If anyone's visited the 2K tech support forum, then you know of all the problems plaguing the PC version of the game. A lot of people can't even get their serial keys to work to even install the game, let alone all the problems they'll face after actually getting it installed (no visuals, random crashes, etc.). My question is why? Either this game clearly wasn't ready to be released on PC yet, or the SecuROM DRM is screwing everything up. Only two installs of the game allowed, and they're tied to your hardware, so don't expect to be able to make any major upgrades to yoru rig after installing Bioshock or else you'll be begging and pleading with 2K or SecuROM to renew your license key for the game, and only if you have photographic evidence that you actually own the game! Whose bright idea was this!?

But basically, yeah, just talk about how much the PC version got messed up as opposed to the 360 version. If you need help with fixing a bug or crash or something though, don't post in here, but go ahead and make a new thread about it and we'll do our best to help you out!

I heard (but am not positive) that the Steam and Direct 2 Drive Release has the same limit of 2 installs. To be honest, the only thing keeping me from buying the game is paying to only install the game twice. I would install it now, and I plan for a big PC upgrade later this year so that would be my second and last install...

hey guys,

first, let me say this. you DO NOT NEED TO USE THE INTERNET EVERY TIME YOU PLAY THIS GAME. it is only the first time.

second, you can uninstall and reinstall this game, and if, by chance, you have 2 computers you want to simultaneously play this game on, you also can do that.

if by some chance you are reinstalling this game without uninstalling it first, a lot, there is a chance you may have to call securom and get a key, or deactivate some older installations.

but if you upgrade your hardware next week, you'll still be able to play the game. if you revamp your system and need to reinstall bioshock, just uninstall it before you go through the overhaul, and then do your reinstall.

calling it "hardware fingerprinting" is a bit alarmist. we do not transmit any of your data to any companies.

really, the only people who will be concerned about any of these security measures are those who are rapidly putting bioshock on many pcs... if you use the game as you normally do, you won't notice this at all.

- 2K's Elizabeth Tobey, source.

Most people already knew that you only need the internet once to activate, so I don't know why she said that. I don't recall a single person saying anything about it in that thread, but if someone can provide a link where someone did, I'll stand corrected.

i havent had any problems with the game at all. it installed perfectly fine, activated perfectly fine, plays perfectly fine.

but this only activating it twice thing, does that mean the key can only be activated on 2 pcs at the same time? and if you want to do it again you have to uninstall first? so lets say you have it on 2 different pcs but you want to format and reinstall windows on one of them, do you have to uninstall the game before formatting and then when windows is reinstalled you can put the game back on it? is it ok to reinstall the game as long as you uninstall first?

They upped it to 5 activations, with the ability to revoke an activation in order to reinstall on a new computer if you wish.

yeah i just read that in the other thread