EA investigating Spore login problems

By Tom Bramwell Published 5 September, 2008

You're not really invalid.

EA is currently investigating login problems affecting the online side of Spore, which finally went on sale today after 6 billion years in development.

Gamers who got hold of the game early-doors have been unable to login for want of some sort of validation code.

"We are aware that many of you are having login problems with Spore. This is being investigated so please bear with us!" a spokesperson wrote on the official forum.

"I installed mine this morning, but it won't let me online because the validation code is not valid for this product, or some such ballyhoo," said Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead, who bought the game via digital distribution so he could play it today.

"Which is weird, because I don't even have a validation code, nor have I been asked to enter one. I've tried it with both my previous Spore account and a new one, and it happens each time." Thanks Dan. (This is cheaper than vox pop.)

We rang EA to find out what's going on and have been told we'll get a call back shortly, so we'll let you know.

Spore is available now for PC and we spoke highly of it in yesterday's Spore review. It's jolly good when it works, promise.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • hula hoops #1 3 years ago

    Bought one on my way to work this morning ... can't wait to get on it.

    Sounds and looks very interesting.
    Edited by 1 at 05/09/08 @ 15:18

  • Rowlsten #2 3 years ago

    Ive just moved into a new house and haven't got internet yet, i should of held off buying this for a couple of weeks :(

    This didn't hit me until i read 'requires internet connection' on the box, despite me knowing its greatly internet based.

  • dsmx #3 3 years ago

    YEt another reason why the pirated version is better to go along with the pointless securom.

  • Derblington #4 3 years ago

    Why, can you register the pirated version?

  • Frosty840 #5 3 years ago

    Well, at least I know that that's not going to be a problem for me...

    ... 'cause my DVD drive simply won't read the securom'd disc and so I can't even install the game.

    THANKS, EA! You big bunch of fucks.

  • chrisjm #6 3 years ago

    speaking of login problems EG is having lots of server errors here....

  • dsmx #7 3 years ago

    The pirated version is identical to the retail release except for the fact that they add a crack to it to stop securom from working.

  • DanWhitehead #8 3 years ago

    This didn't hit me until i read 'requires internet connection' on the box, despite me knowing its greatly internet based.

    You can still play the whole game offline, you just won't get other people's creations populating your planets.

  • Derblington #9 3 years ago

    "The pirated version is identical to the retail release except for the fact that they add a crack to it to stop securom from working."
    So the pirated version isn't any different as you won't be able to register with that either. So you're talking bollocks...

  • DanWhitehead #10 3 years ago

    Plus, you know, the pirated version is very naughty.

  • hiddenranbir #11 3 years ago

    Plus the fun and excitement is seeing your universe populated with all the user created content. Cheering gleefully when you see one of your own and curiously watching how all of them interact.

  • Gearskin #12 3 years ago

    Pissed off. Was so looking forward to this, built over 20 creatures over the last few months, pre-ordered the Galactic Edition... and the fucker won't log in due to this code error >:(

  • Kannan7 #13 3 years ago

    Is this only happening to people who bought the game early?

  • perseus424 #14 3 years ago

    i also had this problem, i hope they solve it soon

  • byron_hinson #15 3 years ago

    Got the problem stating I have entered an invalid registration key - yet I got the EA Store download which doesn't even have on so....

  • Ryuken #16 3 years ago

    Problem solved now, for me at least.

  • DanWhitehead #17 3 years ago

    Yeah, it's fixed now.

  • Vedfolner #18 3 years ago

    dsmx -> Of course you really have to buy the original. Will Wright has created something truly original here, something that doesn't happen too often these days, you've got to support that kind af creativity. As for the registration problems - well, that shouldn't happen. However, Spore is hardly the first game to experience serverproblems on launch day and the problem was fixed very quickly. Love the game.

  • KreyAtiv #19 3 years ago

    I had the same problem in the early hours or the release day. By the night however I could log in fine without any problems.

  • Windsong #20 3 years ago

    Colossal disappointment of a game. I guess I was expecting something for adults..but after playing a few stages, this game is a kids game. Not something for 30yr olds who know what a great game entails. Baldurs Gate 2..now that was a great game. Star Control II, Fear, Planescape, Fallout. Yeah, apples and oranges, but damn...Spore just screams FUCKING HYPE MACHINE. Waste of money.

    At least Far Cry 2 and Dragon Age are around the cornet.

  • booner #21 3 years ago

    Spent 9 hours playing yesterday, worth every penny of my money. Bring on Spore 2 :D

  • Stupid_Fat_Hobbit #22 3 years ago

    Far be it from me to suggest anyone on the internet should know what they're talking about before spouting off, but maybe you should try playing more than "a few stages", Windsong? According to most of the reviews I've read, the space stage is where most of the game actually is.

  • actionfitz #23 3 years ago

    [link url=http://kotaku.com/5046552/amazon-revi ewers-do-not-take-kindly-to-spores-drm
    ]http://ko taku.com/5046552/amazon-reviewe...[/link]

    "Despite some early, Germanic hiccups, Spore seems to be going down quite well with both the reviewing and buying public at large. Oh, except the kids over at Amazon. Despite enjoying the game itself, they've bombarded the game with 1-star reviews, as backlash for EA's insistence on using the awful Securom anti-piracy measures, which limit the number of times you can install a game on your PC"...

    follow the link for the rest
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/08 @ 18:40