games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 


Spore wins 'Most Pirated Game of the Year' award photo

Okay, so no such award actually exists, and if it did, I doubt publisher Electronic Arts would be proud to accept it. Spore, the game that has become completely overshadowed by its anti-piracy controversy, had topped a list of the year's most pirated games. It's the kind of irony you could bottle.

Earlier this year, we reported that Spore was well on its way to receiving this dubious accolade, and now the game that garnered well-publicized criticism for its use of SecuROM DRM has lived up to its promise. Here's the top ten stolen titles, according to TorrentFreak:

  1. Spore     (1,700,000)   
  2. The Sims 2     (1,150,000)
  3. Assassins Creed     (1,070,000)
  4. Crysis     (940,000)
  5. Command & Conquer 3     (860,000)
  6. Call of Duty 4     (830,000)
  7. GTA San Andreas     (740,000)
  8. Fallout 3     (645,000)
  9. Far Cry 2     (585,000)
  10. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009     (470,000) 

All pirated titles were PC games. As if you couldn't guess.

An amusing punchline to one of the year's biggest running jokes. Of course, EA refused to take the hint, and continues to persevere with SecuROM in the face of consumer backlash and huge piracy numbers.

1,700,000 copies illegally downloaded ... and publishers STILL try and pretend that SecuROM is there to prevent piracy. Somehow, I don't think so.


Continue: More Spore stories





prev 50 comments
next

58 comments | showing # 51 to 58

PhazonYoshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 06:58
PhazonYoshi
I disagree, having incredibly restrictive DRM does justify it, so long as you don't actually play the game.

I pirated Spore solely to make a point, I deleted it off my HDD after seeding for a while. Crysis, I can assure you, is mostly made up of a lot of people wondering if they can even play it. Which they can, so they buy it :D
because we love crytek.
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 12:59
TrailerParkJesus
Doesn't look like that number is high enough
Timstuff's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 13:40
Timstuff
A lot of people downloading spore are probably people who bought it legitimately, but do not want to use the DRM'd retail copy. Here's a hint, EA: if you don't want people downloading your game online, make the retail version superior to the pirated version, not the other way around! Spore is BETTER if you pirate it, so why would anyone want to play the retail version except for some trivial online features? I'd rather not have to put up with some lame DRM malware than be able to upload to Sporepedia.
Corak's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 14:55
Corak
Will Ea learn anything from this? Something tells me they won't.
moggle's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/07/2008 23:51
moggle
1,700,000 pirated copies of Spore.

3 actually still playing the game.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/08/2008 13:12
Holyetheline
I hate pirates...
el_chack's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/09/2008 10:50
el_chack
I haven't feel the real wrath of DRM. It is a good effort to prevent piracy in PC games, but it just doesn't work. What I've seen is that a good game will be worth to pay US$60 for and original copy of it.

I've said before: In my country retailers sell original PC games at almost 200% its cost, which is absolutely stupid. What I've been doing recently is buy PC games in Steam, and I'm happy with it.
prev 50 comments next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos


    Win this!
    Dive in! meetup+play for a chance to win a PC

    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter review
    Echoes review
    Assassin's Creed 2 review
    Crossfire Remote Pistol review
    Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles review
    more reviews
    Driver
    Avatar
    GT Racing Motor Academy
    Bad Company 2 beta dishes out meaningful experiences
    Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 51220 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing

    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Joseph Leray: Revisited: Gears of War 2, Pinocchio, and masculinity





















    More Destructoid Originals




     Popular now more
    Assassins CreedReview: Assassin's Creed 2
    591 comments + 41542 views
    Destructoid OriginalWhy No More Heroes HD could mean a Wii total victory
    152 comments + 30508 views
    FAILGirl smashes boyfriend's Xbox 360, films it
    160 comments + 16924 views
    BattlefieldBad Company 2 beta dishes out meaningful experiences
    43 comments + 16114 views
    Black FridayBlack Friday: Walmart going nuts with game sales
    31 comments + 16048 views
    Amazon.comBlack Friday: Amazon dropping deals all week long
    16 comments + 15004 views
    Amazon.comAmazon teases its Black Friday sales line-up
    18 comments + 14836 views
    Destructoid OriginalThe tragic history of the videogame turkey
    51 comments + 13276 views
    CapcomHot new SSFIV trailer shows Guy, Cody and Adon in action
    54 comments + 13222 views
    Call of DutyModern Warfare 2 DLC still planned for spring 2010
    27 comments + 12568 views


    Team Destructoid   tips@destructoid.com
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief
    Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor
    Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Dale North
    News Editor
    Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor
    Colette Bennett
    Tom Fronczak Brad Nicholson
    Ashley Davis Ben Perlee
    Conrad
    Zimmerman
    Chad Concelmo
    Jonathan Holmes Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Will Maddock Matthew Razak
    Dyson Joseph Leray
    Topher Cantler Samit Sarkar
         
      Dexter
    Adam Dork
    Daniel Lingen
    Hollie Bennett
    Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Stella Wong

    Josh Tolentino




     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online
    seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap
    our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?




    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006