BioShock 2 PC DRM explained

By Oli Welsh Published 22 January, 2010

Infinite installs, limited activations.

2K community manager Elizabeth Tobey has been busy on the label's forums (via VG247), clearing up exactly what form the digital rights protection on the PC version of BioShock 2 is going to take.

BioShock 2 uses the infamous SecuROM DRM system, but as a disc check for boxed copies only. "That is its only use," Tobey said, and following an incorrect posting on Steam clarified that it would set no limit to the number of installations, or the number of computers it can be installed on.

However, the game also uses Microsoft's Games for Windows Live platform, and this, Tobey said, only allows it to be activated 15 times. If you use all those up, you should be able to get the key reset by contacting Microsoft.

"This is a number set by Microsoft. We went with this option because we wanted to go with non-SSA keys, because we felt that was better for you guys all around," she said.

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • towser #1 2 years ago

    /gets popcorn

  • LiveForever #2 2 years ago

    "it would set no limit to the number of installations" "GFWL only allows it to be activated 15 times"

    This is not really important, I just like how people contradict themselfs.
    This game is gona be easily pirated.

    I would think that developers purposly do this so that you buy the console version. As Always sad day for Pc.
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 14:25

  • chukcyQ #3 2 years ago

    Just wait for a few days after the game is out and you can "activate" the game as many times as you want. By downloading a "patch".

  • AJGB #4 2 years ago

    Bring back code wheels!

  • jonfon #5 2 years ago

    Games for Windows Live

    Why? Just why. What does it actually do?

    "Bring back code wheels!"
    Or those hideous multicoloured charts Jet-Set Willy used to use.

  • Red-Moose #6 2 years ago

    Ah yes, the piracy cold war continues.......

  • 5h1nj1 #7 2 years ago

    AFAIK it was already corrected, you have only 5 activations, not 15. Probably a typo in the original report. Anyway, they won't get my money for this. Activations? Forced GFWL? Securom? I shall pay for THAT? No way.

    edit: Ok, the rules were changed again. Not much better though. It would seem, they don't know the exact protection specifications themselves.
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 10:16

  • Meho #8 2 years ago

    I'm starting to think I won't be buying this game after all...

  • abigsmurf #9 2 years ago

    A disc check? In this day and age?

    I don't want to search for a disc to play.

  • space_ace #10 2 years ago

    shocking

  • cianchristopher #11 2 years ago

    DRM has never worked - every single PC game ever made has been/will be pirated..

    The worst example is 3rd party DRM on Steam games - completely, utterly, incomprehensibly pointless and ridiculous...

    Kinda goes against Steam's official selling point of "games not being tied to your computer, but to your account. Download and install anywhere"....
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 10:12

  • ignatiusjreilly #12 2 years ago

    So...

    *The Steam description says SecuROM included but the community manager says it isn't being used
    *Page says 5 activations but community manager says no limit on activations (then changes her mind to 15 activations);
    *Page says nothing about restricing online play but GFWL means you can't play online in 166 countries

    It wouldn't be so bad if they were just clear about this stuff from the beginning. That thread is 45 pages long and people are still trying to figure out exactly what is involved.

    edit Even this news story says "no limit to the number of installations" and one paragraph later says "only allows it to be activated 15 times". It's a total mess.
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 10:55

  • kar #13 2 years ago

    I intend to buy this on steam but it is a little confusing what's going on.

    Also, is anyone else annoyed at the 50 different places you get 'achievements' on PC? I have games for windows, steam, dragons age, and soon blizzard's battle.net.

    It's getting a little silly.

    Also, how many DRM mechanisms do we need? If you buy a game off steam, it should use steam DRM. If you buy a disc, it should use something else.

    PC gaming is suffering a bit because of this shotgun approach developers are taking.

  • hello_fi #14 2 years ago

    Should have thought about this before you all started pirating every game released.

    pcgaminglol

  • shadowaspect #15 2 years ago

    Nice one, hello_fi. Any other generalisations you feel the need to throw around?

