Ubisoft Challenges Gamers With DRM-Free Prince Of Persia

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
1
0
Ubisoft Challenges Gamers With DRM-Free Prince Of Persia


Prince of Persia [http://www.ubi.com] title with no copy protection whatsoever, even though the company doesn't appear to have much hope that it will work out.

DRM is a touchy topic for both gamers and game publishers these days: Publishers keep searching for new and better ways to protect their investments, while gamers push just as hard in the opposite direction, pirating games as much for spite as anything else. most illegally-downloaded game of 2008 [http://www.ea.com].

Whether or not rampant EA hate had any bearing on Ubisoft's decision is debatable, but there it is nonetheless: The retail version of Price of Persia has no DRM at all. (Copies purchased via Steam [http://www.steampowered.com] will still make use of Steam's validation system.) How much of an impact that will have on illegal distribution of the game remains to be seen, and Community Developer Chris "UbiRazz" Easton, for one, isn't holding his breath for good things.

"You're right when you say that when people want to pirate the game they will, but DRM is there to make it as difficult as possible for pirates to make copies of our games," he wrote in a post on the Ubisoft forums [http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/861108132/m/6971093507?r=6721096017#6721096017]. "A lot of people complain that DRM is what forces people to pirate games but as PoP PC has no DRM we'll see how truthful people actually are. Not very, I imagine."

Despite his weary tone, however, Easton offered a little personal encouragement to people who don't copy the game. "I'm fairly skeptical as [DRM] is an easy answer given by a lot of people why they pirate games," he wrote, "but if you're going to buy this game instead of pirating purely because of no DRM in the store version then if I ever meet you in real life I'll happily shake your hand and buy you a drink."

So what do you think? Will the absence of DRM lead to lower rates of piracy (and more drinks bought in Montreal), or just a new batch of excuses and rationalizations? There's no doubt the game will be pirated; the only question is how much. To paraphrase Shane Kim (and Reggie Fils-Aime and just about everyone else in the business these days), I'm cautiously pessimistic: I'd love to see gamers use this opportunity to demonstrate that their beefs are legitimate and not just easy justifications for bad behavior, but I'm not particularly hopeful.

via: Ars Technica [http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081212-pc-prince-of-persia-contains-no-drm-its-a-trap.html]


Permalink
 

Baby Tea

Just Ask Frankie
Sep 18, 2008
4,687
0
0
Wow.

Well the gauntlet is thrown. I'm about as skeptical as Ubisoft is, to be honest. The new excuse will probably fall back on the tired, and full of crap, excuse: I'm downloading it to 'try it out'.

But I hope to be proven wrong.
 

KarmicToast

New member
Nov 11, 2008
458
0
0
I hate to agree with "The Man" on this one, but people pirate because they don't have enough money to spend on games or don't want to spend money on games. They look for any reaosn to justify theft, and DRM is just one of them. It doesn't even make sense. You know those big bars by the doors of stores that beep if you walk through with stolen property? Well I don't like them, so I will steal tons of stuff I personally want from that store just to get back at them. Pirating is selfish, not some moral crusade. Personally, I love, and think its hilarious, that EA is going to make those people eat their words when this game is pirated as much as any other.
 

xitel

Assume That I Hate You.
Aug 13, 2008
4,618
0
0
I personally just bought the new Prince myself, so hopefully other folks will follow the example and not screw this up for the rest of us.
 

KarmicToast

New member
Nov 11, 2008
458
0
0
xitel said:
I personally just bought the new Prince myself, so hopefully other folks will follow the example and not screw this up for the rest of us.
It's funny, I was just about to leave my office to go buy that game myself. (not because there is no DRM though :) )
 

incal11

New member
Oct 24, 2008
517
0
0
I'll be reading more reviews of this game ; and maybe buy it .

I won't use steam though...
 

xitel

Assume That I Hate You.
Aug 13, 2008
4,618
0
0
KarmicToast said:
xitel said:
I personally just bought the new Prince myself, so hopefully other folks will follow the example and not screw this up for the rest of us.
It's funny, I was just about to leave my office to go buy that game myself. (not because there is no DRM though :) )
Yeah, I bought it before I read this article, but still...
 

uppitycracker

New member
Oct 9, 2008
864
0
0
hmm thats an awesome challenge, i have to say. it really is a shame it's a game i'm not interested in, otherwise i would happily go out and buy it right now. i'm wondering if this game will attract enough of a crowd to really show a difference (should it be there), i imagine it would. but go ubisoft!
 

