Lame kerfuffles about copy protection schemes just seem a bit off-message, somehow. C'mon chaps, you'll not get many tabloid headlines with this nonsense! Get back to the prostitute murder and leave the customer-punishing DRM nonsense to your competitors.

Yes, another high profile PC release - GTA IV this time - will be shipping with SecuROM. The usual arguments are being trotted out - on the one hand it is the publisher's best defence against piracy (the copyright infringement kind, not the Somali kidnappy variety) while on the other it is a horrible mess of code that will taint the PCs of legitimate consumers like digital scar tissue.

C'est la vie.

GTA IV jumps on SecuROM bandwagon

We implemented a form of DRM and it's something that 99.8 percent of users wouldn't notice. But for the other .2 percent, it became an issue and a number of them launched a cabal online to protest against it.

John, just because people don't notice it doesn't make it right. But then, I don't really need to be reminding him of that, what with his personal thoughts on the matter.

I personally don't like DRM. It interrupts the user experience. We would like to get around that. But there is this problem called piracy out there.

Kind of cancels out that "99.8 percent of users wouldn't notice" thing, doesn't it? And the sheer number of people who downloaded the game kind of cancels out the piracy thing, doesn't it? And...ah, whatever. We'll be here all day, going around in circles, with that line of questioning.

Media & Money: EA's Riccitiello: Last Year For 'Offline-Only' Games [Yahoo! Finance] [Image]

More responsible forum moderators tried to clear the air yesterday and EA itself let us know that the warning was completely out of line and, more importantly, totally inaccurate.

"These comments are absolutely not true or in-line with EA’s moderation policy," an EA spokesperson told Kotaku. "They were made by an over-zealous community volunteer who does not work for EA."

"Anyone who looks at the boards will clearly see that DRM and other issues are freely discussed on the Spore forums, alongside other topics about the game," a statement read. So have at it, kids. The finer points of anti-piracy schemes are up for discussion!

Just be careful what you name your Spore creations.

Spore Fans Threatened With Banhammer Over DRM Talk [Kotaku]

Plaintiffs demand disgorgement of unjust profits and damages for trespass, interference, unfair competition and consumer law violations.

You can see the full suit in PDF form over at Courthouse News. It's rather lengthy, containing excerpts from EA's FAQ as well as quotes from Amazon.com reviews, oddly enough. Looks like someone's done his homework. EA might even have to assign two lawyers to deal with this one.

'Spore' Hijacks Computers, Class Claims [Courthouse News via GamePolitics - Thanks Brendan]

In the short essay I talk about the origins of the word piracy (Daniel Defoe don't you know), and the absurdity of applying todays shrinking ownership rights to a situation closer to that origin. I also call for a sort of Gamers' Bill of Digital Rights. Not that anyone will listen.

If that sort of stuff floats your boat hop on over on the link to check it out. If it doesn't interest you, hop over there to read Tycho's take on my "wavy locks and hard-ass goatee."

The Origin Of The CD-Keys, Part One [Penny Arcade]

Answering your feedback about Spore Online Accounts [EA]

A patch, coming in the "near future," will allow Spore owners to "de-authorize" a computer that has had the game installed, much like the DRM structure that Apple's iTunes uses. Will that satisfy the masses? According to EA, those masses demanding multiple installs aren't really all that massive.

EA data shows that, at least for some recently published EA titles that require software activation, about 1% of users ever even attempt to install and activate on more than three machines. One could make the argument that Spore power users, those with three machines to install the game on, might be the one's most particular about its restrictions.

That info is just one of four myths (or mistakes) that EA is hoping to clear up, as thousands of internet denizens have cried foul over the game's anti-piracy policies. One of the biggest, software activation via the internet, may not be as dire as you might think.

While the EA response to some of Spore's biggest WTFs are definitely worth reading, the rough sales data may be more interesting to sales figure aficionados. Well over 400,000 Spore activations have been counted. Read on to see how that compares to activations for the Spore Creature Creator and Mass Effect.

