Electronic Arts: Difference between revisions

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{{Hatnote|Further reading: ''[[Spore (game)]]''}}

''Spore'' retains a historical 1.7+ million pirated copies,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Andres |date=21 Jun 2024 |title=How many times was Spore pirated? |url=https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=ncesc.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250414054642/https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |archive-date=14 Apr 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Van der Sar |first=Ernesto |date=13 Sep 2008 |title=Spore: Most Pirated Game Ever Thanks to DRM |url=https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=TorrentFreak |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260130152354/https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2026}}</ref> directly related to EA's use of [[SecuROM]].<ref name=":0" /> In more recent years, ''Spore'''s server access was locked down to EA accounts,<ref name=":1">[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 How to Connect to Spore Servers (Steam/GOG/EA App)] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])</ref> mostly because of free [[Steam]] key exploit. This has led to various problems for legitimate consumers who wanted to play the iconic game and its sibling ''Darkspore,'' since according to guides,<ref name=":1" /> users could only have a singular install of the game on any device, were required to have an EA account using an alphanumeric password, and needed a CD key to redeem on the user's EA account. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])<ref>[https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Spore - How to get access to online features] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250802014736/https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Archived])</ref> This has brought concern among the community, leading to community-developed tools to circumvent these server problems.<ref>[https://sporecommunity.com/ Spore Community Hub] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260105100840/https://sporecommunity.com/ Archived])</ref>

''Spore'' retains a historical 1.7+ million pirated copies,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Andres |date=21 Jun 2024 |title=How many times was Spore pirated? |url=https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=ncesc.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250414054642/https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |archive-date=14 Apr 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Van der Sar |first=Ernesto |date=13 Sep 2008 |title=Spore: Most Pirated Game Ever Thanks to DRM |url=https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=TorrentFreak |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260130152354/https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2026}}</ref> directly related to EA's use of [[SecuROM]].<ref name=":0" /> In more recent years, ''Spore'''s server access was locked down to EA accounts,<ref name=":1">[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 How to Connect to Spore Servers (Steam/GOG/EA App)] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])</ref> mostly because of free [[Steam]] key exploit. This has led to various problems for legitimate consumers who wanted to play the iconic game and its sibling ''Darkspore,'' since according to guides,<ref name=":1" /> users could only have a singular install of the game on any device, were required to have an EA account (see also [[Forced account]]) using an alphanumeric password, and needed a CD key to redeem on the user's EA account. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])<ref>[https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Spore - How to get access to online features] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250802014736/https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Archived])</ref> This has brought concern among the community, leading to community-developed tools to circumvent these server problems.<ref>[https://sporecommunity.com/ Spore Community Hub] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260105100840/https://sporecommunity.com/ Archived])</ref>

===License exclusivity===

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The open beta of Battlefield 6 imposes strict requirements on the computer hardware people use to play the game, which caused discontent among the player base.

=== The Sims 4 Maker Program ===

===The Sims 4 Maker Program===

On March 3rd 2026, EA announced The Sims Maker Program<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-03 |title=The Sims Maker Program |url=https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/maker-program |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260310180351/https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4/news/the-sims-maker-program-and-marketplace |archive-date=2026-03-10 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=EA.com}}</ref>, allowing independent custom content creators to publish and sell their works through The Sims 4 Marketplace. With this change, the company introduced [[microtransactions]] into the game, and the actual creators make only 30% of revenue, remaining 70% going into EA. At the same time, their official mod policy<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-25 |title=The Sims 4 Policy on Mods |url=https://help.ea.com/en/articles/the-sims/the-sims-4/mods-policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260310135202/https://help.ea.com/en/articles/the-sims/the-sims-4/mods-policy/ |archive-date=2026-03-10 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=EA.com}}</ref> (presumably for unaffiliated creators) mandates that "Mods must be non-commercial and distributed free of charge".

