EA Releasing Sims 3 DRM-Free

Electronic Arts announced that casual life simulation game The Sims 3 will not feature Digital Rights Management, citing requests from consumers to not include "overly invasive" protections. Instead, the game will use a serial code for its disc-based copy protection, similar to protections implemented in The Sims 2. Thus, players should be able to load the game on any PC, so long as they have the game disc. No online authentication will be required for users installing or playing The Sims 3. The publisher was roundly criticized for using SecuROM DRM copy-protection in its highly anticipated PC title Spore, as well a limited authentication key system. EA defended its implementation, describing SecuROM as a "standard for the industry". The Sims 3 will release for PC, OS X, iPhone/iPod Touch, and mobile devices on June 2. Originally slated for February 20, the game was recently delayed so that the company would have "extra time ... to polish the game". "We feel like this is a good, time-proven solution that makes it easy for you to play the game without DRM methods that feel overly invasive or leave you concerned about authorization server access in the distant future," says Rod Humble, executive producer of Electronic Arts' Sims division.