EA Recommends Users Guess Their Serial Numbers

[Harper]

Drm: EA Recommends Users Guess Their Serial Numbers

EA Recommends Users Guess Their Serial Numbers

A few gamers who purchased Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 encountered a problem with their installs—EA had misprinted some of the serial numbers needed for activation. While the necessary code was 20 characters long, they'd only printed 19-character codes.

No biggie. The logical solution is that EA supplies customers with new codes, which they're happy to do if you're willing to photograph your serial and email it in. Otherwise, they've offered the public what must be one of the saddest "workarounds" in DRM history:

There is currently a work around that may allow you to bypass this issue. Since you have the first 19 characters of the code already, you can basically try "guessing" the last character. To do this, simply enter your existing code, and then for the last character, try the letters A-Z, and then the numbers 0-9. You should eventually get the right combination, and be able to play the game.

In other words, try all 36 possible combinations and you'll get there soon enough. If you've been shorted the complete serial number, we'd recommend guessing all 1.33674945 × 10^31 combinations

EA Games = Fail.

 

[Akubane]

LOL.

That's pretty funny.

I do understand them wanting you to photograph your serial number, otherwise every tom, dave and harry could just say their serial number doesn't work.
And it isn't like it's hard to take a picture. Most little kids around here have their own cellphones with cameras that could do the job.

Telling you to guess your number is hilarious though.

lol

 

[synergy]

HAHA...that is seriously a good one! That is the best logical work-around I suppose.

 

[Oreo]

No that is more than retarded, especially if your code resets each time so you have to retype it - unless your the lucky guy that got "A" as there first didgit.

What's up with EA lately, they suck so bad. they have to be the worst gameing company to of ever existed.

edit: We should all be glad upper case and lower case isnt important on EA's serial keys

 

[veedubfreak]

With my luck i'd go through z and it would be 0 after i punched in 1-9.

 

[Harper]

If I was EA Games, I would be doing this :-

I would of offered replacement serial number. I would of let gamer take a picture of the orginal 19 digit serial number, then issue out a new serial 20 digit serial number and void the old 19 digit one.

 

[Merkwürdigeliebe]

I hate EA as much as the next guy, but the work-around is not that crazy... yes, the publishers have a responsibility to deliver the product in the most complete and perfect fashion possible, but this is not that major a blunder, as soon as you figure out the right combo, just write it in with a pen or something wherever it is on the cd case or manual or whatnot..

I mean, that workaround seems like a lot less work than scanning and sending the key to EA and waiting for a new one..

 

[erkster]

I hate EA as much as the next guy, but the work-around is not that crazy... yes, the publishers have a responsibility to deliver the product in the most complete and perfect fashion possible, but this is not that major a blunder, as soon as you figure out the right combo, just write it in with a pen or something wherever it is on the cd case or manual or whatnot..

I mean, that workaround seems like a lot less work than scanning and sending the key to EA and waiting for a new one..

i'm with him

 

[Jorsoft]

EA=fail as usual. This has not been a good week for their customer service lol:happy:

 

[Poizen22]

lets hope they have a g15 so they can macro the first 19 digits in lol.