...the game incorporates a draconian DRM system that requires you to activate over the internet, and limits you to a grand total of 3 activations. If you reach that limit, then you'll have to call EA in order to add one extra activation. That's not as simple as it sounds, since when you reach that point EA will assume that you, the paying customer, are a filthy pirating thief. You will need to provide proof of purchase, reasons why the limit was reached, etc, etc (it has all happened before with another recent EA product, Mass Effect). EA, of course, is not obligated to grant you that extra activation or even provide that service. In a couple of years they might very well even shut down the general activation servers, because "it's not financially feasible" to keep them running. What you will be left with is a nice, colorful $50 coaster. And you will be required to pay for another copy/license if you want to continue playing.

And...

The DRM for the game utilizes securom which is essentially a virus that installs itself without warning when you install the game. There is no way to completely remove it without reformatting and it is constantly running in the background if not removed. Sucking up computer resources.

It also is overpriced. This is actually a RENTAL, not a bought game because it only lets you install 3 times.

And...

I logged on to buy this but now no way. I dont care if its the best game in the world, I'm not loading it onto my computer if it has DRM. No thank you, remove it and I'll buy version 2.0.

And...

I personally feel EA has crossed the line with what is considered an acceptable protection scheme. What they have done is essentially created a rental for the price of the full game, and after 3 activations you have to call up EA and beg them to reactivate the game. I for one am a computer enthusiast and format and upgrade regularly so I'd burn through the 3 install limit in about three months top and I REFUSE to have to call up any company and have to beg and prove that I rightfully am entitled to an install. As a paying customer I expect to be able to install the game infinite amounts of times on MY computer without any DRM disturbances. Whats worse is that this DRM considers any computer upgrade, BIOS update, and some patches as system change and thus requires an additional activation.

And...

Thanks to everyone who warned us about the DRM in this game. I'm interested in the game, but not interested enough to break my computer to play it.

And...

Too bad I can't play this game because of the horrible copyright protection scheme/malware called SecuROM which locks up my rig. It doesn't even keep the game from being pirated, so I don't know why EA treats its paying customers like criminals.

And...

I will not pay EA $50 to rent a game, period. DRM is dying, and its dragging good products down with it. Get a clue EA. The music industry did, now its your turn to face the fire.

And...

I was going to buy this game today but because of the DRM and a few other issues I will skip this game altogether. It's a shame because I was really looking forward to owning this game. EA is not helping Will Wright in any way.

You get the idea. Have these reviews convinced you to skip this game?

Spore [Amazon via Kotaku]

Micah's correspondence with Electronic Arts appears below:

I preordered Warhammer: Age of Reckoning in March, but I have moved. I updated my shipping and billing address, but the invoice still reflects my old address. Will this automatically update when the game ships, or will that have to be done seperately?

Hi Micah,

Thanks for providing information. Here is the Codes for "Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Collector's Edition" you want to have:
Beta Code: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Bonus Code: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Head Start Code: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Please let us know if there is anything else needed.

Thanks,
Razia

So just to confirm, the collector's edition, when shipped, will be mailed to my new address, correct?

Thanks for your time.

Hi Micah,
Thank you for contacting back.

I have searched your Order Id # xxxxxxxxxx and found that the Shipping address that is listed on your order is "xxxx xxxxxxx Avenue, RALEIGH NC, 27607 US " . Hence your order will be shipped on the same address as listed on your Order Invoice.

Please let us know if there is anything else needed.
Thank you,
Razia

That is the reason I started this in the first place. I no longer live at xxxx xxxxxxx Avenue. I now live at xxxx-x xxxxx Street. I need the invoice updated to ship to my current address. What do I need to do to make this happen? Thanks.

Hi Micah,

Thank you for writing back.

Unfortunately, you can not change your shipping address after your order has been submitted. The order is immediately sent to the fulfillment agency and can no longer be changed by our system.However as this game is being sold as preorder now and it is no longer available on the site so you can not place a new order on your desired address.

Please let us know if there is anything else needed.

