While Amazon insists it’s just a technical error, scores of anti-DRM comments have disappeared from its web site, according to UK Tech site The Register,
Amazon.com customers are once again accusing the online retailer of removing video game reviews that criticize the use of SecuROM Digital Rights Management (DRM).
The site says unfavorable reviews aren’t being censored, claiming they have accidentally been removed due to a “technical glitch” in automated filtering.
Electronic Arts expansion to the game Crysis, called Crysis Warhead, has recently been hammered in Amazon’s customer review section in protest of its use of the maligned SecuROM copy protection. A vast majority of reviews (at publication, 78%) give the game a 1-star rating. A good many forgo an actual critique of the game itself in favor of simply deriding the DRM.
If Amazon can’t manage its comments right, what does that say about the reliability of their cloud? Or trusting them with your data?
I take Amazon at their word. Now, they just need to explain how this particular filter came about in the first place. After that, how it accidentally got applied will be reasonable and believable.
I for one do not look at the reviews for a commentary on the DRM from people who do not own the game. I say if you want to post a commentary find a games forum unless it takes away from the game play filter out these crap non reviews.
@Bubb: Comment system is there to help customers make a proper decision about purchase of the game. Knowing about extraordinary DRM issues can help one decide if the game is worth spending money on. Hence, selective filtering of DRM-related comments is completely inappropriate.
In practice: I personally skipped Spore purchase due to DRM issue and comments posted. Although somewhat informed about DRM they used I was not aware of the scale and methods used. Hence, those pesky anti-DRM comments on Amazon helped me not to waste my money.
What Amazon ought to do is limit all postings to people that have bought the product from them.
Dusan, I personally skipped actually buying spore because #1 the game totally sucked, and #2 the DRM is totally out of control.
DRM on games especially has now become one of the main factors I consider when making a purchase. I almost bought Sacred 2 recently but kept my money in my pocket when I found out how onerous the DRM scheme was.
1-Disk must be in the drive to play
2-Online ‘activation’
3-Serial key checks
4-Only 2 activations allowed, so tough shit if your PC totally crashes and you need to reinstall, if you didn’t get the chance to perform a ‘managed uninstall’ which will give you one of the 2 activations back, and good luck trying to contact the game publisher to remedy the situation.
I completely despise being treated like a criminal when I actually want to pay for the game. I might as well just pirate it as they seem to believe I’m doing that anyway, and at least I won’t be harassed by their crappy DRM if I just get it off teh torrentz.
Its the same with my HD and bluray movies, I had to get a copy of AnyDVD simply to play the movies (all originals) on my PC because PowerDVD and WinDVD both bitch about me not having a secure HDCP path even when I do, and won’t even do a thing with more recent movies like Indy IV.
DRM is killing games, and will kill movies.
I agree with what was posted. DRM and similiar schemes are a good reason not to buy a product. Removing commnets about them means I don’t know unti after I get cheated.
#4 I have no problem with people reporting on the DRM issues I just have a problem with the essential flaming of reviews. I too did rethink my spore purchase due to the onerous DRM, it is one thing to report and another to flame.
#6, Deoll,
Removing commnets about them means I don’t know unti after I get cheated.
Very similar to your voting for McCain.
So buy the damn game on Steam. End of problem.
If Amazon were smart, they would create a separate area for rating any media’s DRM system.
If Amazon were smart, they would disclose the info in the product descriptions…