DarkSpore - Pulled Off Steam and DRM Problems

IncGamers has a new article about DarkSpore being pulled off steam, and the games constant drm woes. Tell me again DRM bothers no one and that cloud based gaming is the future again.

Something strange is happening with EA and Maxis ill-fated action-RPG, Darkspore. Reports began circulating today that the game has been removed from Steam (at the time of writing, this is still the case.) Right now, it is still available to purchase through EA’s own Origin service.

For months, people who’ve purchased the game have run into technical problems that have prevented them accessing and playing the title. A server issue known as “Error 73003” has dogged the game for extensive periods, while another error (“Error Code 3”) has arisen in the past few weeks. Both are, of course, related to the title’s insistence on a DRM scheme that requires a persistent, “always on” internet connection. There is no method of playing offline, so these errors have meant that Darkspore is effectively unplayable for many people. The precise number is impossible to determine, but it’s enough to sustain regular complaints.

Best of luck getting beyond this screen.


Until recently, there was no official word from either EA or Maxis about possible fixes. The main spokesperson/community manager on Darkspore’s official forums goes by the title “Inquisitor Laine” and has been using the following statement to summarise the state of the game:

“Darkspore is no longer developed. It is for almost all intents & purposes an abandoned title. If you cannot play the game & have flicked through technical issues for any fixes, then contact EA Customer Support; especially if it regards CD-Keys or refunds.

Error 73003 has gone unfixed & remains an issue.

Error Code 3 has arisen for the majority/all & remains an issue.

I will however keep the forums here as clean & tidy as possible in my spare time. Why? Well why not. If it helps anyone with minor problems, or find their way somewhere, then that’s great.

I wish you all luck, no matter what path you choose with Darkspore.”

Laine doesn’t actually work for EA or Maxis. As he himself says “I don’t actually work for anyone, nor do I get paid. This is a voluntary position and in all reality there’s not much reason for me to still do it, but I do.” That both companies were happy to leave an unpaid volunteer in charge of all community relations tells you everything you need to know about their attitude towards actually mending or maintaining the game in any significant fashion.

More information.

Well done EA

It is funny though how companies create these kind of problems purposely. Like they could have not predicted the outcome.

Everyone knows that internet connections aren't always reliable and yet these companies constantly push this moronic idea of cloud server saving. Its a freaking singleplayer game, so being online doesn't add any functionality, benefit or purpose to the gamer.

Until people get some self-control and stop buying, things wont get any better. You cant even blame EA. It seems to work for them.

Did anyone even play this anymore?

Did anyone play it ever? I've never even heard of it.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Did anyone even play this anymore?

I did on release but regardless happy 11,111 post Dart. I foresee many more posts from you, and more games we can't play in the future because of DRM.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
I did on release but regardless happy 11,111 post Dart. I foresee many more posts from you, and more games we can't play in the future because of DRM.

Haha, I believe JDR and Alrik are ahead of me

Then again, I'm clearly in the lead when it comes to quality content

DRM and "cloud storage" is the future.

You know - PROGRESS.

People are just stupid trying to hold on to the inefficient past.

Things like DarkSpore will happen again - but we all know it's pretty rare. Not a big deal at all.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
You know - PROGRESS.

People are just stupid trying to hold on to the inefficient past.

Yes progress is good but the company that pulls the plug on my games better beware.

Also I still don't think being forced online just to play is necessary for SP games. I will never agree with you on this topic.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Yes progress is good but the company that pulls the plug on my games better beware.

Hehe, you seem to be under the impression that consumers have the power.

They would have if they weren't so stupid

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Hehe, you seem to be under the impression that consumers have the power.

They would have if they weren't so stupid

Ain't that the truth. Gamers rights get lesser every year. I'm waiting for the day I need to register my DNA for every game just to play.

