[quote name='Draekon']While I would agree with this method, it's proven to take far more effort, time, and people to do it that way. Just like the Book fiasco I mentioned, it actually got the attention of the person who said the negative/stupid stuff about Mass Effect and then promptly apologised. People are just too lazy and will more often than not look for the easiest out they can to get something done.
The people who are doing this to Spore are probably hoping for the same results except in the form of a DRM removal patch. It's not like you can't play after 3 installs, but it makes it annoying as

to call up EA Customer Support to get them to renew your key again so you can continue to play online.
For me, it will probably take two years to exhaust it and if the DRM isn't patched out by then, I'll probably just use a pirated copy with the DRM removed to continue to play it as I've called EA's customer service once and I
never want to do it again.[/quote]
[quote name='deadgopher']It's a good thing that people are doing this on Amazon. When I was searching around for deals on Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory for PC, I found that the exact same thing happened to that product on Amazon as well -- except it was because of StarForce.
I still bought the game on Half.com but I'm using a different -- ahem -- version so I don't have to install the god damn StarForce shit. In my mind, I'm covered legally by owning a license to play the game. Although, it is a pain in the ass -- I might as well just sell the physical copy and get the official Ubisoft digital distribution version which is StarForce-free.
Anyways had it not been for Amazon I probably wouldn't have known about StarForce until it was too late. What I'm trying to say is that people who see 1-2 stars on a product that they're interested in will usually read the reviews and find out why it was rated as such.[/quote]
I agree. I don't think I'll be playing Spore because I'm not much of a PC gamer anymore, but was interested in the DRM discussion since it doesn't have it's own thread.
I'm not going to go and review a product I haven't used/played, but I fully support the backlash.
People who say they'll never go through 3 installs boggle me, especially a game with so much replay value. A lot of people have desktops and laptops. Reformat either one of them (for basic housecleaning, a crash, a virus, etc),upgrade your system once, or delete the game for space reasons and reinstall it later, and that's 3 installs. That could all happen in 6 months time, before an expansion even comes out.
I don't blame publishers for trying to use anti-piracy measures, but when a game leaks early to thousands of people who easily bypass the system, they only hurt their sales more by crippling the product for the honest consumer. Part of it is that EA has a
deep dislike of the 2nd-hand market, not just anti-piracy.
Look at it the other way; consoles are online a lot and systems like the PS3 sometimes have mandatory installs for some games. What if you could only install GTA4, Oblivion, or (insert any other popular title with extra content coming later) a few times, and then your physical disc stopped running on your system? People would be outraged! I don't care if it's in 6 months or 6 years, a game you pay for is a game you should be able to play any time during your possession of it.
EA seems to be banking on the average household which doesn't upgrade or reformat very often, and if they do they pay someone to do it.
I'm sure there are a lot of people who will play the game until they get tired of it, leave it installed and just not touch it for awhile or ever again. But for those who love it and play it off and on for years, of course you'll go through more than 3. I can't think of how many times I've installed Starcraft, Doom, Far Cry, or Half Life, sometimes after an upgrade just to see how nice some games look with new hardware.
I don't think it's unreasonable to do the Amazon ratings because people need to know about this before they buy it, and just a few negative reviews wouldn't get anyone's attention, because every product has a few. It's a method of informing someone about a product before they buy it, and the review should be for the whole package. As some of the comments on there have said, it's a $50 long-term rental until they change their policy.
My personal favorite on Amazon:
Worth buying just for the DRM!!, September 9, 2008
By
Michael T. Smith
(Alvin, Texas United States) -
See all my reviews
Fun:
So I picked up this game Sunday morning expecting it to live up to the hype, I was slightly disappointed until a few hours of playing when I realized that during the installation process the game generously installed a bonus program that came with it that I didn't even know about.
DRM!!
This program is amazing, I don't hesitate to call it the greatest program I have ever installed on my computer. I could not even sleep last night from excitement just knowing that only feet away, my computer was joyously running with DRM in the background. I swear I heard my computer laughing and having fun while I lay in my bed trying to drift off to dream land.
So if you have been contemplating getting Spore, do not hesitate. I am sure that this game will fly off the shelves in spite of the disappointing game play because...
DRM RULES!!
For the record, I still agree with the sentiment that the developer shouldn't have to suffer or the quality of the game itself be misinterpreted. It's unfortunate, but I think it's one of the only way sto get anyone's attention.