Ubisoft Defends, Then Changes Anno DRM

Ed130 The Vanguard

(Insert witty quote here)
Sep 10, 2008
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Too late Ubisoft, you already lost me.

Sad thing really because Anno seemed like something I would have bought, if I wasn't overly cautious due to you being its publisher.
 

-Dragmire-

King over my mind
Mar 29, 2011
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Ed130 said:
Too late Ubisoft, you already lost me.

Sad thing really because Anno seemed like something I would have bought, if I wasn't overly cautious due to you being its publisher.
It's sad that if they go under, they'll say it was due to piracy and not policy.
 

rofltehcat

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Jul 24, 2009
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I recently built a friend's old motherboard, RAM and processor into my computer because my motherboard is broken and currently at the manufacturer for repair/replacement.
My Anno2070 copy asked for reentering the serial, so I used my second install with this.
Assuming the manufacturer won't go through the trouble to repair the mainboard but will instead send me a new one, I'll probably also use up my third install.

So yeah... stupid system. At least they didn't get much money from me. The key I use is a "third world key" I bought on the net... so they only got as much as from a sale in whatever that key is from. It isn't worth more than the 20? I paid for it anyways. Well, even if DRM-free it wouldn't have been worth full 60? for me, but maybe 35 or so would have been my selling-point.

Well, it might be worth more with less restrictive DRM and install-limits. This is a lesson publishers need to learn: For some people like me, DRM schemes decrease the value of a product we are willing to pay.
 

luckshot

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Jul 18, 2008
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Carnagath said:
Why do people keep buying Ubisoft games for the PC? I thought that through their infantile verbal shit-swinging and their "HAHAHA, YOU BOUGHT OUR GAME, WELL FUCK YOU" approach to DRM, pc gamers would have gotten the message by now.
thats exactly why i stopped buying their games, and every time i see them release a game i would otherwise consider purchasing i just wait a couple of weeks for the false mask of sanity to come off
 

Adam Jensen_v1legacy

I never asked for this
Sep 8, 2011
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Limited activation is just as bad as always-on DRM. Why should pirates have the ability to play the game however they want, whenever they want, but honest customers can't? Ubisoft is so fuckin' retarded!
 

Yopaz

Sarcastic overlord
Jun 3, 2009
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Carnagath said:
Why do people keep buying Ubisoft games for the PC? I thought that through their infantile verbal shit-swinging and their "HAHAHA, YOU BOUGHT OUR GAME, WELL FUCK YOU" approach to DRM, pc gamers would have gotten the message by now.
Seeing as Anno 2070 is a PC exclusive I don't really see how fans of the series could do anything else. However you do make a valid point. Pirating their games offers like a million times more convenience. I haven't had any problems with Driver San Fransisco so there's still a reason to buy their games although that reason gets smaller with every new release...
 

Vie

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Nov 18, 2009
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Oh bugger this, I liked the look of that game, but not spending good money on it till the price drops - if I'm going to have to jump though arbitrary hoops then I'll take the reduced price as compensation.
 

bificommander

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Apr 19, 2010
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My computer crashes a lot. I've re-installed it several times. And I may one day have to replace whatever component causes the crashes or get a new computer. Therefor, I treat the Anno game as an effective rental that I'll only be able to play for a limited amount of time. And thus I will only buy it once it drops to rental price.

What irks me most about the whole deal with Ubisoft's DRM is how hypocritical it is. They package their PC exclusive titles (Setlers, Anno, HoMM) with the most obtrusive, annoying, damaging DRM systems on the market and claim that they do it because it's the only way to combat piracy and that their system totally works. And then once they announce a title like I Am Alive, they defend the decision not to make a PC version by saying it isn't commercially viable because all the PC gamers will pirate the game anyway. Clearly, they have no faith in their own DRM system. So please Ubisoft, just sell all the franchises that you can't make work without a keyboard and mouse to Valve or Stardock, and we'll go our separate ways. We'll play PC classics without Orwellian DRM systems, and you can go ***** about how the second hand sales are ruining your console market profits.
 

Atmos Duality

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Mar 3, 2010
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"While it's correct that copies of Anno include three activations and that changing hardware may trigger the need for reactivation, the vast majority of Anno customers never encounter this scenario," the company said "On the rare occasion when a customer does need additional activations, Ubisoft customer service is available to quickly resolve the situation, and we encourage those customers to contact us directly so that we can ensure they are able to continue to enjoy their game."
Funny. My ISP and cell phone service make the same claim; yet whenever I call their respective service lines, it connects me to what sounds like a man talking broken English in a sandstorm.

But I'm sure Ubisoft's customer service got all the practice they never wanted after Assassin's Creed 2 was DDoS'd by amateurs.

bificommander said:
What irks me most about the whole deal with Ubisoft's DRM is how hypocritical it is. They package their PC exclusive titles (Setlers, Anno, HoMM) with the most obtrusive, annoying, damaging DRM systems on the market and claim that they do it because it's the only way to combat piracy and that their system totally works. And then once they announce a title like I Am Alive, they defend the decision not to make a PC version by saying it isn't commercially viable because all the PC gamers will pirate the game anyway...
Took the words out of my mouth.
Ubisoft doesn't have any faith in the PC market, yet they continue to try to force their PC customers to accept their crippleware in hopes that we will just agree to whatever insane demands they make of us.

From their perspective; their legitimate customers just need to be brought around to their line of thinking, and the problem is, that with this sort of DRM it is far too impractical for that to happen. Claiming a given incident is "rare" is misleading when the potential number of "rare" incidents is so high.

I'm all for fair business Ubisoft; if you make a good product I want to reward you for it so the next one is better or so that the number of options expands.

Yet, Ubisoft hasn't grasped this important, indisputable fact: Pissing off their REMAINING LEGITIMATE CUSTOMERS is far more dangerous to business than losing sales to piracy.

But they appear ready to go ahead with their "scorched Earth" market strategy.
 

CardinalPiggles

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Jun 24, 2010
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They did apparently say that with a call to customer support, you could get the game to function again on a different PC hardware configuration. It's not that bad for us really.

On the other hand their game will get cracked regardless, so anyone willing to pirate their game would be willing to get a cracked version, waste of their time really.
 

Elyxard

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Dec 12, 2010
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I was hoping this article was about them removing the DRM.

I almost got interested in this series but the install limit is the absolute worst. I don't know how many times Ubisoft needs to learn their lesson, evidently not enough yet. This kind of DRM destroys games and developers. I refuse to be treated like a criminal.
 

SL33TBL1ND

Elite Member
Nov 9, 2008
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It uses TAGES? Christ, what is wrong with Ubi. That DRM software is the only one, in my long years of gaming, that has ever given me trouble.
 

ResonanceSD

Guild Warrior
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Dec 14, 2009
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Andy Chalk said:
Sabrestar said:
If Ubisoft accidentally blew up someone's house, they'd say everything was fine, then later offer to buy the victim a new front door.
Brilliantly put.

Is this limited to GPU switches?

And considering they let this one go, can they give up the ridiculous machine activation limits altogether now?
 

Jimmybobjr

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Aug 3, 2010
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I have purchaces Anno 2070 On Steam.

I have played About 50 hours into it.

I have not had a single problem, at all, with playing my game.

Sooooo....

Ubisoft wins.