Ubisoft Games Unplayable During Server Switch

[WMDogma]

Ubisoft Games Unplayable During Server Switch

Upcoming server maintence will disable access to games like Assassin's Creed and Might & Magic Heroes VI.

Starting on February 7th, a multitude of Ubisoft's websites, services, and games for the PC and Mac will be unavailable, thanks to an upcoming move of Ubisoft's gaming servers.

Titles affected by the server swap include Might & Magic Heroes VI, Settlers 7 and Tom Clancy's HAWX 2 for the PC, along with Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell: Conviction for the Mac. Most other Ubisoft games with an online mode will also be unavailable during the server downtime, but any games that include an offline mode shouldn't have any issues.

You can check out the full list of games affected here [http://static2.cdn.ubi.com/transition/details/], which on a lighter note, does reveal that major titles like Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Driver: San Francisco will remain fully playable. However, considering that a fair amount of Ubisoft's titles come with its infamous "always-on" DRM, which require an active connection to Ubisoft's gaming servers in order for the game to run, it's not much of a stretch to assume a wider variety of games other than what's listed may also end up unplayable during the server transition.

Currently, Ubisoft hasn't confirmed exactly how long the server switch would last and when gamers can expect to have Ubisoft's services back up and running. The server switch does paint a fairly grim picture of what would happen to many gamers in the event Ubisoft itself ever goes dark, and points out a serious flaw in Ubisoft's chosen method of digital rights management.

Source: Ubisoft [http://static2.cdn.ubi.com/transition/details/]


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[Fappy]

Ubisoft has no respect for their customers. Is it so hard to implement an offline mode for all their games similar to how Steam does it?

 

[Wolfram23]

But, you know, it's not like DRM's bad. I mean, yeah, if you own any number of these games then you're shit out of luck. But, hey, at least they're stopping us from pirating, right? I mean, they have to protect their interests, right? It's not like there's a way of getting around every single DRM scheme ever made. DRM is obviously the best way to get people to pay for your games, and we should be thankful that the games are only going to be unplayable for a day or two instead of being locked down forever! Thankful I say!

 

[Tony2077]

hope this improves something maybe um why are they doing this

 

[Cowabungaa]

Ubisoft has no respect for their customers. Is it so hard to implement an offline mode for all their games similar to how Steam does it?

I was so happy when I found out that Anno 2070 did have an offline mode. I bought it on a whim, not knowing it was made by Ubisoft. Luckily I could still play that when my connection dropped.

 

[Haz88]

Oh Ubisoft, of course you are right. This experience of not being able to play the games your costumers bought and paid for in no way makes cracking your DRM seem like a good idea. Especially when you both crap on and insult everybody who buys your products for the PC

Please Ubisoft. Just admit that you don't want PC-gamers to buy the games you put out, so that you don't have to go through the hassle of developing them. For ours and your own sake.

 

[thiosk]

See, this is exactly what the detractors complained about when the scheme was first announced.

And look, here it comes to pass. Sure, it won't take too long to get up and running, but still. Its an ugly business.

 

[balberoy]

I know why I stopped buying Ubisoft Games (and EA Games)...

The Publisher just don't f..... care for their customers.
On this forefront is EA lumped together with Ubisoft as the
worst kind of public relations you can get.

Hope those two will collapse, so I won't have to deal
with them in the future.

 

[Xanthious]

Gee wonder if the people that pirated these games will still be able to play their copies when the servers go down. . . .

Just another example of the totally free pirated product being superior to the product that their customers slapped down money for. Is it so hard for publishers to grasp that if there is a free copy of your product available that's actually superior to the paid version it makes very little sense to a good many people to actually pay for the inferior version.

Yeah yeah I know, in a perfect world developers/publishers shouldn't have to compete with criminals that are illegally distributing their game. Well guess what sunshine, this isn't a perfect world! People that make PC games need to at the very least make a product that is equal to the pirated copy and maybe, just maybe, make a superior product so people will actually have a reason besides a skewed sense of right and wrong to pay for it.

 

[targren]

But but but...

"This sort of DRM is fine! Don't be such a whiner and just get a real internet connection!" That's what they all said about a certain, more-beloved-than-Ubisoft (that's not particularly hard) developer doing this same crap.

 

[Bernzz]

The funny thing is, anyone playing a pirated copy won't be affected at all. All the DRM is affecting in this case are the paying customers.

Get the fuck with it, Ubisoft. Seriously.

 

[yayforgiveaway]

Spoiler

[http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/688/trollfacev.jpg/]

argh how do i show images?
EDIT
figured it out

 

[Roserari]

If Ubisoft went down and don't release a patch to free DRM games from their DRM, I would sue them for my money back.

 

[poiuppx]

This is just annoying at this rate. Does Ubisoft even get that something like this has no right to be news? Do they understand that every time something like this comes up, it just aggrivates their customer base further? You can only piss on the consumer's head and tell them it's raining so many times before they start to complain about the smell, and when it becomes obvious the only company that this seems to crop up with over and over and over is Ubisoft, you're going to have even your die hard base looking elsewhere for their gaming fix. And in this day and age, 'elsewhere' doesn't even require leaving the computer (Steam, Origin, GOG, etc.). Capitalism 101; when you offer an inferior product, unless you're prepared to compete on price, don't be shocked when everyone migrates to the superior products instead.

 

[Sandytimeman]

This just reminds me of why I don't play ubisoft games. And makes me feel completely justified in my personal boycott of the brand.

 

[blalien]

If Ubisoft went down and don't release a patch to free DRM games from their DRM, I would sue them for my money back.

The problem is, if Ubisoft went down, there'd be nothing to sue. And if they're going bankrupt anyway, they have no incentive to put in the effort of removing their own DRM. The only thing that will get the message to them is a massive boycott.

 

[ph0b0s123]

No mention of AC Brotherhood on the PC that I am currently playing. Happy I just finished HAWX 2. Yes, I am behind becuase I don't pay full price for Ubisoft games.

If anything this will incentivise people to look for pirate copies just to keep playing the games they have purchased, during the transition. Only Ubisoft could create a situation with their DRM that causes people to turn to piracy. Good job. A better idea would have been to release a patch removing the DRM on the older games affected by this, but that would require logical thinking.

 

[Woodsey]

Now, where's all those chumps defending Blizzard and Diablo 3?

 

[Mortuorum]

Remember, DRM only affects pirates. Legitimate users have nothing to fear from always-on DRM. No really.

 

[the big fluffeh]

And this, children, is how you piss off customers and alienate people.

The cracked version of the games are much easier to use and there's no hassle with the always-on crap.

So ... yeah.... Buy from Ubi? No, thanks!