Well, the game everyone wanted is out after years of the release date getting pushed back.

Spore has come out with a new friend however. The same friend that was the cause of me vowing to never legally acquire anything from EA ever again.

Hello to SecuRom, the same shit infested security software that has plagued the last few Sims 2 Expansions. Despite the community blowing up on the official forums, blowing up on every other forum, vowing to never buy Sims 2 again, coming to our forums to ask for help with how to pirate the games, EA has ignored it all. In fact, in the beginning, Simmers were getting banned left, right and centre for even talking about it.

Here’s the kicker. Their anti-pirating software is the reason everyone is pirating.

Spore’s version of SecuRom means you have to activate the game online before you can play. You also HAVE TO install the dreaded “EA Downloader” to get the official patches for the game. How many times have I seen “Sorry, we know the downloader isn’t working. We’re fixing it now” on Sims2 forums? Too many, I forget.

The worst bit, you can only install Spore 3 times. Hilarious, considering the answer to glitches and problems with the game is usually… reinstall it. Also, EA seem to think that you’re only ever going to own 1 – 2 computers in your life.

But it’s a good thing! Says Maxis. It means you don’t have to play the game with the CD in!

Oh wait, I know why. Because when I had SecuRom on my last PC, it wouldn’t read my legally bought disc anyways. I had to pirate a game I’d already bought just to PLAY IT.

Now the DRM isn’t only being complained about by Simmers.? It seems the rest of the internet has jumped in.? I hope EA are kicking themselves.? Reviewers on Amazon are bombing it as well.

So yea, I’ll do the right thing. I’m going to download a torrent. I wanted to buy it. I did. I would of, same as I would of brought every single Sims 2 expansion. I think Will Wright is the shizzle. Maybe I’ll write to Maxis and ask if I can send a donation in just to say thanks for making the game, but sorry, I have to pirate it to avoid EAs punishment for being a paying customer.