EA to Spore players: We're sorry for DRM

The consumer is always right. Electronic Arts, stung by a siege of criticism from gamers who took issue with the copyright restrictions the company placed on its Spore game, this morning issued an apology and said it would loosen the electronic locks on the game.

Spore, one of the most hotly anticipated computer games of the decade, was released two weeks ago after more than six years of development.

"We've received complaints from a lot of customers who we recognize and respect," said Frank Gibeau, president of EA's Games Label, the division responsible for Spore. "We need to adapt our policy to accommodate our legitimate consumers."

Trying to avoid widespread unauthorized copying of Spore, EA had restricted, to three, the number of computers on which players could install the game. But buyers chafed at the limit imposed by the digital rights management policy. They complained that the Redwood City, Calif., company didn't adequately disclose the policy and that it treated them all like software pirates. Some customers also said the policy failed to recognize that players often upgrade their computers and need to migrate their software to new machines.

The customer anger erupted largely on video game message boards and in user reviews on Amazon.com's Spore page. The game's ratings have been hammered by critics of the installation restriction, with nearly 2,500 of the 2,900 Amazon reviewers giving Spore only one star.

EA officials said the controversy caught them off guard.

The company said today that it would boost the limit to five computers. It also will allow players to transfer the game an unlimited number of times so long as each copy is installed on no more than five computers at the same time. EA also said it would sometimes let players go beyond that limit, depending on the circumstances.

"We assumed that consumers understand piracy is a huge problem," Gibeau said. "We have found that 75% of our consumers install and play any particular game on only one machine, and less than 1% ever try to play on more than three different machines."

The firestorm in which players flooded forums with negative reviews of the game marred one of the company's most important game launches this year. Developed by Will Wright, who also created the Sims franchise, the game lets players build creatures that evolve into civilizations and eventually take over distant galaxies.

Analysts said EA took the right approach.

"The key to making copyright restrictions work is to offer value," said Billy Pidgeon, analyst with IDC. "In the end, this will blow over because Spore is a fun game, and people will want to try it."

-- Alex Pham

Spore image by Electronic Arts

Comments

[Matt]

The problem is this does nothing to stop piracy. Pirated versions of the game were available before release, basically making the entire installation limit completely pointless when it comes to preventing illegal copying.

Given this, the only logical reason I can think of to keep the DRM in place is to prevent legal copying. It basically destroys the market for second hand games.

[Buzz]

"We assumed that consumers understand piracy is a huge problem..." - We DO understand it. What EA fails to understand is that this DRM does nothing to stop pirates. So, why implement something that everyone knows is doomed to fail? Why treat the paying customers like criminals?

I will never purchase an EA product ever again. You want my business back? Remove DRM entirely.

[Tom Pilkington]

The way game makers need to start looking at games is through online play. Get rid of the disk DRM altogether, make the game to play online and charge for an account. Take a look at the MMORPGs. You don't need to put the hole game on the server and you don't have to charge for the game; just charge for the account to play the game. Now this does run into some cost on server side, but all it needs to be is an authentication server. If you just want it to be a single person game, just give it a key that it checks the account for. The big thing that you can do is make content that you can only access online raising the value of the game and also allow user generated content that can be shared, increasing the value more. The biggest problem that companies have today is that they think that they have to sell something physical like a disk. If you say "what about the people who want to play offline or do not have a internet connection?" Well then can go get a copy of the game but your going to miss out on large part of the game.

[Blueginko]

This was to be my first purchase of a sim game. I was going to pop for the Galactic edition of it. But now no. Not even with the proposed new changes. I have read about the problems with SecuROM. That alone will mean I won't by EA games again. I will not jeapordize any of my computers with SecurROM.

Also, I go back and play games again. I reinstalled Myst not too long ago and loved going through it again. With Spore, I might find the activation servers gone... and as many have pointed out, I then would have only rented the game. For a short time at a hefty price.

EA must realize that this won't stop piracy... or maybe they don't. But it could stop EA... stop EA right out of existance.

Sad really

[Gont]

I would love to get this game, but these restrictions are outrageous. This concession is just political, if we agree to any number, we agree to DRM. EA is hardly abusing society like Great Britain was the American colonies, but its point is not different from that of the tea tax. I really wish people today weren't so brainwashed and would offer up a boycott that would leave the impression of the Boston Tea Party. It has nothing to do with the fact that people can get around it. This is conditioning consumers for when DRM will be much more effective, when we have Windows Barred Shut and Mac Zoo Lion looking over our shoulders watching everything we do.

[VV]

Yeah, im sorry EA, but I dont buy games i dont own, srry.

[Ronald]

Extending the limits is fine, however as long as they keep that Malware (because that's exactly what this version of SecuROM is) on their PC products, I will not be buying them.
I'd rather destroy my computer myself than let some trojan disguised as DRM do it for me. Most people don't realise that the SecuROM this game (and any released by EA since Mass Effect PC) installs can NOT be removed through conventional means, and uninstalling the game leaves that cancer on your harddrive.
It also has an unpleasant tendency to disable legitimate DVD burning software or even the entire DVD-R drive, all of it without your permission and most importantly without telling you it is being installed, this program gives itself Administrator rights too.

