Spore blasted for draconian DRM

[iago]

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B000FKBCX4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1_cm_cr_acr_img?_encoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

I think the Amazon reviews speak for themselves:

1,408 Reviews
5 star:    2%     (31)
4 star:    1%     (22)
3 star:    0%     (10)
2 star:    2%     (31)
1 star:    93%     (1,314)

People are upset (with good reason) at Spore's DRM. After 3 activations, that's it, unless you want to call EA support, prove that you own it, explain why you need a new activation, and get one free activation at a time. And, if you aren't in the US, prepare for some big long distance charges.

Also, if people want to go back and play this game in 10 or 20 years (and I play a lot of games from 10 - 20 years ago!), unless EA is still actively supporting it you're completely out of luck (without, of course, a crack)!

I also love how people were playing the game a week before it came out, despite their attempts at DRM. Justice!

[AntiVirus]

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B000FKBCX4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1_cm_cr_acr_img?_encoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

I think the Amazon reviews speak for themselves:

1,408 Reviews
5 star:    2%     (31)
4 star:    1%     (22)
3 star:    0%     (10)
2 star:    2%     (31)
1 star:    93%     (1,314)

People are upset (with good reason) at Spore's DRM. After 3 activations, that's it, unless you want to call EA support, prove that you own it, explain why you need a new activation, and get one free activation at a time. And, if you aren't in the US, prepare for some big long distance charges.

Also, if people want to go back and play this game in 10 or 20 years (and I play a lot of games from 10 - 20 years ago!), unless EA is still actively supporting it you're completely out of luck (without, of course, a crack)!

I also love how people were playing the game a week before it came out, despite their attempts at DRM. Justice!

Haha!  My roomy was telling me about this.  That's pretty stupid of EA IMO, especially since it was leaked a week before it even came out!

[Sidoh]

Yeah, from what I've heard, they really went overboard with DRM.  I was going to order it off of Amazon yesterday and I was shocked when I saw the 1-star rating.  Every single comment I read (all of the first five pages or so) mentioned DRM.

The fact that it was cracked so easily just means that DRM is only punishing the people that actually want to pay for the game.  What a bunch of bullshit.  They screwed the pooch on this one.

[iago]

The best part is that it was available before it was released, in spite of all the DRM. Ha!

I wonder how EA is going to response (or how they responded) to it.

<edit> up to 1611 / 1738 reviews at 1 star.

[Newby]

The best part is that it was available before it was released, in spite of all the DRM. Ha!

Like any other company that doesn't care would: ignore it completely.

I'm glad I tried out the game before it came out. Saved me $60. And apparently a headache with that DRM.

And I hate to say it, but DRM always punishes the legitimate customer. It's simply an obstacle in the way of releasing the game for pirates, but it's an obstacle in enjoying your $60 game for consumers. One's interested in disabling it completely, the other shouldn't even have to deal with it. It's like paying to rent a game. :/

[iago]

Like any other company that doesn't care would: ignore it completely.

It's hard to ignore getting abysmal ratings on important sites.

And I hate to say it, but DRM always punishes the legitimate customer. It's simply an obstacle in the way of releasing the game for pirates, but it's an obstacle in enjoying your $60 game for consumers. One's interested in disabling it completely, the other shouldn't even have to deal with it. It's like paying to rent a game. :/

Do you really hate to say it? More like it's bloody obvious!

[Newby]

Like any other company that doesn't care would: ignore it completely.

It's hard to ignore getting abysmal ratings on important sites.

They'll just have Amazon remove the ratings. And it'll go back up, and they'll do it again.

People bitched about Mass Effect, and they didn't fix anything.

[Sidoh]

Like any other company that doesn't care would: ignore it completely.

It's hard to ignore getting abysmal ratings on important sites.

They'll just have Amazon remove the ratings. And it'll go back up, and they'll do it again.

People bitched about Mass Effect, and they didn't fix anything.

I'm not so sure that's the case.  I'm also not sure Amazon would comply.

Mass Effect didn't have nearly as much hype on the PC as Spore did.  With the real Spore's only platform being the PC, they have a lot more at stake.

[iago]

1718 negative reviews.

[Newby]

2000 negative reviews. And it's #4 in games sales.

Are people really stupid? Or just don't care?

[c0Ld]

Both, I'd say. I never really cared about Spore and still don't, although I may download it some time in the distant future if I get bored enough. It's definitely not the kind of title I'd spend my money on.

[Hitmen]

Both, I'd say. I never really cared about Spore and still don't, although I may download it some time in the distant future if I get bored enough. It's definitely not the kind of title I'd spend my money on.

I downloaded it just because it has really nasty DRM. I'm didn't even really want to play it, I think I made it like 25 minutes into the game before I got bored.

[Rule]

"There are no customer reviews yet."
lol

[Newby]

Called it.

[iago]

Called it.

Now for MY prediction: that makes things worse.

Remember when Digg deleted a story about that hddvd key? People seriously dislike censorship.

[Newby]

I submitted this to digg. Just to see if I could make the front page, or if someone else who's big on digg would make their own story in a blog and get their buddies to digg it up.

[iago]

I submitted this to digg. Just to see if I could make the front page, or if someone else who's big on digg would make their own story in a blog and get their buddies to digg it up.

Link!

<edit> also, be sure you use the word "censorship".

[Newby]

http://digg.com/pc_games/Amazon_removes_all_customer_reviews_for_Spore

[Newby]

Ratings are back. Guess Amazon figured that its own name wasn't worth losing in a futile attempt to save EA's name?

[Sidoh]

Ratings are back. Guess Amazon figured that its own name wasn't worth losing in a futile attempt to save EA's name?

Or there was a conflict of opinion in the management chain.  I think that's probably more likely.

[Hitmen]

From some random review I scrolled past:

The 1-star rating chaps clearly have something other than a single computer installation on their minds. They likely went to the Warez sites, downloaded the game, and wondered why it did not work. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

lolol
my copy works great, no drm no hassle!

[Sidoh]

From some random review I scrolled past:

The 1-star rating chaps clearly have something other than a single computer installation on their minds. They likely went to the Warez sites, downloaded the game, and wondered why it did not work. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

lol... that's really stupid.  DRM is more than a huge inconvenience.  Those are the kind of people that would happily live in a world like 1984 because they don't give a shit about their freedoms.

[iago]

EA has relented a bit: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/22/ea_spore_drm_changes/

They still have some of the core issues I dislike, but I like seeing that they got the picture. Kinda.