Ooh, another stellar EA game not available on Steam? Such a pity…
You must gather Origin malware before venturing forth worked for ME3. Then again, ME3 wasn't a differently packed grinder made by Maxis.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
I'm waiting for the day I need to register my DNA for every game just to play.

Patience, Sony is developing it already.

I read somewhere in their forums ''First install Origin…''
Ouch. Any sentence that starts like that can't be good.

Also new ways for companies to restrict our rights,worsen our overall experience so that they can make more profit is now called ''The Future''.

. . . and developers just can't fathom why gamers pirate games. Go figure.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
Ain't that the truth. Gamers rights get lesser every year. I'm waiting for the day I need to register my DNA for every game just to play.

Yeah exactly, with this online DRM crap I always feel I'm guilty till proven innocent whenever I boot up a game.

I play a lot of MMOs and don't think I've ever got an Error 73003. So you can hardly blame always online connections for that, it's just poor implementation is all. And a lot people will nick anything that isn't tied down and then brag about it, so I'm pretty sympathetic with DRM. Has anyone wondered why practically the only large budget games for PC are MMOs and most everything else is written for consoles? No prizes for guessing the answer to that one.

I look at this story and I wonder "Why now?". Darkspore was released 2 years ago…

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Hehe, you seem to be under the impression that consumers have the power.

They would have if they weren't so stupid

they do, its just that under the free market system it can seem slow. thanks to gas prices there are more electric cars on the road and there's an explosion in natural gas exploration.

From EA's POV this game no longer has any ROI, so why should they spend any money on it. Why did KotOR2 only get one beta patch?

Worse still, from their POV allowing this game to work means people aren't spending money on new games. Its very short sighted and the corporate culture at EA must be pretty bureaucratic to allow this to happen.

The marketplace will win out. Smaller companies spring up with new models. ie. crowdsourcing is like the Prius.

Originally Posted by Warmark
Yeah exactly, with this online DRM crap I always feel I'm guilty till proven innocent whenever I boot up a game.

yes, without DRM the game wouldn't be pirated. Roq here says it best:

Originally Posted by Roq
I play a lot of MMOs and don't think I've ever got an Error 73003. So you can hardly blame always online connections for that, it's just poor implementation is all. And a lot people will nick anything that isn't tied down and then brag about it, so I'm pretty sympathetic with DRM. Has anyone wondered why practically the only large budget games for PC are MMOs and most everything else is written for consoles? No prizes for guessing the answer to that one.

Its also because console games sell better.

Originally Posted by Lucky Day
Its also because console games sell better.

They sell better because they are harder to steal - there are a hell of a lot of PCs out there. There's a parallel in the mobile market: Android devices outsell IOS about 5 to 1, but developers make more money on IOS, since the app store is better controlled. Many devs don't even bother to port their games to Android and there's hardly a game on the platform that wasn't first released on IOS. I've heard all the arguments that the pirates wouldn't buy the games anyway, but really they are nonsense… Developers don't put DRM on their games for the fun of it.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
I did on release but regardless happy 11,111 post Dart. I foresee many more posts from you, and more games we can't play in the future because of DRM.

This 10x. I fear this is the future of gaming. But the average gamer, with an attention span of a gnat, isn't going to care.

Apparently it's back up, now, so EA hasn't abandoned it entirely. But the woes that have plagued it should be a warning about where this road goes. Not that the average gamer is gonna care, I guess.

Originally Posted by RampantCoyote
This 10x. I fear this is the future of gaming. But the average gamer, with an attention span of a gnat, isn't going to care.

Apparently it's back up, now, so EA hasn't abandoned it entirely. But the woes that have plagued it should be a warning about where this road goes. Not that the average gamer is gonna care, I guess.

There were many games that had vanished from the face of the earth. Then we had abandonware sites. Then we got GOG. Now even Steam has many of them and we see "HD" releases and remakes. Forgive me, but I am not worried. Games that are worth it will find a way to survive. Maybe illegally for some time, but who cares.