No Always-On DRM or Steam for Trackmania 2

[Andy Chalk]

No Always-On DRM or Steam for Trackmania 2

The upcoming Trackmania 2: Canyon [http://www.trackmania2.com/] won't use Ubisoft's always-on DRM, but it won't be available on Steam, either.

Let's play the good news/bad news game. First, the good news: Trackmania 2, the upcoming addition to Nadeo's long-running series of over-the-top racing games, won't require always-on DRM, despite Nadeo's 2009 acquisition by Ubisoft. "You'll need to register online once when you install the game," a Ubi rep told Rock, Paper, Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/12/trackmania-2-will-not-contain-ubidrm/]. "You'll then be able to play without an online connection."

But the bad news, although the relative "badness" is entirely a matter of opinion, is that the game won't be appearing on either retail shelves or Steam, at least for the foreseeable future. A Nadeo rep stated on the ManiaPlanet forums [http://forum.maniaplanet.com/viewtopic.php?p=44690#p44690] that "there is no box version scheduled right now," explaining that the game is intended to be a low-priced product available to anyone, anywhere, for years to come, a long-tail approach to sales that simply doesn't fit with the retail sales model.

As for Steam, the rep said in a separate post [http://forum.maniaplanet.com/viewtopic.php?p=44341#p44341] that while both Trackmania Nations and Trackmania United are on the service, the new game's dependence upon ManiaPlanet makes Steam integration a very tricky proposition. It could happen but if it does, it "very likely" won't be until next year; nonetheless, the rep suggested that Trackmania fans who absolutely, positively must have the game on Steam wait to see how things work out because under Valve's current policies, fans would have to buy the game twice - once from ManiaPlanet and then again from Steam to have it on that platform.

"We know people do this, especially when prices are low. We could say it is good for us, but I don't really like it," the rep, who by the way pretty obviously doesn't speak English natively, wrote. "So, if you really want it on Steam, I can suggest to wait of either see a change in their policy, so you can feel secure to buy it outside of it today or to wait to see if we go on it and all I can say to help is that if it happens, it is very likely to be next year."

Trackmania 2: Canyon comes out on September 14 for the PC.

via: Blue's News [http://www.bluesnews.com/s/124496/no-always-on-drm-for-trackmania-2]


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[Irridium]

I really don't know what to think right now. Why the hell is Ubisoft putting the DRM on Driver, but not this? Are they just putting it on specific games they think will be pirated? Are they just throwing darts on a board and putting DRM on games they hit? What?

As for the Steam thing, meh. If people really want it on Steam they can just use the "add non-steam game" thing.

 

[senobit]

It would be pointless to put the always-on DRM on trackmaina anyway, its mostly an online game and as you have to register to play online essentially the DRM is there - just in much less offensive way.

 

[NathLines]

Daaaaw... They actually cared about the people that wanted it on Steam. That's sweet.

I'm one of those guys that like to have my stuff on Steam, but that's mostly because I don't support a lot of the other options. This "long-tail approach to sales" I can get behind. Also, I don't think you'll need a download client for this one either, so there's really no problem one way or the other.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I really don't know what to think right now. Why the hell is Ubisoft putting the DRM on Driver, but not this? Are they just putting it on specific games they think will be pirated? Are they just throwing darts on a board and putting DRM on games they hit? What?

Perhaps the always-on DRM will be more prevalent on largely single-player games? If you don't have to play with other people, why else would the program need the internet?

 

[Yopaz]

I really don't know what to think right now. Why the hell is Ubisoft putting the DRM on Driver, but not this? Are they just putting it on specific games they think will be pirated? Are they just throwing darts on a board and putting DRM on games they hit? What?

As for the Steam thing, meh. If people really want it on Steam they can just use the "add non-steam game" thing.

Yeah, it's not a big deal to add games that got nothing to do with Steam at all.
Also I think the reason why this game doesn't have always on DRM is that it's a game where you get most pleasure from playing online so those who pirate it wont get that much form it anyway. Kinda like those who pirated LovePlus I guess... They didn't get any Pleasure Pleasure... *Snickers*

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I'm sure when I bought Just Cause 2 from Eidos's own site (was a sale and got it for like £4 a few months after release), it came with the ability to be registered on Steam, is there no way they can do something similar?

