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EA Hit By Class-Action Suit Over Spore DRM

Posted by Soulskill on from the was-it-worth-the-hassle? dept.

The ever-growing unrest caused by the DRM involved with EA's launch of Spore came to a head on Monday. A woman named Melissa Thomas filed a class-action lawsuit against EA for their inclusion of the SecuROM copy-protection software with Spore. This comes after protests of the game's DRM ranged from a bombardment of poor Amazon reviews to in-game designs decrying EA and its policies. Some of those policies were eased, but EA has also threatened to ban players for even discussing SecuROM on their forums. The court documents (PDF) allege: "What purchasers are not told is that, included in the purchase, installation, and operation of Spore is a second, undisclosed program. The name of the second program is SecuROM ... Consumers are given no control, rights, or options over SecuROM. ... Electronic Arts intentionally did not disclose to any such purchasers that the Spore game disk also possessed a second, hidden program which secretly installed to the command and control center of the computer."

9 of 538 comments (clear)

  1. If I sold anything to EA... by Sasayaki · · Score: 4, Funny

    If I ever sold anything to EA I'd make sure to put in the EULA somewhere that I get to crack them in the face with a lump of wood then key their car. When the cops arrive, assuming they don't shoot me out of hand, I will simply say that I am preforming services for which I was paid- and present them the EULA detailing as much.

    I mean, that's effectively what they're doing. EA are selling one piece of software but not disclosing that it comes with a second, potentially damaging, piece of software which I Do Not Want(tm).

    --
    Check out my sci-fi book "Lacuna" at http://goo.gl/MVxX8
  2. Re:Command and Control Center? by l0ungeb0y · · Score: 5, Funny

    That would be the Battle Bridge, just go up Turbolift-14, all the way to the top. Can't miss it.

  3. Re:simply boycott them by ivan256 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Don't trust anyone under 25" - Everybody over 25 ;)

  4. Re:simply boycott them by Sj0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Trust anyone who is 25" -25 year olds

    --
    It's been a long time.
  5. I'm so torn! by alisson · · Score: 5, Funny

    My loathing of DRM software is clashing horribly with my abhorrence of class-action lawsuits! What ever shall I do??

    I guess I'll go play Spore until I decide.

  6. Re:simply boycott them by oldhack · · Score: 4, Funny

    I boycott most music as well, but just because it sucks. The best music (IMO of course) was made in the 80's and 90's.

    In your mid 30's, eh? Miss your good old school techno? ;-)

    --
    Fuck systemd. Fuck Redhat. Fuck Soylent, too. Wait, scratch the last one.
  7. Re:simply boycott them by UncleTogie · · Score: 4, Funny

    "My life is a lie!" - you at 26.

    "My life is a cake!" - you, confused, at 26.

    --
    Don't tell me to get a life. I'm a gamer; I have LOTS of lives!
  8. Re:simply boycott them by Skye16 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Only trust those who are 25i" - Imaginary 25 year olds

  9. Re:simply boycott them by EvilXenu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't trust anyone under 25" - Sauron