Recently, there have been a growing number of complaints from PC owners of Tron: Evolution, a game that was once available on the Steam store but has since been removed. That doesn't mean that people have stopped playing it, though, something that has been made almost impossible due to Disney's use of SecuROM.
SecuROM is no longer in use, but it is/was a DRM (digital rights management) that enforces online activation upon installation and can only be activated a limited number of times. It was the precursor (and more aggressive ancestor) to Denuvo, which was developed by the same group of people after a management buyout led to the team splitting from Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation. If you have downloaded and installed a SecuROM games a set number of times and want to install it again, you're out of luck, as many Tron: Evolution fans have recently discovered.
For Tron: Evolution fans who own the now-delisted game on Steam, they can't play it if it isn't already installed on their computer. Why? Because Disney is no longer paying for SecuROM, so the activation site for serial keys is shut down. As reported by raidebaron on the Tron: Evolution Steam forums, Disney is aware of the issue and currently working to solve it:
Originally posted by Disney Games & Apps Support:
Hello raidebaron,
Our team is aware that the activation site for this game is no longer live and has since been shut down. At this time, if the game was not already previously installed it will no longer be able to be launched. We are looking into this hiccup and hoping to patch this in the future. However, at this time we do not have any current estimated time on when this will be.
Thank you for your patience.
If anyone finds themselves looking for a way to play a game that they legally bought, perhaps a trip on the high seas may be in order...
What do you think of this news? Have you ever played Tron: Evolution? Let us know in the comments!