Steam Bioshock Demo Woes
So there are a few stories floating around about the interesting fun with Bioshock's anti-piracy setup.
For the record, all indications are that the game is fantastic. I've played with it. It's nice, and I almost bought it... then I learned about some bullshit. (Read on)
It also has a Sony Root-Kit bundled into it. The kind that gets deep into your Kernel and messes with the basic levels of how your OS works. Indications are that it actually messes with the security setup of your
computer and leaves potential holes in it. It also gathers a hardware profile to use as a unique identifier of your machine and then sends info out. Oh and it can't be removed, even if you uninstall Bioshock.
Bonus: many rootkit detection, spyware detection, and virus detection programs call it Dangerous Malware and flag it. Even some Microsoft software flags it. This is only fair, seeing as if you install the root-kit it stops some perfectly valid system tools, including one made by Microsoft and bundled with Vista, from running. Yah nice.
Oh and as a bonus, the game will only let you install it twice. Yes only twice, even if you install it both times on the same machine. Supposedly if you uninstall the game, you get an "installation token" back... only everyone who has tried it says you don't and the latest word from the Bioshock developers is that they will release a separate program for clearing the installation token off a machine, and that they will increase the installation allowance to 5 now.
Oh and for extra bonus annoying, all this invasive annoying anti-piracy bullshit comes on the Steam version too. Making the steam functionality reduantant to disabled. After all, steam is supposed to let you make backup copies and install games on which ever machine you are on, etc.
Nope, not with Bioshock, and have a rootkit while your at it.
Mega-bonus annoying: The root kit is even in the steam demo. Yes, they felt compelled to attach the Root Kit anti-theft bullshit to the FREE DEMO that you get through the built-in-anti-piracey Steam service.
What The Fuck?
I've installed and played that demo. I now have the fucking Sony (as in Sony was sued for having something like this on their music CDs) Root Kit Securom 7 crap on my machine because I played the demo through
steam.
Makes me want to buy an Xbox and switch to the MAC Os.
My Sources:
Daily Jump
Consumerist
Hylomorph
Rampant Games
Mr. Levine Respond's to Bioshock Protection Woes
Phanatic
Bull Shit:
2k Game's Forum
