Andre Yoskowitz
15 Sep 2008 18:49
EA has publicly defended its use of the crippling SecuROM DRM used in games like "Mass Effect" and more notably, Spore saying that it is necessary to prevent piracy.
Last week we reported that Amazon users were systematically rating the game Spore 1-star (out of 5) with most users blaming the low rating on the DRM and not the actual gameplay.
The DRM only allows the game to be installed three times total where afterwards you are forced to call EA and beg for another serial. The game only allows for one user profile as well, so households with multiple kids are forced to purchase the game multiple times.
"EA has not changed our basic DRM copy protection system... We simply changed the copy protection method from using the physical media, which requires authentication every time you play the game by requiring a disc in the drive, to one which uses a one-time online authentication," says Mariam Sughayer of EA's corporate communications, however.
Sughayer also says that their research shows that three installations is more than enough for the average customer, who will only ever install their game once. Of course she does not mention that the "average" computer user may need to reformat at some time, or may even more than one computer in their household.
The DRM is a waste of money however, as Spore was leaked to torrent and P2P networks four days before the retail date and has been downloaded over 200,000 times according to Big Champagne, a peer-to-peer research firm.
"The numbers are extraordinary," said Big Champagne's chief executive, Eric Garland. "This is a very high level of torrent activity even for an immensely popular game title."