In a move that may well have Microsoft founder Billy Gates rolling over in his philanthropists chair thinking, “Why the fuck didn’t I think of that”, EA Games, the makers of Spore, have sunk to a new all time low in consumer control with their latest draconian, Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).

Not only is the much touted “family game”, Spore, severely limited to an all time total of three installs (goD help the windows wowsers) but it is also limited to a single user account on a single machine – at least on my Mac (and no, I’m not silly enough yet to own an iPhone)!

Thinking of challenging the kids to an evolutionary game of dynamic design and diplomacy throughout the ages? No bloody chance! Not unless you purchase another copy… and even then I doubt it can be played on the same machine!

I can’t help marvel at the gall of the person who pitched the DRM idea but the suits that marked off on it deserve the dry end of a dead dingo’s donger in through the out door! What were they thinking? It musta been one hell of a long lunch with much sucking of meatballs to swallow that idea!

The reviews on amazon.com seem to sum up the consumer backlash, at least from my perspective, very nicely. At the time of writing 2,433 reviews out of 2,816 have awarded Spore the minimum of one star! The “pay per star and we won’t talk about DRM” commercial magazine type reviews, on the other hand, tell a different story. So much for truth in advertising! If only I wasn’t such an impulse buyer!

Whilst trawling for a crack to fix the problem I read that quite a few sources on the interweb (so it must be true) are claiming that Spore is well on it’s way to eclipsing the pirate title of Most Downloaded Game Ever. It’s not hard to see why!

The fanboys, of course, are towing the corporate-thieves-in-suits line of “It’s all for your own good.” Sound familiar? “Software piracy costs us all!” Anybody would think they are out to make squillions, immorally, in directors fees under the gullible guise of doing it for the shareholders too!

Get it right people. Video did not kill the movie industry, though it may have killed the radio star! DRM’s sole purpose is to maximize revenues by minimizing your rights and selling them back to you. It does not stop piracy, it only attempts to maximise profits for the corporate wankers!

Meanwhile, EA Games are busier than a one armed bricklayer in Bagdad trying to repair the collateral damage but it’s too late. The deed has been done. It’s all empty promises from now on in.

Our game’s on it’s way back. I’ll never buy another title.

Electronic Arts. Welcome to the Far Kew!