• The PC video game Spore has been criticized for the amount of DRM it was published with. DRM stands for Digital Rights Management and are the methods publishers of digital media use to keep their products out of the hands of those who have not purchased them. Critics have complained that the level of DRM in Spore inconvenience legitimate customers and several movements have been created to place pressure on Electronic Arts to remove the DRM from the game.ZDNet: Does DRM guarantee Spore is destined for extinction? (September 8, 2008)

• 1. Spore uses SecuROM as a copy protection method.
  2. Users are only allowed to install a copy of Spore three times before having to call Electronic Arts.
  3. Spore has been receiving numerous 1 star reviews on Amazon.com by people criticizing the DRM.Fredbenenson.com: Spore DRM and Disorganized Activism(September 7, 2008)

• Amazon.com Response Excerpts

  -In a couple of years they might very well even shut down the general activation servers, because "it's not financially feasible" to keep them running. What you will be left with is a nice, colorful $50 coaster.—Erich Maria RemarqueAmazon.com: Erich Maria Remarque's Profile
  -If you're an XP user, you'll probably install the game. Then you'll upgrade to Vista. That'll be another install. Two down; one to go. Then you may need to re-install vista from scratch for any number of miserable reasons. And that will be your third strike. You better hope that you never *ever* need to change or adjust that system for any reason if you like Spore.—SCFAmazon.com: SCF's Profile
  -What I really don't understand is who they think they are stopping. I would gladly hand over more than $50 to have this game without unwanted spyware wrapped as DRM. Did they stop the pirates from getting a copy onto the web? Not even a little bit. Did they stop a legitimate customer from actually purchasing their product? Indeed they did.—Amazon.com: Benjamin J. Michael's Profile
  

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