Spore DRM Lawsuit Filed, 1 Million Copies Sold

The ongoing Spore DRM fiasco continues on, as disgruntled customer Melissa Thomas has filed a class action lawsuit in California against publisher Electronic Arts, as reported by Courthouse News [PDF link]. Thomas' claim alleges that EA engaged in "deceit and concealment" by bundling Maxis' evolution sim with digital rights management software SecuROM, which cannot be uninstalled, and acted "in excess of any authority any user granted" by keeping SecuROM hidden even after being installed and allowing it access to the Windows registry. The total value of the damages sought by the claim to be distributed among the affected class exceeds $5 million, based on estimations of purchases of the game and expected legal fees. The class includes anybody who has purchased a copy of Spore. The suit also makes reference to the thousands of negative user reviews of Spore posted on online retailer Amazon, most of which centered around DRM complaints. Some of the cited reviews appear to be written not by customers but by those who refuse to purchase the game. "I really wish they had an Xbox version so that I wouldn't have destroyed my computer trying to play a game," said one unhappy Amazon customer quoted in the suit, adding that EA's practices are "just evil." [UPDATE: In a statement released this afternoon, Electronic Arts has announced that Spore has sold through more than one million copies at retail worldwide on the PC, Mac and Nintendo DS -- with more than 25 million creatures, vehicles and buildings created. “Spore is a hit,” said Frank Gibeau, president of the EA Games Label. “Will Wright’s latest delivers an incredibly diverse game that appeals to casual gamers and the core alike. We’re off to a great start moving into the holiday season and believe Spore will deliver a platform of creativity for gamers of all stripes for years to come.”]