Ubisoft Online DRM: It's Worse Than Expected

[Motiv_]

Ubisoft does realize that the game just gets cracked, right?

Just drop all DRM! You'll have more money to make the game better, which means it'll sell more! I know a good many people who have gone and pirated a game just because the DRM was too restrictive.

Edit:

Snip

You're a conspiracy theorist. If they wanted to kill off PC gaming, the obvious solution would be to not release the game on PC and claim that it wouldn't be commercially viable.
And one publisher? yeah, Ubisoft on it's own is going to bring us down. if it was "well thought out", they'd just get all the dev teams/publishers to work together and not release on PC.

You are aware that he was being sarcastic, right? And I mean DRIPPING with sarcasm.

 

[seanmcdow]

it'll be the same as spore, drm will be cracked and people will be more inclined to steal it to avoid the sillyness. the only drm that has ever worked well is steam

 

[HentMas]

As a PC gamer, does Ubisoft not realize we are an unforgiving bunch? Do they also not realize we complain like there's no tomorrow?

yes, but they also realize that PC gamers can´t do anything to change their mind

When they see sales fall thanks to word of mouth, then maybe they will think that the new system sucks. Well, more likely, they will think "It's those pesky pirates."

the thing is, the sales of their games in PC are already down, and they want to make things difficult to pirates, this system is going to be quite hard to crack, but anywhay, buying it or not, the game is there, and they are relying on console income to make profit, so they are actually saying "i dont care if you dont buy the PC version"

and well, they are right, because PC users (not all of them) tend to be bastards that only want to pirate and crack and hack their games, how many web pages do you know that are exclusively dedicated for programmers that crack games!? now, how many are there for consoles??

its the most logical step given the circumstances (i would do that too)

 

[Doggabone]

Ubisoft has seen my last dollar, whether for my PC or any of my consoles. It will make no difference, but I mailed copies of my letter saying so to all their offices, too.

With so many games available to buy, I won't miss them. The thing of it is, this could have been done as an added incentive, and not a requirement. Offline saves, and bonus side missions that are only playable with an online connection. For example.

 

[Void(null)]

Just pirate it.

That'll fix the problem.

Unfortunately Piracy only compounds the problem.

Its a damned if you do, damned if you don't type situation.


Buy Game, Support the DRM.
Buy Game, Pirate/Crack Game. Fiscally Support DRM and Justify DRM.
Boycott Game, Justify Limited PC Releases or Console Only Releases.
Pirate Game, Encourage and Justify DRM and Limited PC Releases.

Buy it or don't buy it, Ubisoft have decided that they are going to fuck over PC gamers, one way or another.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

Pirate Game, Encourage and Justify DRM and Limited PC Releases.

Not necessarily. Already it's looking like AC2 is going to be the most pirated game of the year due to this god-awful decision. So what would happen if the game sells poorly and it is pirated by millions? (I say millions because AC1 got leaked a month early and was downloaded around 700,000 times. If that many people will pirate a game that doesn't have such extreme anti-piracy measures, imagine how many AC2 will have) I would think Ubisoft would learn a valuable lesson in that case.

 

[McNinja]

Lol it's a good thing I got this for PS3 then.

Also, it's quite interesting how many people say they'd rather pirate the game than have to deal with the ridiculous DRM. It seems that Ubisoft is actually working against themselves.

 

[Allan Foe]

Gotta agree with all those conspiracy theorists, there's no way anyone in their right mind would think this kind of DRM is a good way to stop pirates. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can have effective and unobtrusive DRM like in Batman Arkham Asylum [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/6519-Building-a-Better-Kind-of-DRM]? There's obviously some hidden agenda involved.

 

[Void(null)]

Pirate Game, Encourage and Justify DRM and Limited PC Releases.

So what would happen if the game sells poorly and it is pirated by millions?

Ubisoft stop releasing games on PC, focus on console and pave the way for other companies to drop PC support and focus on consoles where they have significantly more control over the product and the hardware its played on.

Ubi have made no bones about their feelings towards the PC Market. To be honest, I am surprised that they are still releasing PC titles.