 

[RA92]

I really don't know what to think right now. Why the hell is Ubisoft putting the DRM on Driver, but not this? Are they just putting it on specific games they think will be pirated? Are they just throwing darts on a board and putting DRM on games they hit? What?

Take note that Ubi DRM only seems to go into the AAA releases. Trackmania isn't exactly AAA, since it would be priced way below $60.

Maybe it's because of the reaction against StarForce in Trackmania Nations? Maybe bacuae Trackmania is a PC-exclusive, and won't (apparently) hurt console sales through PC piracy - which is why I guess PC releases are shoved so far behind (it ain't for polish, I tell ya). Maybe because you need to be online anyway to get the most out of Trackmania? Or maybe Nadeo really cares for us?

Who knows?

What matters is Trackmania 2 is bullshit-free.

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[Rad Party God]

I don't mind either the digital only and non-Steam thing. I played a lot of Trackmania Nations and Nations Forever back in the day and I was really dissapointed by the Steam release, because it wasn't regularly updated as the other version and because I couldn't get rid of the annoying ads that always appeared after closing the game.

So yeah, no biggie for me.

 

[Irridium]

I really don't know what to think right now. Why the hell is Ubisoft putting the DRM on Driver, but not this? Are they just putting it on specific games they think will be pirated? Are they just throwing darts on a board and putting DRM on games they hit? What?

Take note that Ubi DRM only seems to go into the AAA releases. Trackmania isn't exactly AAA, since it would be priced way below $60.

Driver is a AAA release? It's being priced at $60?

...

Really? It doesn't seem like a $60 AAA title to me.

Ah well, I'm sure the pirates will let us know if it's worthy of the AAA status or not.

 

[Vrach]

As for Steam, the rep said in a separate post [http://forum.maniaplanet.com/viewtopic.php?p=44341#p44341] that while both Trackmania Nations and Trackmania United are on the service, the new game's dependence upon ManiaPlanet makes Steam integration a very tricky proposition.

So any chance of people shutting up about EA doing the same thing for "no reason" now?

 

[RA92]

Driver is a AAA release? It's being priced at $60?

...

Really? It doesn't seem like a $60 AAA title to me.

Ummm... I assumed it was, I actually have no idea.

 

[migo]

As for Steam, the rep said in a separate post [http://forum.maniaplanet.com/viewtopic.php?p=44341#p44341] that while both Trackmania Nations and Trackmania United are on the service, the new game's dependence upon ManiaPlanet makes Steam integration a very tricky proposition.

So any chance of people shutting up about EA doing the same thing for "no reason" now?

Nope, Steam fanbois are just way too butthurt to shut up.

 

[Duskflamer]

As for Steam, the rep said in a separate post [http://forum.maniaplanet.com/viewtopic.php?p=44341#p44341] that while both Trackmania Nations and Trackmania United are on the service, the new game's dependence upon ManiaPlanet makes Steam integration a very tricky proposition.

So any chance of people shutting up about EA doing the same thing for "no reason" now?

1) EA had games on Steam that mysteriously vanished. Announcing that a future game will not be available on Steam is not "the same thing."

2) I think more people know/care about EA games than about Trackmania.

 

[Vrach]

As for Steam, the rep said in a separate post [http://forum.maniaplanet.com/viewtopic.php?p=44341#p44341] that while both Trackmania Nations and Trackmania United are on the service, the new game's dependence upon ManiaPlanet makes Steam integration a very tricky proposition.

So any chance of people shutting up about EA doing the same thing for "no reason" now?

1) EA had games on Steam that mysteriously vanished. Announcing that a future game will not be available on Steam is not "the same thing."

2) I think more people know/care about EA games than about Trackmania.

1) People ***** just fine about the announcement of new titles from EA that aren't coming to Steam. Also, those games that "mysteriously" disappeared didn't disappear mysteriously at all. EA explained what happened, they tried supporting players through it, saw that shit won't fly and had to take the games off.

2) I didn't say "how come people aren't bitching about this too", I was hoping they could stop the conspiracy bullshit and calling EA out on bogus reasons for taking games off/not releasing new ones on Steam, when it's obviously a problem that affects everyone. The reason it's happening with EA is because EA is trying to do what's against their service the most, which is support the players through the game itself. And supporting games through games themselves is a relatively new model, one that makes a lot of sense and nets more profit to the developer/publisher at the cost of profit to the retailer - which is fine in my book.