Question about DRM

I just wanted to clarify something about the DRM as I have been getting mixed results when searching for an answer:

On games that have a limited number of installs (Particularly Mass Effect and Dead Space), when uninstalling the game, does this 'refund' one install?

So theoretically if I upgrade to a newer computer or switch OS (I'm thinking of rebooting in XP), if I uninstalled Dead Space and Mass Effect before reinstalling Windows, would I still have the full number of installs?

Thanks!

 

That wholey depends on the game. Farcry 2 has a refund system like this, and when you run out of installs you just have to email them to reset them.

other games such as Crysis warhead have a set LIMIT, you CANNOT install or even play the game after the 5th time. I'm currently having this problem with Crysis warhead..

I just reinstalled windows, then installed it, and now the game tells me that due to security reasons this game can only be installed on 5 computers, and that I need to REPURCHASE a serial, then reinstall the game. I'm furious right now, and steam won't respond to my support tickets, neither will EA.

 

I'd suspect generally that EA games don't have a refund system - Crysis Warhead is an EA game, and so is Spore, which also has those DRM shackles. If it's not EA, it may refund you, but if it's a recent EA game, count on it not refunding you.

 

Mass Effect and Dead Space don't 'refund' your installs when you uninstall the game. As was pointed out, no EA games do so. Bioshock and FarCry 2 also have limited installs, but do refund them when you uninstall - they are not EA games though.

Even for 'refundable' installs, however, changing your system configuration, such as upgrading a graphics card, may use up an install unless you uninstall the game beforehand. Also, the refund of an uninstall requires you to check-in with an online server if the online servers are ever taken down, you lose the ability to 'refund' your install and indeed to do any installs at all, because the game must be activated online after each install. So if they take their DRM servers down (as Walmart recently did for their music) or simply go bankrupt or something, your game will expire on you. With online activation, they are basically renting the game to you, even though they present it as selling it to you.