Hmm. I'm not sure the whole workings of the law when it comes to this matter, but doesn't this leave an opening for lawsuits against EA? Physical hard proof that came with the game that you had purchased. I barely follow such things as it is, but I can see EA being forced to a bid by what they wrote on their guide. It was their fault and they need to eat it.

I remember successful suits filed against SOE for pulling similar crap with Galaxies.

Either way, i could see EA having to pay for quite a bit of returns. Since you cannot return a PC game with it being opened, and EA flat out lied, oops sorry, misprinted something like that in their manual, would that not hold EA liable for it? You cannot promise people a game, and when they buy it go "HAHA, sorry guys, we were joking. You actually don't get this, but instead you'll get that!"

This problem actually happened to my girlfriend, who bought the game and let her roommate register it first.
It's really sad to think that if Maxis hadn't been taken over by EA none of this would be happening, and SPORE would be an even better game without all of this DRM shit.

Well, this is were it gets horrible...

The only way to see the EULA is to open the box, and by opening the box you agree to the store policy. They could then give you credit/return at thier descretion. What you can do, is ask to see a copy of the EULA before purchasing the game. By law, there has to be one available but you wont be popular at the store.

Online purchases, covered by the Distance Selling Regulation - in UK at least. This gives you 7 days to return the product for whatever reason, however, I thing the store can offer you credit if the product is not faulty (ie broken) and will only give money back on false selling/trade descriptions/incorrect product/not fit fo purpose etc...

In regards to this one though, EA supplied the game that you did indeed purchase, however, features present within that game have been removed. If these features are non-critical and do not change the scope or alter the experience, then they are classed as "non-functionary" and can be done away with as the developer/publisher sees fit.

As the game is still playable, and the main functions haven't changed, I think that the multiple accounts would come up short for any type of legal argument. So yeah, I doubt that EA would break an EULA *stifels laughter*, in this case, it looks like a kosher rogering of the customers instead.

*Disclaimer - get a real laywer, dont trust internet anonymousousousous for advice*

Just another reason not to buy a game that is really not that good anyway.

I had a tiny bit of interest in this game. I might have bought it except that I'm afraid of its DRM.
Thank you for getting me to save my money EA.

I don't want the game. I never did.


But I am fucking pirating it anyway.

Good this is getting covergae finally, I've been fighting a losing battle with EA over this for a week now.
Saying that, I did just get an e-mail back from PCZone uk about an e-mail I sent them concerning this very subject. They are going to try to get it into the next issue somehow ;)

@TehBoognish:

They have moved the Spore forums to forums.spore.com - the old ones on the EA site have been disabled.

all i have to say is this:

Yep, glad I didn't buy this. I was talking to a friend of mine in Scotland that bought it and she's disappointed too. I guess it doesn't take long at all to go from single-cell to traveling through space. I think everyone should pirate it, even if they can't or don't want to play it just to show EA how much hate we have for them.

Massive fail. Massive fail. I've put up a comment in the Sporums and the CBlogs regarding this crap, not that EA will care, but it's the customer's viewpoint, I believe.

All games I've ever purchased carry a legend stating that whatever's written on the manual may be changed in the actual game.