Update: Splinter Cell: Blacklist Refuses To Launch

[Steven Bogos]

Update: Splinter Cell: Blacklist Refuses To Launch

The Steam version of Splinter Cell: Blacklist reportedly isn't working in various African, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries.

If you were thinking of picking up the Steam version of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, you may want to reconsider, especially if you happen to live in one of the 15 countries Reddit users are reporting a "failure to launch" error. The Reddit thread [http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1l1u66/steam_version_of_splinter_cell_blacklist/] contains reports from players in South Africa, Bermuda, Kuwait, Indonesia, Egypt, Israel, the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Cyprus and Serbia.

For those in the affected countries, upon fully downloading the game, it simply comes up with a "pre-load complete" message, and won't let the player proceed to the actual game. If you're thinking of purchasing the game directly from uPlay to avoid the problem, think again, as uPlay must communicate with Steam during the installation process, and as such will simply throw up the same error.

As expected, members of both the Ubisoft [http://steamcommunity.com/app/235600/discussions/0/846962626954059165/?tscn=1377369905#p9] forums are absolutely livid. The biggest complaint seems to be the absolute lack of communication from both Valve and Ubisoft, especially considering the game has been out for three days now, and both companies have refused to comment on the issue.

"Why not use a VPN?" is a question that keeps popping up on the reddit thread. Unfortunately, using a VPN is against Valve's ToS, and using one could risk having your entire Steam account banned. So for affected players, their choices are: not play the game that they paid money for, or risk having their account banned.

We've contacted Valve and Ubisoft for an official comment on the issue.

Source: PC Gamer [http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1l1u66/steam_version_of_splinter_cell_blacklist/]

Update: Reports are coming in that the issue seems to be fixed. Unlocks seem to be happening around 6:30pm in each respective affected time zone, so if your game hasn't unlocked, it will likely unlock at 6:30pm in your time.

Permalink

 

[WWmelb]

No comment from Ubisoft? No surprise there.. but i'm surprised Valve hasn't at least come out with a "we are working to correct the error" or something. They are normally pretty good at communication.

Just another warning about an all digital-online gaming world.

But here is hoping the poor sods get their game sooner rather than later.. or worse, not at all.

 

[RikuoAmero]

Two questions

Buying a Ubisoft game direct from Ubisoft through Uplay requires Valve's Steam? Since when?
Also...since when has using a VPN been against Valve's TOS? I've been using one for the last couple of months (live in Ireland, use a Netherlands server) and nothing's happened to me. I was able to buy games during the summer sale while logged into the VPN no problem (Steam said something about adjusting due to my location or some BS, but at no point did it say "Hey, you've got an Irish credit card but your IP address is Dutch. That's a no no in our book!")

 

[Steven Bogos]

Two questions

Buying a Ubisoft game direct from Ubisoft through Uplay requires Valve's Steam? Since when?
Also...since when has using a VPN been against Valve's TOS? I've been using one for the last couple of months (live in Ireland, use a Netherlands server) and nothing's happened to me. I was able to buy games during the summer sale while logged into the VPN no problem (Steam said something about adjusting due to my location or some BS, but at no point did it say "Hey, you've got an Irish credit card but your IP address is Dutch. That's a no no in our book!")

Section 3A
You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, we may terminate your access to your Account

From the steam subscriber agreement. Clear as crystal, and accounts have been banned for using VPNs before. Take it as a word of warning

 

[RaNDM G]

One more fault of Steam's online DRM. Looks like those countries have been...

Blacklisted.

 

[RikuoAmero]

Two questions

Buying a Ubisoft game direct from Ubisoft through Uplay requires Valve's Steam? Since when?
Also...since when has using a VPN been against Valve's TOS? I've been using one for the last couple of months (live in Ireland, use a Netherlands server) and nothing's happened to me. I was able to buy games during the summer sale while logged into the VPN no problem (Steam said something about adjusting due to my location or some BS, but at no point did it say "Hey, you've got an Irish credit card but your IP address is Dutch. That's a no no in our book!")

(ii) host or provide matchmaking services for the Software or emulate or redirect the communication protocols used by Valve in any network feature of the Software, through protocol emulation, tunneling, modifying or adding components to the Software, use of a utility program or any other techniques now known or hereafter developed, for any purpose including, but not limited to network play over the Internet, network play utilizing commercial or non-commercial gaming networks or as part of content aggregation networks, websites or services, without the prior written consent of Valve;

From the steam subscriber agreement. VPNs use tunneling. AFAIK accounts have been banned in the past for using a VPN

Shit. Wish I'd known that before. Of course such a thing is buried in the TOS, which noone reads. FWIW, the Summer Sale was back in July, it's now the end of August and I'm still able to log in.

