EA’s The Sims 2 giveaway includes controversial SecuROM DRM

[jim lin]

EA’s The Sims 2 giveaway includes controversial SecuROM DRM

http://www.geek.com/games/eas-the-sims-2-giveaway-includes-controversial-securom-drm-1600633/

Last week EA decided to do something rather generous and very un-EA: they offered everyone a free copy of The Sims 2: Ultimate Collection.All you had to do was download and install a copy of Origin and use the code I-LOVE-THE-SIMS to secure your free copy of the game. The offer lasts until the end of July 31 if you’re interested.

However, it’s not all great news. The copy of The Sims 2 EA is distributing includes the very controversial digital rights management solution called SecuROM. Gamers hate this DRM and with good reason.

SecuROM has been around for years and attempts to stop the piracy of games that use it by limiting duplication and reverse engineering. But it causes a number of issues including not recognizing legitimate game discs, not working if you have certain (standard) features enabled in Windows,it causes conflicts with other software, and if you uninstall a game SecuROM hangs around in your registry and refuses to be deleted.

If you’ve played BioShock, Mass Effect, Spore, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, Dragon Age II, or Final Fantasy VII (re-release) on PC then you’ve come into contact with it. In fact, Spore made it into the top 10 of most pirated games in 2008 because gamers were so eager to avoid SecuROM on the legal version.

So while EA’s offer of The Sims 2: Ultimate Collection is generous, it may not be worth taking them up on it simply to avoid the potential nightmare that is SecuROM. If you’ve already installed the game, here’s a very useful guide on how to remove SecuROM should you need to.

http://www.reclaimyourgame.com/showthread.php/314-quot-SecuROM-Removal-Instructions-quot-Revised




James

 

[EmiLLiaN]

Thank's for the info jim lin. I've didn't know it tought

 

[jackuars]

There's nothing to be worried about, it's a long known fact...Even the original Sims 2 has SecuROM.

Here's a list of games that includes SecuROM: http://www.giantbomb.com/securom/3015-2720/games/

 

[Cowpipe]

It's an absolute pain, badly programmed, incredibly invasive. I've been analysing the paul.dll component which has been producing 'mysterious' unhandled errors. Difficult to reverse engineer and debug for an individual like myself. Worst of all is the fact that the EA developers seem absolutely clueless as to what is wrong.

I'm a firm believer that there is a very clear line between copyright protection and violating the users freedom to use his/her own computer as they will, and SecuROM crosses that line by a mile.