14 DAY TRIAL // The fight against piracy will reach new and unbelievable heights, since two of the most expected PC games to be released this year, Spore and Mass Effect, will require an online validation every ten days in order to function. Even though it seems, at start, a good decision and something that might put an end to PC gaming piracy, it will still be a really controversial one and could backfire anytime at innocent gamers. However, we'll debate on this a bit later, since now we have to hear the developers' plans regarding this matter.
Derek French from Bioware has posted on the official forums the rather controversial piece of information: "Mass Effect uses SecuROM and requires an online activation for the first time that you play it. Each copy of Mass Effect comes with a CD Key which is used for this activation and for registration here at the BioWare Community. Mass Effect does not require the DVD to be in the drive in order to play, it is only for installation." And that is the good part.
However, his following statement doesn't sound good at all: "After the first activation, SecuROM requires that it re-check with the server within ten days (in case the CD Key has become public/warez'd and gets banned). Just so that the 10 day thing doesn't become abrupt, SecuROM tries its first re-check with 5 days remaining in the 10 day window. If it can't contact the server before the 10 days are up, nothing bad happens and the game still runs. After 10 days a re-check is required before the game can run."
This means that if you have no access to the Internet or by any means you just can't run the check every ten days, you won't be able to play the game anymore. And this is definitely not something the gaming community will like. However, the even scarier thing is that, according to French, Maxis' Spore will use the same scheme (even though no official confirmation has been given by EA or Maxis). This means that two of the most anticipated PC games of the year will only be available for those who have a constant Internet connection and it will keep asking you for the CD key until you learn it by heart.
French also said that the games' packaging will clearly state the online requirement. Hopefully, people will read it. And again, hopefully, people will still buy it after they do read it. We were just hoping that there are other ways of fighting against PC games piracy. Something more "user-friendly", maybe...