. Remember the good ol days?