Have EA repented?

Back in September, I mentioned that I was adding EA to my boycott list because of their stance on intrusive DRM.

The latest development on this is the recent announcement that The Sims 3 will only have basic DRM. Despite the title of the article and the way that all the gaming sites are reporting this, the reality is that The Sims 3 does have DRM (it will require a disc check and the input of a serial code upon installation). However, my position all along has been that I will accept DRM provided that it isn't intrusive. In my opinion, a serial code and disc check is acceptable.

Having said that, I'm not removing EA from my boycott list yet. I intend to keep an eye out on their future releases to see if The Sims 3 is an exception or if it is a general trend.

If it is a general trend from EA, then this is great news for anti-DRM proponents and I would definitely take EA off my boycott list.

Update: EA have released a de-authorisation tool. This allows you to manage the number of installations yourself so that, at least, you no longer have to contact EA in order to play your games. Although this is a step in the right direction, it will be even better if (when?) EA drop Securom and installation limits completely.