    On topic, I don't like Securom, but do like GfWL, although it does still need work.

  • ignatiusjreilly #16 2 years ago

    @hello_fi

    The ones who did the pirating won't have to worry about the hassle this causes. Any problems that might arise will affect paying customers only.

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #17 2 years ago

    LiveForever and ignatiusjreilly - I'm not saying this thing isn't a mess, but installations and activations are different things. So it's not a contradiction - not technically, anyway. (Obviously an un-activated installation would be pretty pointless, though.)

  • rayscoota #18 2 years ago

    I dont really see what the problem is.. seems fine for me in this age of cracking down on anti piracy. I think some of you are just making more out of this than is really there

  • cianchristopher #19 2 years ago

    It has pretty much reached the point now where the best way to get your PC games is to pirate them - as those versions have the most features (if you count "not having to worry about DRM/activations" as an important feature, which I do).

    I've never pirated a game, but this is getting ridiculous... Tages, StarForce, SecuRom, activations, revoke tools, no revoke tools, "call the helpline", monthly activations,GfWL activations, 3rd party DRM on Steam (which is itself DRM), DRM on top of DRM, DRM embedded within DRM, etc. etc. etc.

    Who the fuck keeps sanctioning this shit?

  • FortysixterUK #20 2 years ago

    It will get hacked simply because they put this kind of protection on it anyways.
    And I say " good", who the hell do they think they are limiting access to a game that they want you to pay money for ?

  • cianchristopher #21 2 years ago

    Can anyone explain to me the sense in having limited activations on Steam? A program where I'm supposed to be able to download and install as often as I like!

    Can anyone expain the sense in tht to me?

  • speedmarque #22 2 years ago

    PC gaming has found a middle ground, disk check. We are educating the companies with our purchases, this is the only way they will learn. Evidently 2k is the "slow pupil" in the class. They will learn or they will suffer, badly.

    I cant wait for mass effect 2 next week, EA's getting £40 off me for the PC collector's edition. If they had applied any additional DRM they would have lost this money. It would have been the same with dragon age.

    I do really, really want to play Bioshock 2, but not enough to contribute to a violation of my rights as a consumer.

  • ignatiusjreilly #23 2 years ago

    I'm not saying this thing isn't a mess, but installations and activations are different things. So it's not a contradiction - not technically, anyway. (Obviously an un-activated installation would be pretty pointless, though.)

    True, but why would they use this type of ambiguous and obfuscating language? They have a community manager (who to her credit is very involved) who makes a post to clear things up and says there is no limit on installations, which is technically true but in practice completely untrue.

    Do you think they are purposely trying to confuse the issue so that people don't know what's going on, or they are just very bad at getting their message across?

    I cant wait for mass effect 2 next week, EA's getting £40 off me for the PC collector's edition. If they had applied any additional DRM they would have lost this money. It would have been the same with dragon age.

    Same here. I just bought Mass Effect 2 last night, but at the moment I wouldn't consider buying Bioshock 2 out of principle. I swear some game publishers think people just say this sort of thing on the internet, but I would like to tell them that we really do exist.
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 11:28

  • cianchristopher #24 2 years ago

    I agree - of course there's no limit on installations - but what good is that if you need to activate the game to play it and there is a limit on activations???

    Logically speaking, there is a limit on you playing the game that they've sold you...

    Fucking insane, this shit is, insane......

  • Nephirion #25 2 years ago

    BioShock 2 uses the infamous SecuROM DRM system, but as a disc check for boxed copies only. "That is its only use,"

    or alternatively the no-cd crack that will undoubtedly appear before or on the day of retail launch.

  • speedmarque #26 2 years ago

    @Nephirion

    My problem is not with securom (this time), my problem is with games for windows live. No matter how you look at it that system is a complete mess. Something like 166 countries not supported, lagging multi player, limited on-line activations, having to purchase things with "Microsoft points", having to log in to SAVE MY GAME, having to load a buggy resource hog every time I want to start my game, problems with shared networks...the list goes on and on.

