In Batman: Arkham City, how do activation and installation limits work?

Question

I am considering a purchase of the Game of the Year edition of Batman: Arkham City on Steam but I have heard a lot of rather negative information regarding the number of installations and activations of the game. My greatest fear is getting locked out of the game entirely, perhaps not immediately but in the long run.

I would like to see an explanation how the activations and installation limit work in this game.

How often can I uninstall or reinstall the game on the same machine? Will my activations regenerate or can I get them back somehow by de-authorizing an old machine? Am I required to contact customer support which might not be available in a few years? Can I install the game on three separate machines at the same time without the game locking, etc.?

Answer 1

This page has all the info you will need about the DRM related questions about Securom.

here is the part that will be useful for you:

2.11 I get the error message: 'Too many activations on different PCs or too many reactivations on the same PC have been performed...', what do I do?

Please run the revoke tool (the program has to support this feature, please consult the software publisher regarding such a tool) on the PC where you have activated your program before. You can also visit our manual revoke website (https://support.securom.com/PAunlock/?c=1400) to revoke your activation manually.

I need my activation limit increased because I have changed to many PC components without revoking my license, what can I do? If you have bought the game online, e.g. from Direct2Drive, please contact your point of purchase regarding your activation limit.

If you have this issue with a game of EA Games, please contact EA Games regarding your activation limit. This is their official support website: http://support.ea.com/.

Otherwise, please supply us with your Serial Number (also called Activation Code, usually from the back of the manual or from your point of purchase if purchased online) and the Unlock Request Code (from the activation dialog).

2.12 I have formatted my PC and could not revoke my license, is my activation lost?

No, your activation is not lost. You can format your PC, install the same operating system (and service pack) again and activate your program again with the same activation.