 

[Gindil]

Gotta agree with all those conspiracy theorists, there's no way anyone in their right mind would think this kind of DRM is a good way to stop pirates. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can have effective and unobtrusive DRM like in Batman Arkham Asylum [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/6519-Building-a-Better-Kind-of-DRM]? There's obviously some hidden agenda involved.

That has to be one of the best articles I read in Escapist so far.

Thanks for the link.

 

[Outamyhead]

And for the minority that have no connection to the internet?

If Ubisoft are scraping by, then this move will surely kill them off.

 

[Allan Foe]

Ubisoft stop releasing games on PC, focus on console and pave the way for other companies to drop PC support and focus on consoles where they have significantly more control over the product and the hardware its played on.

Ubi have made no bones about their feelings towards the PC Market. To be honest, I am surprised that they are still releasing PC titles.

In such an event, even if any of their PC-only game-pirating fanbase migrates to consoles, I would expect them to pirate Ubi's games simply out of spite.

...effective and unobtrusive DRM in Batman Arkham Asylum [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/6519-Building-a-Better-Kind-of-DRM]...

That has to be one of the best articles I read in Escapist so far.

Thanks for the link.

You're welcome. Articles by Shamus are generally insightful and an easy read.

 

[r0manz]

I've been thinking, and I think I solved the puzzle:

This move by Ubisoft wasn't really an obviously misguided attempt at stopping piracy, no. It was well thought out and deliberate, we just can't see the forrest for the trees. Lemme explain:

Ubisoft is deliberately trying to destroy PC gaming, by annoying the fuck out of everyone wanting to play their games on PC. They are totally aware of the fact, that no matter what DRM or copy protection they use, it will get cracked eventually, usually in a few days before the game's release. So, they thought, wtf, let's kill PC gaming altogether, and herd them to buy consoles. "If we annoy them enough, they will stop playing on PC and go buy a hassle-free console". Sure, it's totally obvious now. Making games for consoles are far easier than PCs: unified architecture (no need to take different configs, OS-s, whatever into consideration), simpler dev tools, shorter development time and it's way more cheaper, etc. And, for what it's worth, piracy is still lower on consoles. The sales they lose on the PC, they will get it back on the increasing console sales when disillusioned ex-PC gamers fold and go buy a console. Win-Win.

This is not an idiotic frontal assault against piracy, it's a well thought-out, insanely clever evil plot against PC gaming. Yea, some may think it's just another conspiracy theory, but still, it's a better explanation than "Ubisoft went insane and stabbed itself in the back". Think about it...

I laughed, good post.

Luckily we still have good old Bioware to keep PC gaming alive.

 

[tetron]

See this is what comes from all the people who didn't oppose DRM. Its gotten worse and it's probably going to get even worse than this. Ubisoft may not have that many ports but once one person does this it's easier for everyone else to start doing it. Don't be surprised if EA and other PC publishers start doing this as well. That's not to say this isn't without its merit. They're trying to do what steam does but apply it to single player games. The remote server saves are a nice touch. I'd like to see more of that but also have client side saves.

 

[UberMore]

Wow, that's fucked up... horribly horribly fucked up...
I like Ubisoft (they publish games I like), but they best not try and put this shit on consoles too, or even make this go ahead, cos now I've lost the ability to play an Ubisoft game on my PC (my connection isn't to stable atm), my only choice is my PS3 and I'm not being locked out of a game because the PS3 wireless facility is only strong enough to only just get a signal...

/rant

In other words...FUCK THAT!

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

It decisions like this that makes piracy so popular.

Let's not forget the whole "free material" thing.

I'm pretty sure that's a big part of it too, since games that have no DRM or anything get pirated to hell and back as well.

Yeah, but I buy games, unless they have draconian measures similar to this, then I may pirate just to stick it to them. Even if the game is crap.

 

[Tyrium]

IMO multiplayer games are always popular + some sort of payment system for weapons and customisation or whatever is the way to go. Extra levels, new skins..etc...$2 here 3$ there and bam, u got $50 bucks from a single guy.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Buy the box, pirate the game.

So you can support Ubisofts choice of DRM, approving its use in the future, and add to the Piracy Statistics further justifying more hurtful forms of DRM which target legitimate customers more than the Pirates?

That seems like the most damaging solution in the long term.

Ever heard of a letter?

I write those.

Send them to companies.