 

[jurnag12]

And meanwhile, pirates are perfectly able to play the game in all of the aforementioned countries.

...so yeah, great going, guys.

 

[rapidoud]

Valve strike again in the 'we couldn't care less about our technical side' department. I'm surprised anyone still praises them blindly anymore.

I naively bought some TF2 keys thinking you know, I'd actually be able to use them that day. So the seller trading for keys buggered off and now I've been waiting over a week for Valve to even reply to my ticket.

Slag Origin/Ubisoft/whatever all you want but they give me good, speedy and reliable service, and they don't pull in anywhere NEAR the revenue does, nor the high margins.

 

[Teoes]

Section 3A
You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, we may terminate your access to your Account

From the steam subscriber agreement. Clear as crystal, and accounts have been banned for using VPNs before. Take it as a word of warning

I wonder how they go about enforcing that then (as in, when they do/don't bother to check or do something about it). I use a VPN at home for privacy and security reasons; hadn't occurred to me to use it to get game content from outside my country's availability.

That sucks, because I want both running as much as possible. Guess I'll have to remember not to log into Steam then.

..but at no point did it say "Hey, you've got an Irish credit card but your IP address is Dutch. That's a no no in our book!")

Probably because both work in Euros.

Steam threw up an error when I was buying something a couple of weeks back as the Store went from displaying prices in Sterling to Euros mid-way through the transaction, then told me the currency didn't match the details of my account. Disconnect VPN, re-try purchase, success - no repercussions.. yet.

 

[Final7111]

Gotta love stuff like this. 3 days and they have nothing to tell the people that spend their money on something they can't play. Ubisoft no surprise...Steam I'm alittle let down by you.

 

[Caiphus]

One more fault of Steam's online DRM. Looks like those countries have been...

Blacklisted.

Marginally surprised that a Blacklist pun wasn't the first comment.

Still, well done on sneaking it in.

 

[Your Fearless Captain]

Pirate version works better then real version. Nice one Ubisoft.

 

[juyunseen]

See there's problems that stem from feeling a need to region lock things. You end up fucking up somewhere.

 

[medv4380]

Steams Subscriber Agreement does not mention VPN or any location obfuscation. However, most people are idiots, and using a VPN is going to open you up to Man in the Middle attacks. Valve may consider it a form of Cheating, or some how bypassing the Copy protection thus violating the DMCA, but it is not explicitly against the TOS.

However, they are guilty of false advertising, and failure to provide a product that has been legally purchased. They knew that their software was going to reject the game in those countries. At a minimum they must provide full refunds, and disclose when they game will be available.

Oh, and every affected gamer should invoke the Arbitrator clause

The AAA will administer the arbitration. It may be conducted through the submission of documents, by phone, or in person in the county where you live or at another mutually agreed location.

Dealing with a couple of hundred arbitrators instead of one lawyer should be fun. Go with the Live in person Arbitration. I'm sure they'll love to fly all over the place to deal with it.

 

[SinisterGehe]

Two questions

Buying a Ubisoft game direct from Ubisoft through Uplay requires Valve's Steam? Since when?
Also...since when has using a VPN been against Valve's TOS? I've been using one for the last couple of months (live in Ireland, use a Netherlands server) and nothing's happened to me. I was able to buy games during the summer sale while logged into the VPN no problem (Steam said something about adjusting due to my location or some BS, but at no point did it say "Hey, you've got an Irish credit card but your IP address is Dutch. That's a no no in our book!")

In their user contract(s) it is stated that you must connect to steam from the country your IP, credit card and registered account is from.
So don't do it... Unless you want your whole steam account to get closed and you can't get it back - legally.

Back on topic:
Why use Uplay if it is on steam to begin with? Like Steamplay as DRM is quite good a robust.

 

[shirkbot]

Back on topic:
Why use Uplay if it is on steam to begin with? Like Steamplay as DRM is quite good a robust.

Most newer Ubisoft games on Steam still require Uplay to run, so you have to boot up both just to play 1 game. It's pretty silly.

OT: People have already said it, but congrats Ubisoft. Excellent DRM scheme you've got going there. As to you Steam, you're starting to slip and it disappoints me.

 

[major_chaos]

Pirate version works better then real version. Nice one Ubisoft.

How is this Ubi's fault? The article specifically mentions that this is the Steam version, so this is at least partly Valve's fault.