Electronic Arts UK Community - View Single Post - RA3 to use SecuROM :|

Refrenz · 15-09-2008, 06:18 PM

I've been played RTS since Dune 2 and have purchased all the C&C RTS games and expansions so far (apart from Tiberian sun and firestorm). In anticipation of Red Alert 3, I pre-ordered the collectors edition from GAME and then I read about this 5 installs limit in the gaming press. I felt the need to register on the EA forums and post my feelings about this, in the hope that it will be passed on to the powers that be so they can see that by imposing such unreasonable limits, they are not just losing customers - they are losing long-term C&C fans like me who have really bought into the C&C franchise over the years.

I still play Red Alert 2 (my favourite of all the C&C games) to this day and must have installed it about a dozen times or more in the several years I have owned a copy. (The reasons vary from buying new PCs to reinstalling windows due to general slowness/system crashes/instability). This year alone I have re-installed Windows twice due a major hardware upgrade and system crash.

This new form of 'protection' with a 5 install limitation imposed in Red Alert 3 means that 5 years down the line my copy of Red Alert 3 won't work because the chances are I will have used up all my installs due to various PC upgrades/Windows re-installations that I will no doubt carry out during that time.

As a result, I'm sad to say that EA's unreasonable copy protection policy has forced me to cancel my collector's edition pre-order. Why can't EA just have something less intrusive for the paying customer, like online CD key/serial number validation? It works for Windows. I won't be downloading an illegal copy of RA3 as I would rather purchase the original. Maybe one day it will get re-released on budget without any of this install limit nonsense, and maybe then I will be able to buy a copy that I will be allowed to enjoy in 5 and 10 years time.

The way honest paying customers are being treated with unfair restrictions has left me feeling quite resentful towards EA, and I will be boycotting all its products until it starts treating customers with some respect.

15-09-2008, 06:18 PM	#60 (permalink)
Refrenz Hi, I'm New! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1	I've been played RTS since Dune 2 and have purchased all the C&C RTS games and expansions so far (apart from Tiberian sun and firestorm). In anticipation of Red Alert 3, I pre-ordered the collectors edition from GAME and then I read about this 5 installs limit in the gaming press. I felt the need to register on the EA forums and post my feelings about this, in the hope that it will be passed on to the powers that be so they can see that by imposing such unreasonable limits, they are not just losing customers - they are losing long-term C&C fans like me who have really bought into the C&C franchise over the years. I still play Red Alert 2 (my favourite of all the C&C games) to this day and must have installed it about a dozen times or more in the several years I have owned a copy. (The reasons vary from buying new PCs to reinstalling windows due to general slowness/system crashes/instability). This year alone I have re-installed Windows twice due a major hardware upgrade and system crash. This new form of 'protection' with a 5 install limitation imposed in Red Alert 3 means that 5 years down the line my copy of Red Alert 3 won't work because the chances are I will have used up all my installs due to various PC upgrades/Windows re-installations that I will no doubt carry out during that time. As a result, I'm sad to say that EA's unreasonable copy protection policy has forced me to cancel my collector's edition pre-order. Why can't EA just have something less intrusive for the paying customer, like online CD key/serial number validation? It works for Windows. I won't be downloading an illegal copy of RA3 as I would rather purchase the original. Maybe one day it will get re-released on budget without any of this install limit nonsense, and maybe then I will be able to buy a copy that I will be allowed to enjoy in 5 and 10 years time. The way honest paying customers are being treated with unfair restrictions has left me feeling quite resentful towards EA, and I will be boycotting all its products until it starts treating customers with some respect. Last edited by Refrenz; 15-09-2008 at 06:29 PM..