I Am Alive Coming to PC

[Andy Chalk]

I Am Alive Coming to PC

​

All you bitchin' PC gamers are finally going to get a shot at Ubisoft's survival-quest I Am Alive.

Remember that guy who said last year that a PC port of I Am Alive probably wouldn't be worth the effort, because in spite of all the "bitching [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114356-I-Am-Alive-Producer-Dismisses-Bitching-PC-Gamers]" PC gamers do they were unlikely actually buy the game? We're finally going to get the chance to find out if he was right, because Ubisoft has confirmed that the game is on its way to the PC.

I Am Alive is set a year after a cataclysmic event that left the world in ruins. Players will step into the role of a survivor who faces threats from both the environment and other humans as he struggles to find his wife and daughter amidst the devastation. The PC version of the game has been enhanced with improved visuals and two new game modes: "Easy," which allows infinite retries and a "smoother introduction" to the game, and "Replay," which lets players go back and play through previous levels in order to uncover missed secrets.

I love the concept of I Am Alive, but I've been told by People Who Know that the execution was a bit rough around the edges, with lots of bugs and clunky controls. Hopefully that's been cleaned up for the PC release, but I also find myself wondering if, by leaving it for so long, Ubisoft is setting the port up for failure. The whole "Ubisoft hates PC" thing is a little overdone at this point, but given the creative director's statement about the number of unit sales needed to make a PC release worthwhile, I do wonder why Ubi waited so long to make it happen and hasn't put more of an effort into differentiating the PC edition from the earlier console versions.

On the other hand, I Am Alive on PC will be a digital-only release and sell for just $15, so maybe it'll attract some decent numbers - perhaps even enough to convince the publisher to go with simultaneous console and PC launches in the future. Hey, dare to dream, right? I Am Alive arrives on the PC via Steam, UbiShop [http://shop.ubi.com/store/ubina/en_CA/pd/ThemeID.8605600/productID.255190500] and other fine digital distributors on September 13.


Permalink

 

[bafrali]

A Ubisoft PC port? Sorry, fresh out of steam.

 

[Mister Six]

Wasn't Ubisoft just bitching about the "93-95% piracy rate"? Trying to make any sort of sense from their actions makes my head hurt.

 

[Vivi22]

Wasn't Ubisoft just bitching about the "93-95% piracy rate"? Trying to make any sort of sense from their actions makes my head hurt.

Understanding their actions is pretty simple actually. They'll say piracy is as bad as they can get away with to justify any kind of DRM or other anti-piracy measure they want. But they will never simply ignore the PC market because they have companies like Valve and CD Projekt Red demonstrating on a daily basis that they're full of shit.

 

[Bob_F_It]

That would be good news if it wasn't Ubisoft. I'll eventually get it on PSN tyvm.

 

[Mister Six]

Wasn't Ubisoft just bitching about the "93-95% piracy rate"? Trying to make any sort of sense from their actions makes my head hurt.

Understanding their actions is pretty simple actually. They'll say piracy is as bad as they can get away with to justify any kind of DRM or other anti-piracy measure they want. But they will never simply ignore the PC market because they have companies like Valve and CD Projekt Red demonstrating on a daily basis that they're full of shit.

Well that's just it, it doesn't make sense from a 'decent human being' point of view, nor does it make any sense from a business perspective. If piracy really were that high then the DRM is obviously not working, so you're throwing money at something that doesn't work while alienating your customers. Of course piracy isn't that high, but they still have proof that DRM is just a cash sink that does nothing for their bottom line. I understand that the issue probably revolves around the shareholders getting anxiety because they lack an understanding of the media, but that just makes it seem like Ubisoft is putting their fingers in their ears and hollering "I can't hear you" as loud as they can.

 

[weirdee]

well, in some kind of messed up way, you'd pretty much prove them right if you didn't buy it

 

[thethird0611]

PC gamers getting a great game = Awesome

Ubisoft playing ring around the rosy with what the hell it wants to do on the PC = Stupid.

 

[Chaos Marine]

It's from Ubisoft so I'm not touching it. Fuck that company.

 

[Irridium]

If they only have a 5% profit margin on PC games, why the crap do they keep making them? I mean, I'm glad it's coming out for the PC, but god damn Ubisoft, make up your mind.

"Our DRM works and is successful!"

"We have a 93%-95% piracy rate."

"We only have a 5% profit margin on PC games"

"Now announcing a PC version of I Am Alive!"

I just don't know anymore.

 

[Vivi22]

Well that's just it, it doesn't make sense from a 'decent human being' point of view, nor does it make any sense from a business perspective. If piracy really were that high then the DRM is obviously not working, so you're throwing money at something that doesn't work while alienating your customers. Of course piracy isn't that high, but they still have proof that DRM is just a cash sink that does nothing for their bottom line.

I see where the confusion is coming from now. You're trying to apply some measure of rational thought to the behaviour and actions of a large multi-national business. Speaking as someone with a business degree, that'll always make your head hurt because they're anything but rational.

I understand that the issue probably revolves around the shareholders getting anxiety because they lack an understanding of the media

I've seen numerous companies and executives say that's basically why they do it. Investors don't understand the medium, but they know downloading the game for free means they don't get money. So despite DRM not working, executives will make a company put it in so it looks like they're doing something instead of nothing so they can protect their jobs. Many investors probably wouldn't understand that all it does is piss off paying customers and make them stop buying from you. It's one of those situations where doing nothing would literally be the better option, but if they do nothing they look inept and lose their job. Seriously, businesses are fucked up.

but that just makes it seem like Ubisoft is putting their fingers in their ears and hollering "I can't hear you" as loud as they can.

Congratulations, you now understand the key to running a successful mega-company. You must have a business degree too.

 

[Bindal]

I'll still buy it.

But it makes you wonder, if there are two people at Ubisoft, who REALLY hate each other or someone there is just drunk when making annoucements.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

The PC version of the game has been enhanced with improved visuals and two new game modes: "Easy," which allows infinite retries and a "smoother introduction" to the game, and "Replay," which lets players go back and play through previous levels in order to uncover missed secrets.

Well that's something at least. This game really was truly lacklustre on consoles. Terrible graphics, dull art direction, clunky controls and a simply ridiculous "grip metre". Modders are the only thing that will save this game. I'm honestly surprised it's even being considered for a port.

 

[lacktheknack]

All you bitchin' PC gamers are finally going to get a shot at Ubisoft's survival-quest I Am Alive.

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/114/348/tom_delay.jpg

What you did there. I see it.

As I've said before, I believe in carrot AND stick treatment. If the port is free of its stupid, stupid DRM scheme, then I'm buying the crap out of this, as I did with Rayman Origins.

 

[shadowmagus]

You weaponsgrade douchebottles could offer me a diamond-studded, gold-plated fellatio machine with complimentary Hooker Souls (proper Hooker Soul batteries are harvested only at the finest brothels)...

Yeah, I'm going to have to disagree with this one. Hyberbole aside, this would probably be amazing...but then again my morals are generally for sale too.

 

[revjay]

In spite of my dislike for Ubisoft I tried this as a demo then bought it(I blame mad cow disease). I should have just gone with 'hate ubisoft, fuck their titles with a drill' because the game is bad. Now I have a chance to waste more money on a bad title for my PC? Sign me up!