[Dan]

"We assumed that consumers understand piracy is a huge problem. We have found that 75% of our consumers install and play any particular game on only one machine, and less than 1% ever try to play on more than three different machines."

I can just see the EA execs eyes rolling at that comment.

Congratulations EA, with THAT insulting statement you just made it even LESS likely that I'm going to by Spore. I wouldn't buy something from a company that insults me BEHIND MY BACK, which is what I considered the DRM, why would I buy from a company that effectively just SPAT in my face?

That is has got to be one of the most insulting statements I've ever heard come from a company. They basically say "Fine, you guys are idiots so we'll throw you a bone," and expect it to make all us mouth breathing gamers go away.

Clearly EA subscribes to the Jack Thompson theory of gamers, that we're all ignorant mouth-breathers incapable of higher thought.

I'll give them one thing, they're probably right that less than 1% of their customers ever try to play on more than 3 machines AT THE SAME TIME. I keep all my games on my desktop and only have WoW and Starcraft on my laptop (low resource use and easy to play with a touchpad).

But I'll bet EA a year's worth of their profits that more than 60% of their customers try to play on more than 5 machines over the course of several years.

But of course this is a business decision, they want you to re-purchase the game. Unfortunately, most people are too ignorant of their rights and will probably assume EA is on the up and up with this.

But they aren't, it is not legal to engage in that kind of restriction of a property owner's rights. And whatever EA's "copyright" theory is, the purchaser OWNS that copy of the game. That gives the purchaser many, MANY rights and its only a matter of time before someone decides to press those rights. I've said it before, I'll say it again, EA needs to realize that its customer's are growing up. There's only so much longer they can assume that their customer base is a bunch of ignorant teenagers.

This is the first time I really feel like this is coming home to them. In the old days this would never have been a concern because the vast majority of purchasers wouldn't have even known what DRM was let it alone its effects. But that isn't the case anymore and it's actually starting, just starting, to hit the bottom line.

Let's keep it up folks. I'd love to see the ECA really get behind this. I mean REALLY get behind this. We have some members with influence in the industry, they should be speaking up on this. The organization as a whole should be doing something, ANYTHING.

What I'd really love to see (and you can consider this an official proposal) is a rating system for games that isn't based on the game but is based on how the game treats its customer.

For example: Spore

Give it an 8 for the game itself. But make the ECA rating like a 2 because of the DRM scheme.

Take a stand ECA, represent who you say you do. Tell people "Yeah this is a decent game, but don't buy it because of DRM." Get something from an organization out there and people will pay attention. And if EA tries to come after you saying that you're supporting piracy...well SUE THEM.

Sue them for defamation, they just called your membership a bunch of pirates. Make them PROVE it. Plenty of lawyers will do that on a contingency fee (no payment without a win). Yeah the lawyer takes a 30% cut of the winnings but so what? This isn't about money. It's about making EA recognize reality.

[John]

Why do they keep talking about Piracy when it's obvious the whole purpose of the DRM is to kill the second-hand market for the game?

EA has been anti-resale for a long time, they've made no secret of it, and this 'Anti-Piracy' measure is simply an extension of that desire.

I'm amazed that EA hold their paying consumers in such low regard as to think that by wearing softer shoes whilst kicking them, they are somehow doing them a 'favour'.

[Alan]

"We assumed that consumers understand piracy is a huge problem."

Gamers are taking that as an insult because they are pretty much saying:
We thought our consumers were smart enough to understand that piracy is a huge problem.

Which they might as well have said...

When you follow the crum trail of logic, EA is trying to stop people from sharing their games with their friends (which requiring the CD to play does well), if this is not what they are trying to stop, then they have already failed epicly, and might as well release the game without SecuROM and limited installs, because the rest of the pirates already have the game without it.

[Hanno vd Merwe]

I only just placed an online order for Spore, but already I'm regretting it. I’ve been waiting for this game to come out since I first heard about it two years ago, and was ecstatic when I heard it had finally been released.
After placing my order I started reading up about it and only then found out about the limitations and “spyware” EA is forcing upon us paying customers. I’m inclined to break from habit and find a cracked version that does not have these limitations on it.
As a multimedia developer I own three personal machines. I travel allot and use different machines for different jobs. I also upgrade as whenever I can afford it or need it. (Basically every four to five months). As it is I can now install the game on each of my machines, and then never again. How can this be legal?

[Vaga]

While it's nice to see them caving but they aren't caving where it is important. DRM is fine, I don't mind them making sure my copy is legit. What I DO mind is SecuRom having greater than administrator access to my computer, having the possibility of cause physical damage to my maching. Shutting down my burning software and monitoring my machine.