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 {{Hatnote|Further reading: ''[[Spore (game)]]''}}<!-- I believe there is far more controversy to document inside a dedicated article. I also recommend mentioning Darkspore and Spore Adventures, since both of these are directly affected by what EA does with Spore itself. -->
-''Spore'' retains a historical 1.7+ million pirated copies,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Andres |date=21 Jun 2024 |title=How many times was Spore pirated? |url=https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=ncesc.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250414054642/https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |archive-date=14 Apr 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Van der Sar |first=Ernesto |date=13 Sep 2008 |title=Spore: Most Pirated Game Ever Thanks to DRM |url=https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=TorrentFreak |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260130152354/https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2026}}</ref> directly related to EA's use of [[SecuROM]].<ref name=":0" /> In more recent years, ''Spore'''s server access was locked down to EA accounts,<ref name=":1">[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 How to Connect to Spore Servers (Steam/GOG/EA App)] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])</ref> mostly because of free [[Steam]] key exploit. This has led to various problems for legitimate consumers who wanted to play the iconic game and its sibling ''Darkspore,'' since according to guides,<ref name=":1" /> users could only have a singular install of the game on any device, were required to have an EA account using an alphanumeric password, and needed a CD key to redeem on the user's EA account. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])<ref>[https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Spore - How to get access to online features] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250802014736/https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Archived])</ref> This has brought concern among the community, leading to community-developed tools to circumvent these server problems.<ref>[https://sporecommunity.com/ Spore Community Hub] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260105100840/https://sporecommunity.com/ Archived])</ref>
+''Spore'' retains a historical 1.7+ million pirated copies,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Andres |date=21 Jun 2024 |title=How many times was Spore pirated? |url=https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=ncesc.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250414054642/https://www.ncesc.com/gaming-pedia/how-many-times-was-spore-pirated/ |archive-date=14 Apr 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Van der Sar |first=Ernesto |date=13 Sep 2008 |title=Spore: Most Pirated Game Ever Thanks to DRM |url=https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=TorrentFreak |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260130152354/https://torrentfreak.com/spore-most-pirated-game-ever-thanks-to-drm-080913/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2026}}</ref> directly related to EA's use of [[SecuROM]].<ref name=":0" /> In more recent years, ''Spore'''s server access was locked down to EA accounts,<ref name=":1">[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 How to Connect to Spore Servers (Steam/GOG/EA App)] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])</ref> mostly because of free [[Steam]] key exploit. This has led to various problems for legitimate consumers who wanted to play the iconic game and its sibling ''Darkspore,'' since according to guides,<ref name=":1" /> users could only have a singular install of the game on any device, were required to have an EA account (see also [[Forced account]]) using an alphanumeric password, and needed a CD key to redeem on the user's EA account. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109104720/https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=582350678 Archived])<ref>[https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Spore - How to get access to online features] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250802014736/https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002333209-Spore-How-to-get-access-to-online-features?product=gog Archived])</ref> This has brought concern among the community, leading to community-developed tools to circumvent these server problems.<ref>[https://sporecommunity.com/ Spore Community Hub] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260105100840/https://sporecommunity.com/ Archived])</ref>
 ===License exclusivity===
@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 The open beta of Battlefield 6 imposes strict requirements on the computer hardware people use to play the game, which caused discontent among the player base.
-=== The Sims 4 Maker Program ===
+===The Sims 4 Maker Program===
 On March 3rd 2026, EA announced The Sims Maker Program<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-03 |title=The Sims Maker Program |url=https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/maker-program |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260310180351/https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4/news/the-sims-maker-program-and-marketplace |archive-date=2026-03-10 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=EA.com}}</ref>, allowing independent custom content creators to publish and sell their works through The Sims 4 Marketplace. With this change, the company introduced [[microtransactions]] into the game, and the actual creators make only 30% of revenue, remaining 70% going into EA. At the same time, their official mod policy<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-25 |title=The Sims 4 Policy on Mods |url=https://help.ea.com/en/articles/the-sims/the-sims-4/mods-policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260310135202/https://help.ea.com/en/articles/the-sims/the-sims-4/mods-policy/ |archive-date=2026-03-10 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=EA.com}}</ref> (presumably for unaffiliated creators) mandates that "Mods must be non-commercial and distributed free of charge".