Thank you,
Razia

So it's either cancel my order and don't receive the now sold-out collector's edition, or just let it ship to a place I don't live, hope the people living there hold onto it for me, and then reverse charges on my credit card when I never receive the item? It seems there should be some way of contacting the fulfillment agency if you're going to release a presell of a collector's edition 8 months before the game even comes out.

Hi,
Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts accounts services. In order to assist you with this issue, we will need some information. Please provide us the following information:
- Order number:
- Full name used to place the order:
- Email address used to place the order:
- Last 4 digits of the Credit card used to place the order:
- Date of birth as listed on the account:
- Zip Code as listed on the account:
Once we have this information we will be able to look into your
situation further.
Thank you,
Rudra

Um... that information was provided further down in the email.

Hi Micah,

Thank you for providing the information.

We have now issued refund for the same, we request you to please wait for 3 to 5 business days and the money will be credited back to your account. If your refund issue remains, please reply to this mail with your refund request number "Refund # 80981409". Let us know if there is anything else needed.

Thank you,
Rudra

I've tried being nice, but I've had about as much of this runaround as I can take. I don't want a refund. I want my !#$%ing game. If you can cancel the order, you can update the address. If you don't want to do it, give me the phone number of someone who will. You say the fulfillment agency has the information already and you can't change it, fine. Give me their number. If you've cancelled my order, then apparently there's now one for sale. I don't care how you do it. I want my bloody game. If you can't do it, give me the number of someone higher who can.

Hi,

Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts Customer Support. This is the highest level of support.

Your order has been cancelled per your request. We cannot re-create your order. Please attempt to purchase your game from some other online source as we are sold out.

If you need additional assistance or have further questions please reply to this email or visit our self help knowledge base at http://support.ea.com

Thank you,
Samuel
Senior Representative
Electronic Arts Customer Support

Electronic Arts boasts that "only 60,000 units of the Collector's Edition will be available," but adds: "(We're making a couple extra, but those are for us!)" Why not send Micah one of your extra copies free of charge, Electronic Arts, as a way of saying "sorry we didn't use a half-competent processor!"

From the Mass Effect forum:

There has been a lot of discussion in the past few days on how the security requirements for Mass Effect for PC will work. BioWare, a division of EA, wants to let fans know that Mass Effect will not require 10- day periodic re-authentication.

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.

The solution being implemented for Mass Effect for the PC changes copy protection from being key disc based, which requires authentication every time you play the game by requiring a disc in the drive, to a one time online authentication.

In the end, it gamers in the armed forces and in areas with sketchy internet access had their voices heard:

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.

Good work!

Official BioWare/EA Response to DRM Discussion (Thanks, Thief!)

Our sister site Kotaku explains the situation thus: "Cosmetic additions and extra maps are all well and good, but allowing players to pay in order to get a leg up on the competition is just slimy." Others agree: a proposed boycott has received over 2000 Diggs. Kotaku fears that EA might just be testing the waters for more extra content, maybe even better players or more ammo. A video from the boycott site illustrates this:

Companies like Blizzard, which publishes World of Warcraft, have forbidden users from selling any virtual content in the real world, a move that eBay has backed up. Perhaps they were just preserving their future monopolies?
(Thanks to Justin!)
(Photo: Getty)

It appears that Gibson has a tough battle ahead. Our sister blog Kotaku has been following this story since the litigation was announced a couple weeks ago, and they have posted statements from Activision and Harmonix, as well as Gibson's rebuttal, which claims that the guitar maker tried to negotiate a licensing deal with the game companies, but could not reach an agreement. Sure to make things awkward is the fact that Guitar Hero, as mentioned, features heavy Gibson product placement, in the form of controllers, purchasable guitars in the store, and in-game ads during play. Rock Band, on the other hand, uses guitars from rival company Fender, which might be able to snag licensing in the next version of Guitar Hero if this lawsuit is not easily resolved and instead, through the fire and the flames, carries on.

Gibson lawsuit stories [Kotaku]
(Photo: Alex Chasick)