SaintWaldo

Interzone Vagabond
Jun 10, 2008
923
0
0
xitel said:
I personally just bought the new Prince myself, so hopefully other folks will follow the example and not screw this up for the rest of us.
Funny, I read this article right after coming home from buying Prince of Persia for my PS3. I'm with you in hoping that the sales of the PC version show that those arguing for piracy were being honest the whole time, but I'm putting money on the notion that the sales will show they weren't.
 

dcheppy

New member
Dec 8, 2008
331
0
0
Tsk. Tsk. This is a game that needs to played on a big screen, wide screen HDTV. consoles for the win! Seriously though DRM vs No DRM won't make any difference at all, but it also can't hurt so go Ubisoft.
 

incal11

New member
Oct 24, 2008
517
0
0
I don't feel like even trying it right now , a lot of people are saying how it is too short and too easy...
but those of you who bought it could tell their opinions.

Massive seeding on pirate bay ; depressing.
 

Ronwue

New member
Oct 22, 2008
607
0
0
People will still pirate the games DRM or noDRM. However, noDRM really caters more to the actual customers by not fucking with their computer. I am as skeptical as the dude cited, but I applaud the initiative and will probably not borrow this game if I can't afford it yet. However, it is on my to get list when money needs to be tossed.

Every new release with a huge title has massive seeds on pirate bay.
 

Ralackk

New member
Aug 12, 2008
288
0
0
I applaud Ubisoft for this, If nothing else it will make for an interesting experiment even if it is at their expense.
 

sirdanrhodes

New member
Nov 7, 2007
3,774
0
0
PedroSteckecilo said:
PC Gamers, don't screw this up by pirating this one.
Seriously, you're a moron if you do, this is your chance for redemption. Also, take him up on his offer.

Also, I admit, I do tend to sponge off friends versions (Legal) before I purchase, because this laptop was great for gaming... at the start of the year.

For the record, demos would stop most piracy.
 

SomeBritishDude

New member
Nov 1, 2007
5,081
0
0
I wish so, so much that this game won't be pirated that much, but I don't know. EA proved to themselves (even if they won't admit it) that DRM doesn't work with Spore. I seriously doubt this game will be pirated as much as Spore.
 

LiquidForce

New member
Sep 5, 2008
55
0
0
Yeah right, I'm sure this "dare" is going to make me spend money on their game -.-
Seriously guys, do you think it'd matter? If PoP sells well they'll just use this "challenge" to try to shovel you more and more games [many of which will be mediocre...] saying that they'll put DRM back if you stop "voting with your money"...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a225/HideCollector/sheep.jpg
 

triorph

New member
Aug 5, 2008
66
0
0
Damn. I was considering buying this game, but after the DRM they put on the two thrones when I bought that I decided not to. They should have told me this ten days ago. Ah well Left 4 Dead is still a fun game.
 

Salonista

New member
Nov 11, 2008
13
0
0
2DBoy guesstimated that World of Goo (zero DRM) was pirated about as much as another game that had DRM. What they didn't have to worry about with WoG is the technical crap that DRM like EA's causes for legit customers.

I bought it for the Wii, then bought for PC - it's a good game and I wanted to do right by them for doing right by me. That's all I want, really - to buy games that won't make me sorry I did...like EA's games. It's the dumbest thing ever: I'd like to buy but EA's pointless DRM prevents me from doing it. I don't download either, since I have a conscience about it, but doesn't matter in the end. No money for pubs who don't care about my private property.

Props to those pubs that dare to try and keep customers.
 

Blind0bserver

Blatant Narcissist
Mar 31, 2008
1,454
0
0
To all the iconoclasts out there: Ubisoft has just called you out. Here's where we draw a line and you have to look inward and make a choice. Have you really been pirating games just as a form of protest towards DRM, or have you been swayed by the obvious benefits of getting something for free by stealing it from others? If DRM really is the reason, will you stick to your values, or will you prove to be as greedy and corrupt as we think you are?

Ubisoft has make the first move. Your turn.