EA allows SecuROM de-authorisation

By Oli Welsh Published 1 April, 2009

Free up installation on new machines.

EA has released a de-authorisation tool for its controversial SecuROM digital rights management system.

SecuROM-protected games only allow installation on up to five PCs. Although this is not being changed, the new tool allows you to de-authorise particular machines on the list, thus freeing up "slots" for new installations on other computers.

In fact, de-authorisation needs to be done with game-specific tools, but EA has also made a de-authorisation management tool available. This will show all EA PC games released after May 2008 that are installed on your machine, and tell you how many computer authorisations you have available for each.

De-authorisation doesn't uninstall the game, so it can be re-activated later if you have a free slot just by running it.

Affected games include Spore, Mirror's Edge, Mass Effect, Burnout Paradise, Dead Space and Red Alert 3.

Picture of Oli.

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.

You may also like...

Comments (19) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • superjag86 #1 3 years ago

    EA +1

  • AphoticCosmos #2 3 years ago

    EA ♥

  • Jasugun #3 3 years ago

    At first i thought it was a fake on April fool's day but no, this actually works....

  • JonFE #4 3 years ago

    How very thoughtful of EA, although they sure picked the wrong date to announce it :)

  • TheWretched #5 3 years ago

    Too little too late... sorry EA, but you had your chance a long time ago, but you didn't take it then!

  • Eraysor #6 3 years ago

    EA receives an internet cookie.

  • sneetch #7 3 years ago

    /swoons with surprise

    Oh my! Oh my sainted aunt! My poor heart!

    Glad to hear this as I just picked up Crysis and I assume it has this DRM pants too.
    Edited by sneetch at 01/04/09 @ 10:44

  • Rodster #8 3 years ago

    Those EA bastards forgot to add FIFA Manager 09 to the list. :p

  • Ryze #9 3 years ago

    Oh sh*t! They realized that no one wants to buy their games on PC anymore!

  • Bitkari #10 3 years ago

    *golf clap

    Just remove the horror-drm properly and be done with it.

    It's costing you money, not saving it, EA.

  • Rirekon #11 3 years ago

    I uninstalled Spore as soon as I found it the way this stuff worked and purged SecuROM from my machine. Not bought an EA PC title since and won't do until I'm confident they won't try this shit with me again.

  • StooMonster #12 3 years ago

    I buy their games on PC, and would get more if they offered them via Steam. Dead Space at 2560x1600 with tonnes of effects, Mirrors Edge at same 2K resolution but with the PhysX support, Mass Effect again at 2K resolution with maxed out effects and superior navigation, even Spore which isn't a personal favourite of mine is better on PC than on so-called HD consoles.

    I think this is a pretty good move by EA, and hope that we are moving into the end days of obstructive DRM that punishes legitimate customers so that freetard pirates get a better experience.

  • 4thVariety #13 3 years ago

    EA cutting back DRM on April 1st? Sounds like leaving the back door open.

  • paketep #14 3 years ago

    Not enough.

    Not until they take the shit out of all of their games.

  • sneetch #15 3 years ago

    @StooMonster
    I buy their games on PC, and would get more if they offered them via Steam.

    They do, at least Mirror's Edge, Crysis and Dead Space, I can't think of other EA games atm (although overpriced for the most part).

    This de-authorisation system also undoes any real problems I had with their DRM: now it's possible to do so without going cap in hand to EA's customer support I find I've no religious views on the subject as DRM has not caused me not a single moment of trouble one way or the other.

    For all the "I'm not buying anything until they remove all DRM" people: nose, your, face, cutting-off, spite, your, to. Rearrange the words to get a well-known expression. :p
    Edited by sneetch at 01/04/09 @ 15:16

  • Feanor #16 3 years ago

    I got Burnout and Dead Space thru Steam last month.

  • MattyD #17 3 years ago

    @Dream

    This tool won't remove the DRM completely and you'll still need the DRM and a working internet connection to play your games. What it does is frees up unused 'tickets' related to your copy of the game (each game license allows five 'tickets'), which in effect means you can install and uninstall as much as you want on your own computer/s.

    Far be it for me to stick up for DRM but the common notion that you were limited to installing / uninstalling each game a certain number of times is a myth and always has been. If you install the game it created a 'ticket' for your machine, which would still be valid if you uninstalled and re-installed again later. The ticket system was intended to let you install it on multiple PCs, so you could say play it at work on your lunch break. The problem was that if you made any changes to your hardware the ticket became invalid, so after say upgrading your RAM and adding a new HDD you're be two tickets down.

  • smelly #18 3 years ago

    LOL!

    I find it funny that people go on about DRM being evil.. then say that they download it via steam..

    sigh

  • Sunyavadin #19 3 years ago

    Too late EA. After being unable to play half of those games AT ALL due to Securom being so badly broken, I just cracked them.