Archive for the ‘Spore DRM class action’ Category
Posted by Gwyddia on
March 31, 2009
They can be taught. Apparently learning something from the Spore and Mass Effect DRM debacles, Electronic Arts, publisher of The Sims franchise, announced this week that they will be returning to serial code-only copy protection for their upcoming triple-A PC title, The Sims 3.
EA’s decision comes at a time where draconian DRM schemes come under great suspicion. Many industry sources have suggested that the company cut deeply into their own profits by including strict SecureROM limitations on the PC version of Spore. It is widely believed that, as a result of the DRM on that title, Spore became the most quickly (and perhaps massively) illegally downloaded game in history. At the same time Valve and Stardock are making money hand over fist with their DRM-free models.
While not quite a mea culpa, EA’s official statement goes a long way toward assuaging potential players’ fears about any unwanted DRM on their shiny new Sims game. Here’s hoping the sales of the Sims 3 are strong enough to persuade EA continue to see the light.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Posted by Gwyddia on
December 1, 2008
Despite the truly epic amount of litigation fomenting around DRM and SecuROM in particular, Rockstar has decided to use the product on the PC release of Grand Theft Auto IV this week, stating that SecuROM is “the most effective form of disc based copy protection[.]”
It is important to note that while SecuROM makes a product that many people dislike, the use of a SecuROM product by a company does not necessarily mean the advent of the sort of draconian measures found in Spore. GTAIV’s flavor, for example, will require anyone who does not purchase the game via Steam to have the disc in the drive while playing, and will require a one-time authentication on install. There are unlimited installs of the game after the initial authentication, and those do NOT require re-authentication.
That being said, like Spore, uninstalling GTAIV will still leave some remnants of SecuROM behind. As per Rockstar:
In regards to SecuROM, deleting GTA IV will remove the active functions if it is the only application that requires SecuROM, but some traces will remain, such as a registry entry and file, which allows you to reinstall without re-entering your authentication code. We are working with SecuROM to post information on our support pages regarding how to remove these inactive traces of the program for users who wish to do so.
At least they’re working on it, but why does the program do that in the first place? And isn’t that potentially malicious lingering part of what is calling SecuROM to legal question in the first place?
Popularity: 9% [?]
Posted by Liz Surette on
November 9, 2008
GamePolitics reports that two new class action lawsuits against EA have been filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Though both suits involve the same invasive DRM programs being litigated over in September’s Thomas v. Electronic Arts, these two latest class actions concern DRM in The Sims 2: Bon Voyage and Spore Creature Creator: Free Trial Edition. Read the rest of this entry »
Popularity: unranked [?]
Posted by Dan on
October 2, 2008
If you checked out our site in the past couple of days, you may have seen this
ad on the right sidebar:
Now, the link actually didn’t work when I went to GirardGibbs.com to check, but the site’s main page did say this:
Girard Gibbs LLP is a national litigation firm specializing in consumer class actions, securities and complex business litigation. Our clients range from individual consumers and small businesses to Fortune 100 corporations and public pension funds. We have experience prosecuting cases throughout the United States for violations of consumer protection, securities, antitrust and employment laws.
Girard Gibbs has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients and the classes they represent. In addition to litigation services, our firm also provides consulting and preventive counseling services to institutional clients and professionals on a variety of legal issues. At Girard Gibbs, we are committed to achieving favorable results for our clients in the most expeditious and economical manner possible.
Interesting, to say the least. It may be that the Spore class-action is looking to essentially “plaintiff-spam” EA into a settlement. With over a million sales, and some analysts predicting as many as 2 million shortly, there’s certainly room in the class to put some pressure on EA. We’ll keep you updated as this progresses.
Popularity: unranked [?]
