PC Gamer: Bioshock Activation Sucks! Bring on the hackers! - Overclock.net

Kramy · 08-23-07

http://www.pcgamer.com/

Quote:

8/22/07 - DRMShock

By Dan Stapleton, Senior Associate Editor

Yesterday began as a joyous day. By the whim of the mailroom gods, my copy of BioShock was the first to arrive at my desk. After I finished dancing around the room rubbing it in everyone's face, we needed to install it on a DX9 and a DX10 machine to compare.

"But wait," I said. "This product requires activation. What if, by installing it here, I cripple my copy and am unable to play from home? "So Greg called the 2K support line and talked to a support rep, who told him that it would be fine as long as we uninstalled the game before installing it on another machine. Ok, that's fine... a little annoying considering the game also has a DVD check to make sure the disc is in the drive, but I can handle that.

So we installed on one machine, then uninstalled and installed on another with no problems. So far, so good. I got in about an hour of play time, but I do the majority of my game playing at home, where I've got my heavy-duty gaming rig set up, so I was really looking forward to bringing it home with me. I uninstalled the game from my work machine and happily headed home...but when I got there and went to activate, I was stopped dead by a failure message that informed me I'd installed with this code one time too many. What... the... $%~&!

Ok, still not a disaster. I've had this happen with Windows XP before—all I have to do is call the number in the manual, read off the reactivation request code supplied by the activation wizard, and they'll give me an unlock code. Well, not so simple in this case—the support number for the US listed in the manual didn't work, giving me a "We cannot connect your call at this time" message. So I called the Canadian number, which went through. After four minutes on hold, I was told that the only way they'd unlock it is if I take a photo of the disc and the manual and email it to them. Wow… even Microsoft doesn’t make you do that.

Having now jumped through all their hoops hours ago, I’m currently waiting for 2K to get around to allowing me to play my legitimate copy of the game on the system of my choosing. Meanwhile, the pirates who cracked Windows Vista’s activation in a matter of days are already at work on the game, and I sincerely doubt that the BioShock copy protection wall will still be standing a week from today. And while those pirates play their ill-gotten games without a care, those of us who came by our copies legally will have to put up with draconian obstacles that will then serve no purpose whatsoever. Well done 2K, well done indeed.

Seems like their uninstaller is flawed, and forgets to deactivate keys. Whoops.

DJZeratul · 08-23-07

yet another reason im glad i got it on steam...

SaII · 08-23-07

it'll be even worse when you have to call securom
http://www.overclock.net/video-game-...es-you-go.html

Anth0789 · 08-23-07

Better off just getting it from steam instead

pheoxs · 08-23-07

This is a repost ... and read the other thread its not as horrible as you think

Edit: http://www.overclock.net/video-game-...twice-but.html

Heru · 08-23-07

Quote:

draconian obstacles

lol!

God.. what crap. They are actually encouraging the crackers. Reverse psychology for the FAIL.

Modki · 08-23-07

I was talking to a friend about Bioshock's registration, activation, and all that and he tells me "Haha that sucks, the copy I downloaded illegally works great."

DRM - 0
Hackers - 1937123

ElMikeTheMike · 08-23-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Modki

DRM - 0
Hackers - 1937123

word to big bird.

Kramy · 08-23-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by pheoxs

This is a repost ... and read the other thread its not as horrible as you think

Edit: http://www.overclock.net/video-game-...twice-but.html

No. This is not a repost. This says that their uninstall fails.

Read this thread. It's worse than you think.

Jarhead · 08-24-07

So if I like the game and want to support the publisher/design studio I should buy it. Fair enough.

But if I also want to play it without jumping through hoops, but still support the studio, hmmm. It's like theres a solution staring me right in the face.

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PC Gamer: Bioshock Activation Sucks! Bring on the hackers!

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