EA and DRM

Digital Right Management (DRM) is a process put in place to circumvent copyright infringement. It comes in many forms, some companies require you to be online and register your product, others it's as simple as encryption on the disc that keeps you from copying. But lately there's a new kind of DRM, one that is so foul and sinister that one can scarcely mention it with out feeling sick to their stomach. Money-making DRM, that's right folks the process of purposefully restricting access to certain features so that you can make some additional money. EA is the biggest perpetrator of this.

Lately EA has been making games with a built in online feature that logs into their servers to keep track of stats and content and a few additional features. But in addition to those things they also restrict access to those online features and the content that goes with it unless you buy a brand spanking new copy. A perfect example of this is Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 2 has a built in online feature called "Cerberus Network" but we'll call it cash cow instead.

Now when you buy a new copy of Mass Effect 2 you get a free code to log in to cash cow and download any available content you want. If you bought a used copy of Mass Effect 2 good luck to you because now you have to pay 1200 Microsoft Points to purchase one. This means that you don't have access to any ANY online content this includes expansions and downloadable content unless you are both A.) Online and B.) Have either purchased a new copy of Mass Effect 2 or bought the 1200 MS point equivalent cash cow key.

Wanna know another way that this "DRM" works to prevent pirates from gaining access to content? I transferred a couple of my ME2 save files to a memory card for my XBOX360 so I could play ME2 on my brother's 360 (he already has it installed), when I logged in to cash cow it showed me content I hadn't purchased entitled Kasumi (a character you can download for ME2) I didn't think anything of it, I just thought to myself "Well, like any other game if I don't have the content on the other 360 it'll just tell me that content is no longer available".

WRONG! Instead when I go to play my save file on my 360 it now tells me that I can't play the game because the following content is missing: Kasumi. Gee imagine my surprise, now I can't play a save file on my 360 that was created on it to begin with. Gee that's wonderful EA thanks a fucking bunch. I was forced to purchase the content just so I could keep playing a save file I had every right to be able to play regardless. Just disable the content so I can't play it or remove the content. I didn't initiate the mission to get Kasumi.

EA rear-ends people and I hope that there's some kind of uprise eventually that puts this devious shit storm of a company into the ground. They are evil like no other company I've ever fucking seen and some of the things they do are ridiculous. From their ludicrous DLC to some of their "updated" titles, the company needs to get flushed or get over itself and start being about gamers and less about corporate greed. We're your market, don't take advantage of us. That DLC (Downloadable Content) I was talking about really goes against what gaming should be.

For Dante's Inferno if I'm a little sick of actually playing the game to get souls to purchase new powers I can download some DLC EA has provided that will GIVE me a certain amount of souls in game. This transfers over to other titles as well, getting the best car in the game, or upgrades that are on the disc but can't be accessed with out the DLC they provide. We don't want your stupid free bullshit that gives us an edge for a price. Most people like earning their content, that's why they keep playing. If I want the best car I'll win it through the game, not because I paid 12 of my real world dollars for a fake fucking car or some extra souls. Screw you EA, screw you.