‘Spore’ DRM Update - EA Loosening One Restriction In ‘Near Future,’ Offers Defense [MTV Multiplayer]

Update: EA has contacted us to let us know that the numbers in the story are a sampling of the people who have bought “Spore” and should not be interpreted as a representation of sales data for the game.

DRM Evolved: Spore Users Create Creatures to Voice Their Displeasure [GameCulture, via Shacknews]

Want More Than One Account On Your 'Spore' Game? Buy Another Copy [Consumerist]

Like the other games, though, spare a thought for the dev team. It's not their decision to implement SecuROM, it's EAs, and the following plea from the team makes clear just how polarising a topic this has become:

Red Alert 3 is shaping up to be a world-class RTS game that will give you many hours of enjoyment. I think it would be a shame if people decided to not play a great game simply because it came with DRM, but I understand that this is a very personal decision for many of you and I respect that. As you might imagine, I’m a lot less respectful of those people who take the position that they will illegally download a game simply because it has DRM.

For a full run-down of Red Alert 3's specific blend of SecuROM, hit the link below.

So what's the deal with copy protection in Red Alert 3? [EA]

Spore losing the DRM Fight [Fred Benenson’s Blog, via Boing-Boing]

The announcement comes on the heels of news that Mass Effect will also be ditching the ten day re-authentication.

We wanted to let you know that we've been hearing your concerns about the online authentication mentioned earlier this week. I didn't want to head into the weekend without getting back to you with some information about how Spore is planning on using this new system.

A few things we wanted you to know:

— We authenticate your game online when you install and launch it the first time.
— We'll re-authenticate when a player uses online features, downloads new content or a patch for their game.
— The new system means you don't have to play with the disc in your computer. And if you are like me, always losing discs, this will be a huge benefit.
— You'll still be able to install and play on multiple computers.
— You can play offline.

We do hope that players will play online - sharing creatures, buildings and vehicles with other players is something that is unique to Spore and one of the coolest features of the game. Every day, when I play the Creature Stage, I get to see wacky and awesome new creatures from my Buddies on the team coming over the hill at me and I can't wait to see what happens when our creative, passionate community starts sharing their creations.

Sounds like Electronic Arts got the message, here's hoping that other publishers do too.

The developer said the decision came after listening "very closely" to its fans and that the new system will also allow gamers to play the game without the DVD in the drive.

The system will allow gamers to authenticate their game on just three computers, but EA does have the ability to give additional authorizations if they are warranted.

Hit up the jump for the official FAQ and to let us know what you think about this change of heart.

Q: What is the difference between the old PC disc authentication solution and the new online model?

A: Two things have changed:

• First, authentication of discs has now gone from the physical format to the online format, freeing the need for consumers to have a disc in the drive at all times.

• Second, with online authentication consumers now connect to the Internet the first time the game is launched and are required only to reconnect if they are downloading new game content.

Q: Will EA or BioWare take any personal information from my computer during an authentication?

A: Absolutely not. We do not take any personal information from your computer. The system simply verifies that a valid CD key has been provided and assigns that activation to that PC.

Q: What happens when I’ve reached the maximum # of computers for my game and I need more, say due to theft of computer, computer crashes, etc?

A: EA customer service 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.

Q: Why are BioWare and EA implementing this new authentication process?

A: This serves to protect our software from piracy. It has the added benefit of allowing consumers to activate the game on multiple machines without needing the DVD in the drive when playing the game.

Q: Did BioWare and EA change their mind on requiring that the game be re-authorized every 10 days?

A: BioWare has always listened very closely to its fans and we made this decision to ensure we are delivering the best possible experience to them. To all the fans including our many friends in the armed services and internationally who expressed concerns that they would not be able re-authenticate as often as required, EA and BioWare want you to know that your feedback is important to us.

Q: If the game isn’t going to require an authentication every 10 days, will it ever require re-authentication?

A: Only if the player chooses to download new game content.

I've followed up on the circular email with securom and we are working on this issue. I agree, it sucks, and we need to get that sorted.

I've been told by 2k that we will.

-Ken

2K is breaking their own license agreement [2K Forums - Thanks Kevin!]