Websites: www2.securom.com,
www.sonydadc.com
Operated by: Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation (DADC)
About SecuROM: SecuROM is a DRM service that is developed, operated and owned by Sony DADC Austria. SecuROM is comprised of a number of DRM solutions, ranging from its serial key / disc verification system, right up to its online activation platform, which, in itself, can be implemented as a try-before-buy platform, pre-release date checker and/or as an online verification system. SecuROM also provides a service to package and distribute downloable content (DLCs) and game patches. Each of these services can either act in isolation or as a package as requested by their clients.
DRM characteristics: Serial key / Disc verification; Time-based activation; Pre-release date check; Serial key / Online activation; Hardware-binding activation.
Relevant documentation: Release Date Check, Sony DADC's Marketing Material, SecuROM Customer Support Page, SecuROM's FAQ Page.
Known issues for PC gamers as found by RYG:
- Earlier versions of SecuROM 7+ can have hardware-binding capabilities, which will affect activation limits;
- Will install hardware-binding drivers;
- Will reinstall problematic and specific registry keys if not removed properly;
- Can blacklist certain diagnostic softwares;
- Can blacklist certain disc-emulation and/or disc-copying softwares;
- Can reconnect to in-house servers upon each game launch even after a successful online activation has been made;
- Later version of SecuROM 7-8+ will perform dual online activations: 1) to determine the validity of the game's executable and 2) to determine if the game was purchased before the general release date;
- Will leave activation information on users systems, even after a successful deactivation of the game itself;
- Known to have performance-degrading issues in comparison to a DRM-free copy of the same game;
- Inconsistent support pages, particularly if developers and/or publishers opt to implement their dedicated SecuROM-support pages;
- Inconsistent customer / technical support
RYG's assessment of SecuROM: Please refer to the following PC games evaluated by RYG that were implemented with SecuROM:
- Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Disc)
- Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Online)
- Bioshock 2
- Crysis
- Crysis: Warhead
- Dead Space
- Dead Space 2
- Dragon Age 2
- Fallout 3
- FUEL
- Gothic 4: Arcania
- GTA: Episodes From Liberty City
- Mass Effect 3
- Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
- Race Driver: GRID
- Sacred 2
- Split/Second Velocity
- Spore
- Wall.E
- Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings
Useful Links for PC Gamers: How to detect SecuROM, How to remove SecuROM by RYG, RYG's SecuROM 7+ List, RYG's analysis of SecuROM in Dragon Age 2.