    I will say it again, DISK CHECK ONLY. There are vastly superior multi player solutions out there, so that is no excuse either.

  • ignatiusjreilly #27 2 years ago

    The GFWL thing is just ridiculous. At least with SecuROM they can point to piracy as the reason for its inclusion, but why include an extra layer of software that 90% of PC gamers wish would just curl up and die?

    The only possible reason can be that Microsoft pays them or otherwise bribes them to include it.

  • GamesConnoisseur #28 2 years ago

    I get it that innocent people who would pay the game but get to put up with DRM hassles and people who pirates doesn't!

    But we all including the piracy users need to accept OUR responsibilty in this part, I will put up with it as a necessary evil and people who put us to this needs to be lined up and shot!

    Developers and Publishers just need to protect their investment, otherwise we ll eventually end up with cultural deserts and freebies, shovelwares.

  • ignatiusjreilly #29 2 years ago

    @GamesConnoisseur

    I would agree with you if it weren't for two things:

    1 - The protection doesn't work. Paying customers are the ones complaining, not the pirates. The only thing it stops is you lending the physical disc to your friends.
    2 - People are downloading the Xbox 360 version as we speak, not the PC version, and console users don't have to jump through these hoops.

    I wouldn't be surprised if some of this awkward DRM comes to consoles in the next generation. The only good thing about that is that they will finally see what PC gamers put up with, and we might get a bit more support for our cause instead of the accusations of whining and "you deserve it" that we tend to see now.
    Edited by 2 at 22/01/10 @ 12:46

  • DaemonSpawn #30 2 years ago

    Now they reduced number of activations from 15 to just 5. Great. And if I buy game from Steam, I'll get Steam + online securom + Games For Windows Live (which is not supported in my country, so I still have to pretend I'm a yankee) - that makes me happiest PC gamer ever! My money went to EA/Bioware for Mass Effect 2 DD edition, and I bet Bioshock 2 iso will arive to pirate bay just after the release if not before. Suck it down, 2k.
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 12:51

  • Sunyavadin #31 2 years ago

    BioShock 2 uses the infamous SecuROM DRM system, a completely worthless, easily bypassed system which serves to give Sony other publishers' money by tricking executives who don't know better into shelling out for this placebo. "That is its only use," Tobey said

    Fixed it for ya.

  • makeamazing #32 2 years ago

    The problem is people are pirating PC games left right and center, so they have to implement some form of DRM, only problem is, its cracked usually before it comes out... i really dont know why they dont just release it on steam only and be done with it, that would sort alot of problems out.

  • chiz #33 2 years ago

    Another game I'll be buying and using the cracked exe, because the publisher assumes I'm a pirate.

  • X3Entente #34 2 years ago

    beyond consumer rights, theres a wider issue of aesthetics. I do not want to see the sterile shiny gfwl banner shit staining the rustic steam punk design on the box. And when im immersing my self in raptures art deco splendor, i dont want to see a silvery achivements pop up. They should at least create custom shells for each game, that way theyll at least partially alleviate the way gfwl can gate crash a games art direction, see fall out 3.

  • the_mtfr #35 2 years ago

    They say don't worry it's just to use the DRM as disc check? That's also a problem! I bought The Witcher Enhanced Edition and very happy at the time, I installed it but it didn't want to run because Atari's bullshit DRM failed and didn't recognize the disc was genuine. I almost broke something in the house, but luckily I found that CDProjekt released a patch that removed the disc check. Otherwise I couldn't have played my fucking genuine game.

    That's when I was so pissed I actually got up my ass and made a list of DRM-free games that people can trust won't give headaches:

    http://my .opera.com/MtFR/blog/drm-free-p...
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 16:44

  • Shakey_Jake33 #36 2 years ago

    Legitimate customers don't have any 'responsibility', because they are exactly that - legitmate. At the same time, my mate who pirates all of his games gets to play it right off of the bat. Pirates are not their customers.