Want to try an experiment, install spore then uninstall it. Now try and remove SecuRom. Not so easy is it, and EA didn't even MENTION that this pile of malware was going to be installed on my computer.

[brandon]

What really pisses me off is how arrogant and insulting EA is toward their customers: "We thought that the consumers would've UNDERSTOOD that piracy is a problem ... but apparently we were wrong to assume that legitimate customers are smart enough to understand these issues!" WTF?!

How about EA's asinine DRM is completely useless and punishes only legitimate customers ... How about that, EA? Where's the apologies? Where's the accepting responsibility for screwing up?

EA possibly could have regained my business with their loosened DRM grip, but their haughty attitude just makes my blood BOIL. HOW DARE THEY INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE LIKE THAT!

Screw EA, and screw Spore.

[zm]

"...and less than 1% ever try to play on more than three different machine..."

Of course. Who would use up multiple activations so soon after release?!
It isn't about machines, it is about activations after uninstalls and hardware changes on ONE machine. Anyone who takes a second to think about the numbers will realise how useless they are.

Very few people will change their machine 3+ times in the span of a week, or month (how long has Spore been out?). However, in a year or two, when people want to go back and play the game, their machines may have changed. That is when there will be significantly more than 1% of customers running into problems with DRM. Furthermore, how many people DIDN'T buy the game because they didn't want to be that "1%?"

Their justification is ridiculous...few will use up activations on the INITIAL playthrough - it is when you revisit the game, months, years later, that you'll run into problems. But wait, they have WONDERFUL customer support, don't they?
They did say they will "...sometimes let players go beyond that limit, depending on the circumstances." Even better! They get to decide when you can play the game again...shouldn't customers that bought the game legally have the right to play it whenever they want? Resell it as they want? They really want to hurt the 2nd-hand sales market, but don't want to say so. Not many people would risk buying Spore 2nd-hand knowing about the activations and that EA may not allow them an additional activation.

[cvs]

I was so looking forward to this game. Bwarp. Installed it and 10 hours later gave up on trying to get it to go. All I got was the unhelpful "Cannot Connect to Internet to Verify" message. I completely disabled my security settings, disabled firewall, uninstalled, reinstalled, installed the patch, investigated using FireShark, got some mindless suggestions from support, spent hours searching the internet and tried every other method I could think of. I'm a software engineer, so if I can't get it to go, I don't know what chance most other people have. All I could figure in the end was that it was something to do with my on-board network card. Judging by what I see online, I am not the only one. Not impressed.

[Hugo]

I bought Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and it had some Securom issues. Securom didn't allow me to play the game I had paid for. DRM is all well and all, but when it stops you from actually using the product you paid for, then there is a problem. I e-mailed Ubisoft and they where no help on the issue. I had legitimately paid for a product I couldn't use! I practically had to scoure the internet and ended up cracking/patching/hacking the game so that I could actually play it.

EA is now using Securom and for me that spells BAD NEWS. Will this title work on my PC? Do I really want to be faced with the same problems I've faced with other titles that have Securom? Do I really want to pay for something that will only cause more grief than enjoyment?

I'm generally a compulsive PC, Xbox 360, PSP games buyer. If something looks interesting, has decent reviews, it's generally on my shelf in a few days. I'm now thinking of giving Spore a skip. Like Prince of Persia, it will probably end up just taking space on my shelf, and why would I want to crack a game I bought at a store and paid for?

I've had several hundred games. A lot of them have Securom, some worked out of the box (yes, I've got the box, the manual, the receipt, everything to prove that I'm a legitimate buyer), other I had to be cracked (which annoyed the hell out of me. Why am I expected to pay R400 ($40 or more) for something that I have to use illegal means to use?).

All this boils down to; when I see a game that has Securom, and the crap I have to go through to make them work, it tends to put me off.

[Andy]

"The key to making copyright restrictions work is to offer value."

Actually, all games have copyright restrictions. That's what copyright is - a legal restriction. The problem occurs when you create worthless copyright "enforcement" software that can't possibly work.

To me, value is software without DRM.

[Donovan]

EA has really screwed up here. They say that piracy is such a huge problem but the only look at it small scale. You really think that DRM is going to do any good other than piss off your customers and lose your buisness?!?! Good Job EA you really screwed yourself up!

[Sheniken]

I belive that the DRMs like secuROM and Starforce need to be made illegal, as well as those that are like the two DRMs, and take steps to prevent this from happening ever again.

[mac]

the thing that gets me angry is that it secretly installs securom
on the os's ring 0 the admin point of accounts and leaves the current
user/admin totaly defensless against virus and maliware.
it was deceptive to say they werent going to include securom,
ive totaly lost trust with the company and drm does not help anything,
i mean WTF are they trying to pull, secretly adding software at admin
levels without permission of the computers(or macs) owner.
its totaly iresponsible, i had two choices fromat my harddrives or
use SecuROM begone.go to ea if you want ot get MIND RAPED.