Why guess two similar chances? You gotta diversify.

Pot twist: there are no competent programmers. The Apocalypse is Soon.

The blunt changes direction?

I just wanted to make sure that I get it right.

Is SecuROM still a problem in the latest version of FEAR on GOG?

According to this, no. No one seems to have verified that 100% though, so take it how you wish.

In the post you linked Starkrun tested FEAR.exe, FEARXP.exe, FEARXP2.exe so it appears the primary campaign and two expansion packs are fine now.

Unfortunately Starkrun didn't test FEARMP.exe (Multiplayer) which runs when you click the multiplayer option in the game's main menu and has been said to install SecuROM when that occurs.

Still if SecuROM is actually gone from the single player campaign that is still great news.

Thank you for the link TheMonkofDestiny.

Happy to help.

So I checked my gameshelf and the only version of FEAR that's available is v2.0.0.5. That was the original one from 5 years ago. So I reinstalled the game and deleted the FEARMP.exe file. I played a few levels and checked my computer again and I didn't see any SecuROM files.

So it looks like so long as the FEARMP.exe file is deleted everything should be fine.

The issue with SecuROM in FEAR here on GOG wasn't that the games wouldn't run (a "hard" DRM fail) but rather that GOG didn't properly remove them from the two expansions and they are still partly running in the single player game even if you never touch the multi-player FEARMP.exe. If you were to have certain programs running in the background such as Process Monitor, the still active SecuROM would crash the two expansions (but not the base game) then throw up an error with a link that takes you to SecuROM's webpage explaining the DRM error code:-

https://www.gog.com/upload/forum/2018/03/b1e4d994b659ba723faf9209c1e62b55d575ad47.jpg

AFAIK, this hasn't been fixed even in 2020. Some people speculate that the increased stutter in the two expansions vs the base game is at least partly to blame on still half functioning SecuROM constantly scanning your memory for Virtual CD drive / debugging utilities (made worse by being an older game written for only 1-2 CPU cores), which is still technically DRM even if it doesn't "block" the game. (Edit: This isn't the same issue as the other well known "Logitech mouse drivers cause slowdowns"). If you want more detail, I tested this previously in depth here:-
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/fear_installed_securom_all_over_my_computer_does_anyone_know_how_to_get_rid_of_it/post480

I owe you an apology, as you aren't nobody in regard to testing, regardless of whether the tests were made before or after Starkrun's claim it was gone.

Also, if any GOG forum member is a professional musician and ever decides to release a GOG joke album, if you leave out the "Ballad of SecuROM in F.E.A.R." track then you have lost a future sale.

And this is, at least for me, the reason why I only ever bought and played the original game. Sad to see that after 5 years nothing has been done about it.

I'm still a bit confused could please clarify the situation one more time.


My understanding now is that regardless of if you run FEAR.exe, FEARXP.exe, FEARXP2.exe or FEARMP.exe SecuROM's files won't be installed.

However while the two expansion packs are running (FEARXP.exe or FEARXP2.exe) SecuROM is active and scanning your computer's RAM. SecuROM's activity ends when FEAR is exited and SecuROM remains uninstalled?

Running FEAR Multiplayer or the original non-expansion campaign does not involve SecuROM running at all?

Do I have that correct now or am I still mistaken?

I've also opted out of playing FEAR.
And got the usual GOG spiel about it being an old relic after asking support about it.

It's too bad cause it looks fun.