Why I'm not buying BF2142

[sigma7]

So. In the latest CGW podcast, they received retail boxed copies of BF 2142.

When you open the box, a big slip of paper falls out first, preceeding any discs or manuals. The slip of paper says, essentially, that 2142 includes monitoring software which runs while your computer is online, and records "anonymous" information like your IP address, surfing habits (probably via cookie scans), and other "computing habits" in order to report this information back to ad companies and ad servers, which generates in-game ads.

Now, I can live with certain in-game ads (though apparently there will be Dodge truck and Neon ads in the bleak, futuristic world of 2142), but including a lengthy description - outside of even the Eula - seems to indicate even EA knows that this is some shady borderline spyware shit. I don't support it and won't be buying 2142 (for a host of other reasons, too).

Hell, this makes me want to torrent it out of spite.

Comments

[begstodiffer.livejournal.com]

I read about this on Slashdot yesterday and thought the exact same thing. What is EA thinking here... It's bad enough that they want to advertise in a game that I've already paid for, but then they install mandatory spyware to help? How do they justify it to themselves? Are they really cutting the price so much that they need targeted ads? Or do they think this will deliver the revenue of continuing monthly subscriptions, without making customers consciously choose to continue paying?

They probably think that gamers don't care too much about privacy issues, and they might be right, but they forget how much time people spend fighting spyware. Just having the word associated with the game will destroy sales.

Remember, if you torrent it, wait for the cracked, non-spyware version. :-D