AfterDawn: News

EA's horrendous always-on DRM leads to Amazon temporarily stopping sales of new 'SimCity' game, users to get free game as compensation

Earlier this week, EA released its newly updated 'SimCity' title to critical acclaim.

However, the consumer feedback has been less than stellar (that is being extremely generous) due to the game's "always-on" DRM requiring a user be connected to the Internet and logged in to EA's Origin at all times to play, even in single player mode.



The load on EA's Origin servers has meant most players that put down $60 to download the game have been unable to even log in or try their new game.

On Amazon, the game has as 1.2/5 stars, with 1500 of the 1750 ratings coming in at 1 star. In fact, the game has been rated so low that Amazon even temporarily halted sales of the game until today. The page still has this warning: "Many customers are having issues connecting to the "SimCity" servers. EA is actively working to resolve these issues, but at this time we do not know when the issue will be fixed. Please visit https://help.ea.com/en/simcity/simcity for more information."

As compensation, EA will offer all buyers a free title. On March 18, all customers with activated copies will receive details via email on how to redeem their free EA game, which will be downloadable through the Origins digital store.

SimCity is still not running at 100 percent, as of writing. Players with pirated copies are likely having no issues, however.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 9 Mar 2013 19:15

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• 9 comments

• Tazer247

  Love that last line.
  

  9.3.2013 19:31 #1

• nonoitall

  It's a good thing they used DRM; it stops pirates dead in their tracks, ensuring that paying customers are the only ones playing, and guaranteeing more sales as a result!*
  
  
  
  
  * Only applicable in select EA fantasies and daydreams.
  

  me on the Dragon Ball Encyclopedia
  me on YouTube

  9.3.2013 19:43 #2

• Burnasty

  the last line is cherry
  

  Buy the ticket, take the ride. -H.S.T.

  9.3.2013 22:38 #3

• jookycola

  sadly there is no cracked/pirated version out yet.
  

  
  

  10.3.2013 13:25 #4

• ddp

  give it time & there will be a version. the company has not learned from the last time this has happened.
  

  10.3.2013 16:51 #5

• Justoneguy

  EA will then blame poor sales on piracy, not the crippling DRM. It's hard to believe that they choose not to see the obvious out of greed.
  Imagine if you went to buy from a brick and mortar store that had a zero theft tolerance. You would enter, be stripped and undergo a body cavity search, then be placed in a skin tight spandex suit with no pockets to continue your shopping. (In the shape I'm in that would be a deal breaker). Upon making your purchase you could then enter a secured room where you put your regular clothes back on, and sign some legal documents stating no one else would use your purchase before leaving. Not a very pleasant shopping experience for most.
  
  Some theft is part of the cost of doing business, why punish the paying customer?
  

  11.3.2013 02:34 #6

• pensfan12

  EA are a special bunch.
  
  Why didn't they allocate a large amount of servers for the release the game to match even their wildest expectations? Who cares if the amount of servers exceeded demand it would have better to be safe than in damage control right now!
  
  If they did this most people (not the people that inhabit websites like this) wouldn't be so bothered by the constant online connectivity and would be talking about how much they are enjoying the game!
  

  
  

  11.3.2013 09:49 #7

• megadunderhead

  I am sorry EA to hear your servers are crap guess thats what you get for running windows 8 server suckers
  
  by the way once it is cracked users will still be able to play and lock out all dial out services on ea games so you didn't stop anything just prolonged the bad sales figures of a great classic
  

  11.3.2013 13:23 #8

• dodger5

  So I buy a game from you sucks and have a terrible experience, to make up for it your going to give me another one of your games so I can have another stellar experience with you aholes, thanks. It's really too bad things have gotten to this point,I used to enjoy EA and the games they produced, I for one will not buy another product from them until they fire the chuckleheads running the company into the dirt and replace them with someone with a better understanding of their customers.
  

  Keep your head up, keep alert, and don't let them take you by suprise.

  12.3.2013 19:31 #9