So EA, I had heard that you and BioWare were originally going to include some pain-in-the-ass copy protection in the PC versions of Spore and Mass Effect, which would have forced users to remain online in order to play, but then decided against it once the Internet at large cried foul. You wised up, consumers got what they wanted, everyone was happy.
Wait, what’s that, EA? Instead of having to stay online for constant verifications, we can only have Mass Effect installed on three computers at any given time? Well, okay, that’s reasonable enough. I can live with that. Oh, you say that I misheard you? You mean we can only install a copy of Mass Effect three times PERIOD!?
But EA, don’t you realize that PC owners uninstall programs all the time -- such as for a system reformat, or even just to try and get something to run -- and then have this crazy notion that the software they’ve bought can be reinstalled on their hard drives? How can you even try to call this fair when Xbox 360 owners can take their copies and play them on any number of consoles?
What’s that? You say we forfeited any right to complain after agreeing to the tiny print in the game’s EULA? ... Yeeeeeeeah, I’m going to need you to get out my house now. And you better plan on replacing some slashed car tires if this crap shows up in Spore.
[Via Gaming Today]
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Contest:
12:38 PM on 06.18.2008
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I refuse to support a business model that treats customers like criminals. If I pay for the damn game, I should be able to install and reinstall it as many times as I please!
Its what they want you to do anyway.
It's pretty clear, right?
I don't game on PC, but I'd never buy such a game, even if I wanted it so much.
*grabs his megaphone*
Let's go guys. Time to bitch until this thing is done just like the last one.
I'm sorry, but if I got stripsearched anytime I went into a game store to buy a game, I'm going to hate the game stores.
We need to stop treating PC gamers like criminals. Pirates can STILL get around this! But PAYING CUSTOMERS CAN'T!!!!
Stardock has it right. Have everything out there. Heck, don't even force people to have their DVD's in the DVD-Rom.
Instead, force people to register to use patches and play online. That way, if people do pirate, they basically get a glorified demo. If you want the new patches or to play online.. you gotta pay. There are HARD ways to get around the patch thing, but no way around the multiplayer thing.
Technically piracy has not been shown to hurt game sales. People who pirate rarely have the tendency to buy the game in the first place. PC gaming is hurting because of consoles and the ever-increasing need to keep up with technology. Not because of piracy.
Honestly, though, this is kind of old news (with the 3 installs and that's it). I've stopped playing anything but MMOs and NWN2 on my computer and am sticking to console gaming until PCs evolve into something that doesn't require constant upkeep to play the latest games.
Also, on the flip side of this I despise forced installs on the PS3 that takes up a lot of storage space and would rather have them as an option. Sure, I could get a 500GB HDD, but it just itches me the wrong way with having to keep 4GB of data on there just in case I decide to pick up a game and play it for a few hours.
EA just does not get it. This makes people want to pirate it more, not less. Trust your customers and give them some credit, and most of them will usually treat you better. I'm sick of these idiot companies sacrificing customer satisfaction just because they're afraid of losing a few dollars.
What's next? Cars that we can only start 4 times a day to prevent car theft?
Now look at this bullshit.
I wonder how piracy works if you already own the game WITH the original receipt showing you purchased the game on the first day. Could they still fine/arrest you? Strongly feeling like it might be a good option to download the cracked version if it comes out before the limit is removed.
Sorry, but that's just as bad as the server-side periodic authentication they wanted in the first place.
I hate this bullshit, how can they be stupid enough to realise the only thing these dumbfuck measures do is upset their customers. No game EVER has not been cracked so why bother?
I can't wait until the servers start getting turned off for games requiring online verification because that's the point when people are genuinely going to stop buying a companies games instead of threatening to. Then maybe the fucktards will learn.
@Brahms
You can play pretty much anything you get through Steam offline, just make sure it's set to save credentials on the computer.
"Q: What happens when I’ve reached the maximum number of computers [max installs?] for my game and I need more? (Due to computer upgrades, theft, crashes, etc.)
A: EA Customer Support is on hand to supply any additional authorizations that are warranted. This will be done on a case-by-case basis by contacting Customer Support."
Tried calling CS to ask a question about that, directs back to the website. Website directs to phone support.
Grrreaat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-uulRB1OmY
PC gaming may be far from dead, but this is certainly one of the ways to start killing it.
Blaming pirates exclusively for this kind of DRM policy makes about as much sense as blaming some (hypothetical) convict for the genocide committed by a (hypothetical) law enforcement against everyone in the nation as his form of punishment.
The convict is guilty... yet he isn't punished, but everyone that's innocent is instead.
In the case of Mass Effect and the like, I'm routing for the pirates because they will be the ones to come up with cracks removing this immoral and completely useless DRM scheme.
Not that I even care about Spore, but it's a statement against idiocy.
I picked Mass Effect PC simply because I had thought the copy protection issues were over and done with after net reaction. If this gets applied to Spore there's no way in hell I'm paying for it. Sorry Mr. Wright.
What a bunch of cunts.