    Let us know when you get rid of the finite activations, 2K!

  • actionfitz #37 2 years ago

    "BioShock 2 uses the infamous SecuROM DRM system"

    fuck that then.
    Xbox copy incoming.

  • immateriaux #38 2 years ago

    I wouldn't trust a word from that Elizabeth woman after the last fiasco, and after been banned from their forum, peremptorily, without warning, for referring to her as "Mrs Bubbles". As a joke. Anyhow, the only way I'd play this was if it was a pirate copy, there's no way I'm going to go back to all that hassle again with the PC versions. There's DRM in action for you.
    Edited by 1 at 22/01/10 @ 18:33

  • sarcasmoidosis #39 2 years ago

    If it had one (yes, one, as in 1) installation on one PC that would delete itself from the HDD upon completion, kick my butt afterward and post nude pics of me on Facebook and I'm still buying this.

    But SecuRom is a joke. The only person that SecuRom stops from cracking the game is a person that doesn't try.

  • Killerbee #40 2 years ago

    GFWL and SecuROM?!

    That's cruel and unusual punishment for PC gamers, surely. Looks like I may get this (if it's good) on a console when it hits the bargain bins then...

  • ChaK #41 2 years ago

    you guys realize you're making up escuse for pirating the game right?

    they put DRM so we pirate it. W T F, seriously.

    I mean they spent hours & hours, money... in the game, they listened to players to make it better. They made an awesome game (based on the 10 first reviews), and because they put DRM to try to protect their product you'll steal it.

    What the hell. Grow up.

    Sure I don't like this system, but can't you understand they don't want it to be stolen?

    That's pathetic, stop justifying this piracy.

    Oh, and yeah, GFWL isn't great, but I don't get the problem with it.

    Either buy it, or not, but don't steal it because of that, it's killing the industry
    Edited by 1 at 23/01/10 @ 08:45

  • Caimbeul #42 2 years ago

    "Not another fucking GfWL game."

    Get a grip, there is nothing wrong with it.

  • MrCrun #43 2 years ago

    I bought the Bioshock Collector's Edition with the model Big Daddy. I installed it on XP, then I tried the Win7 beta 32 bit. I bought more ram and set up a dual boot system with XP and 64 bit 7. I installed the game on XP first and tried and failed to install on 7. Then I found out about the DRM and that I had run out of activations. So I bought it on Steam. Then I found out that Steam had the DRM too.

    I'm not "making up" reasons to pirate. You might say I should have done research into the DRM but a lot of people (people who don't identify themselves as a "gamer";) don't even research the game. They buy what they think looks cool. I should not have to check that I will be allowed to play a game I own.

    I will be buying Mass Effect.

  • Sarlix #44 2 years ago

    "you should be able to get the key reset by contacting Microsoft." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HA!

  • Rubarack #45 2 years ago

    I hate hate hate GFWL. After being presented with a blank screen for 40 minutes while it patched itself on Dawn of War 2, and not being able to play Arkham Asylum when my modem went down because it wants a permanent online connection for access to your savegames I'm not playing any other game using it. If it's good enough I'll buy a copy that can stay in the cellophane and pirate a version I can actually play.

  • immateriaux #46 2 years ago

    @Chak, that's the kind of blatantly simplistic, and pretty much moronic, view that is the one killing the industry.

  • obscured021 #47 2 years ago

    I had loads of issues with the DMR on launch day where it would not let me start the game, and again after i upgraded and changed my system a few times, "yo ho blow the dead man down" i can see the pirates having a field day on this one and i dont blame them.

  • actionfitz #48 2 years ago

    "However, the game also uses Microsoft's Games for Windows Live platform, and this, Tobey said, only allows it to be activated 15 times. If you use all those up"...

    ... you should be able to get the key reset by calling an apathetic Microsoft callcenter employee who wont know what the fuck you are on about, to try to convince them that you are not a Thief.

    "because we felt that was better for you guys all around," she said."

    Lovely!