Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

Red Alert 3 is a great game with fun units, a strong campaign, great multiplayer elements, and fantastic acting and production values. A lot of effort was clearly put into it and I give the developers all the credit in the world.

I played this game on a friend's computer and did not purchase it myself, and in fact cancelled my pre-order for the reasons I give below.

Unfortunately, I cannot give this game a positive review due to the actions of the publisher, Electronic Arts, in including the dangerous SecuROM software that is installed during installation of the game. This software, SecuROM 7.xx, does not uninstall when the game is uninstalled and will provide security loopholes as well as preventing legitimate CD burning or emulation software from functioning, as well as potentially causing other documented errors. I refuse to install software which is effectively rentware and that does nothing but punish its legitimate customers.

Red Alert 3 has already been pirated and is freely available on multiple torrent sites. At least twenty thousand people are downloading it as I write this review. I will not pirate it myself; but I refuse to provide my money to a company that treats me like a pirate. I will go without. SecuROM, by this very fact, has been proven useless. EA has had major backlash on this issue before with Spore and has not learned its lesson. We shall see if it ever does.

Here are the facts:

Electronic Arts Says:
"Authorization limits
... you are limited to five authorizations. So what's an authorization? The first time you actually run the game on a machine, we will authorize that machine. If you reach the authorization limit, the game will not run on a new machine. If you make major changes to the computer (switching out multiple pieces of hardware, install a new OS, etc.) you might need to reauthorize the machine."

What they don't mention here is that a "major change" to your computer can be quite a bit less than changing out multiple pieces of hardware. In fact, changing a keyboard, mouse, or joystick or any number of USB devices could be regarded as a "major change". Upgrading drivers for you sound or video card might be a major change. The rules are not defined and you will not know for sure what may or may not use up an authorization.

So if you use up all of your Authorizations? Electronic Arts says:
"Just give us a call...
If you had a run of bad luck, some hardware failures, a botched OS install, your notebook was stolen, you spilled a coke on your keyboard - you get the idea - and all five of your authorizations have been used up, just give us a call. We'll work with you and provide as many additional authorizations as are appropriate."

What they fail to mention here is that calling Electronic Arts for technical support is not free. You will be charged 2.50/minute plus any toll charges.

Now consider the idea that you have bought 5 Electronic Arts games over time and one by one they all run out of authorizations. When the authorizations start running out, do you honestly want to call EA every time you make a hardware change to ask them to allow you to play a game you already paid for? What a hassle!

Please don't buy this game; don't support this kind of DRM scheme. I don't know if this scheme is to prevent used-game resales or if they really believe it makes a dent in piracy. It doesn't matter why, they are going too far and punishing the honest consumer, so it's time to punish their sales.

I think Secu-ROM has been beaten to death and dragged through the mud enough for this latest botched game from EA.

If it wasn't bad enough that I was told I would be limited to 5 authorizations, the CD-KEY was invalid and I couldn't even install the game.. EA's offer to fix this? Tough Luck, you can try guessing every key from 0-9, or a A to z Z.

So I decided to confront the developers only to be told that if I didn't tone down my questions that I would be banned from the forum. Then it was later released that if you are banned from voicing your opinion, that you would also be banned from any future or past EA games you own.

Do not buy or support these sleazy, horrible people.