Ubisoft Relaxes DRM Restrictions on Certain PC Titles

[Tom Goldman]

Ubisoft Relaxes DRM Restrictions on Certain PC Titles

The annoyance of Ubisoft's "always online" DRM scheme is being patched out of past releases.

Gamers have struggled with DRM for what seems like an eternity, but never has the battle been more voracious than when Ubisoft revealed [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98396-Ubisoft-Online-DRM-Its-Worse-Than-Expected] it would be requiring that PC titles remain online at all times lest they stop working. After less than a year, it looks like Ubisoft might be abandoning the scheme, or is at least patching it out of previous releases.

A user on Reddit pointed out that a recent patch released by Ubisoft has allowed both Splinter Cell: Conviction [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-2-Pc/dp/B001TOQ8R0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1293891737&sr=8-3] to work without the presence of an internet connection. The user posted screenshots along with his network status, which showed an unplugged network cable, yet the games were still operational.

Ubisoft also abandoned its new DRM scheme with the release of issues [http://www.amazon.com/R-U-S-Xbox-360/dp/B0020KXYPG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1293893323&sr=8-3] with its operation may have made Ubisoft reconsider.

Even if Ubisoft keeps requiring PC gamers to remain online with new titles, thankfully it's at least patching this DRM out of older games as a form of mercy. This could be a sign that Ubisoft's DRM is a thing of the past, or it could just mean that we should wait 9 months before buying certain Ubisoft games on the PC.

Thanks for the tip FROGGEman2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/FROGGEman2]!

Source: PC Gamer [http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/etjzl/you_no_longer_need_an_active_connection_to_play/]

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[literallyanythingelse]

YESSSSSS

 

[Ringwraith]

Huzzah!
Maybe I'll finally look into getting Assassin's Creed 2 now.
Really wanted to play it but refused to touch it with a barge pole because of that DRM, both out of principle and practicality.

 

[JediMB]

That's good news, but I've long since lost interest in Assassin's Creed.

 

[teh_Canape]

I don't see that much difference, I mean, my PC is already hooked up to internet permanently

 

[Sebenko]

STOP CHEERING.

This isn't a removal. It still requires online authentication when you start the game.

And there's no offline mode, unlike Steam.

Ubisoft are still a bunch of cocknuggets and we shouldn't go back to loving them just because they're being slightly less cuntish.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

You screw up, understand that you do, admit your defeat... but it takes you nine months to fix the games you already released?

Just... just what the hell, Ubisoft?

 

[DaxStrife]

Well why aren't they being louder about this change to their DRM? This is what kept me from buying their games! Had I known, I might have actually bought AC2 during the Steam sale a few days ago.

 

[theriddlen]

STOP CHEERING.

This isn't a removal. It still requires online authentication when you start the game.

And there's no offline mode, unlike Steam.

Ubisoft are still a bunch of cocknuggets and we shouldn't go back to loving them just because they're being slightly less cuntish.

Thankfully in future games they are going to use Steamworks - cheer.

 

[Hunter65416]

I don't see that much difference, I mean, my PC is already hooked up to internet permanently

Believe me its crap for us laptop owners who cant play games like this on the go (6 hour plain trips ect)

 

[Daniel Kay]

Neat, I may get AC2 now eventually.

However question is, can you also save your game offline? That actually was the main point that prevented me from buying it.

 

[kannibus]

Will I soon be able to HAWX it up when I don't have the net? Let's hope so...

Ah well, even if this is limited progress, it is still progress. So a minor YAY.

 

[Evilsanta]

Is it true? No...I won't belive it! IT IS ALL LIES! LIES I TELL YOU!

OT: 9 fucking months to realise your misstake? Way to go Ubisoft...

 

[Outlaw Torn]

Does Raving Rabbids have the same DRM? If not, maybe that is why it sold better than Ass Creed and not the increase in casual gamers?

I'm not a PC gamer so I have been saved the horrors of DRM abominations such as Ubisoft's, in the event that I do start playing more PC games I'd certainly avoid something which demanded bandwidth all of the time just to be able to play it. Maybe not if it was a multiplayer game, but certainly for single player ones.

 

[Xanadu84]

Why did I have to find out about this after the Steam sale for Splinter Cell ended?

 

[thethingthatlurks]

Aww, did somebody realize that a) the buyers hated the idea and just plain did not buy a game they might have been interested in, or b) that it didn't help to curb piracy at all?
Sorry, Ubisoft, I ain't gonna buy yo shitty ass games (part of a new years resolution, don't judge me!) anymore, and neither will a lot of other people. What's that? I'm a whiny pro-pirate anti-fanboy? Well, I get to decide where my money goes, and companies that try to dictate how I enjoy the product I've just purchased are sadly not going to be the recipients.

 

[brunothepig]

it could just mean that we should wait 9 months before buying certain Ubisoft games on the PC.

I was thinking that the entire article.
Still, good news is I can get Assassins Creed 2 on PC now. I much preferred the control scheme of Assassins Creed on PC than I did playing number 2 on my friends PS3.
Of course it's still not a good DRM scheme. No DRM is good DRM... But I can deal with the online activation thing. Hopefully the next releases are just Steamworks. It's not perfect, but it's the best I've encountered.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

And that DRM was the reason I didn't buy that Splinter Cell game in the Steam sale. Oh well, guess it saves me money...