EA shows why piracy is completely justified

Louis Rossman discusses an email about the video game Dead Space 2, highlighting a consumer rights issue. The game, an offline single-player title, requires a product key for activation, which has an activation limit tied to the machine. A simple hardware change can trigger a new activation, locking users out. Electronic Arts (EA) support claims that reactivation tools were discontinued in December 2023 and support has ended. However, the game is still actively sold on Steam for €20 or $19.99. Rossman emphasizes that this is a core issue he covers: companies taking away purchased items after a sale. He notes that while some defend companies discontinuing support for old, unsold software, EA is still profiting from Dead Space 2. The game's description on Steam still includes a disclaimer about managing authorized computers via activate.ea.com/deauthorized, even though this functionality is no longer supported. This creates a deceptive situation where consumers buy a game expecting certain activation rights that no longer exist. Rossman suggests that if EA truly couldn't support the game, they should offer a DRM-free patch. He argues that this practice contributes to the rise of piracy, as people resort to "the high seas" to regain access to legally purchased content. He connects this to Section 121 of the DMCA, which criminalizes breaking digital locks, originally aimed at piracy but now potentially forcing consumers to commit "piracy" to access their own property. Rossman expresses hope that AI tools, despite their flaws, could be used to break these digital locks and share solutions, demonstrating the absurdity of laws that make it illegal to access what one has bought. He encourages viewers to contribute to the Consumer Rights Wiki, documenting such cases with evidence to counter lobbyists who label all such acts as piracy. The goal is to present a strong case to lawmakers, showing numerous instances where companies have removed access to purchased goods, forcing consumers to "break the law" to get them back.