Ubisoft Deploys DRM Again; Hates Humanity

[barmyllama]

Well after picking up AC2 and SC Conviction in the Steam sales I can say that's probably the last Ubisoft games I'll ever buy.

Both are poorly coded console ports and that's a better reason not to buy their games in my opinion.

 

[Fred]

Personally I would rather no PC games whastoever than let pirates get the same experience for free! Ubisoft obviously feel the same way not that they make many games on PC anyway even worth buying..........

Yep, who in thier right mind would want to sell millions of units and make a fortune when some people might get to play it for free. Better to not sell any that will show em

 

[bhavv]

Havnt the people complaining about the quality of Ubi games played Anno 1404?

Frigging amazing game that is.

 

[kylew]

I don't blame Ubisoft for doing this & support them as there are so many PC pirates around who will steal anything & everything regardless of cost or quality. Not had a problem with this DRM either its pretty seamless.

Personally I would rather no PC games whastoever than let pirates get the same experience for free! Ubisoft obviously feel the same way not that they make many games on PC anyway even worth buying..........

Piracy isn't theft, come on you're an adult you should know this by now.

Whose fault is it other than Ubisoft's? Really, let's not pretend they were "forced" to use it. DRM doesn't stop piracy, it only effects the legitimate users who pay for their games, those who don't don't have to bother with nonsense like this.

 

[Dark Sun]

We recently reported on how Driver: San Francisco will require a constant internet connection for you to play. It’s a controversial measure put in place to defend against piracy, and we don’t like it. We don’t like pirates either, mind.

Ubisoft see the DRM as a success, however. Speaking to us earlier today a Ubisoft representative admitted that the developer has seen “a clear reduction in piracy of our titles which required a persistent online connection, and from that point of view the requirement is a success.”

Ubisoft have traditionally been the developer with some of the harshest DRM in the industry. In the games that use their always online “connected services”, players can no longer to play if no internet connection is detected. The publisher first implemented this always-online DRM with Settlers 7. Since then, it has featured in Silent Hunter V and Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood.

Sadly, legitimate players often take the brunt of such security measures. Intermittent internet connections and server issues at Ubisoft’s end can stop PC Gamers from playing the game entirely. Not cool.

Similarly frustrating measures were also introduced in the recent Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition, where offline players were restricted to playing a small selection of the characters. Capcom later withdrew the measures after fan criticism.

PC Gamer

 

[Shamikebab]

I wonder how it affected their sales.

 

[Evilsod]

I wonder how it affected their sales.

Unfortunately its hard to find data on something not happening. The only thing they seem to be bothered about is that it lowered the amount of piracy... well duh, but that doesn't mean people bought it, it just means they didn't pirating it.

 

[Shamikebab]

Well yes but I doubt they'd stick with it if their sales were much lower than expected. The decrease in piracy must have been greater than any estimated loss in sales.

 

[Gundog48]

waiting for the guys to come in and claim anyone against it must be a pirate.

I live on a ship ... Not being able to play my game at all for months at a time would be a pretty huge deal

 

[Evilsod]

Well yes but I doubt they'd stick with it if their sales were much lower than expected. The decrease in piracy must have been greater than any estimated loss in sales.

Hardly a surprise, most people are spineless cretins with big mouths. After the laugh that was the MW2 boycott its no surprise devs don't pay any attention to people claiming they won't buy a game.

 

[Deific]

Well yes but I doubt they'd stick with it if their sales were much lower than expected. The decrease in piracy must have been greater than any estimated loss in sales.

However, they're making the assumption that a pirated copy is a lost sale, which 95% of the time wont be the case. That person would either go on to make a purchase legitimately after essentially demoing the pirate version - or they were never going to buy it in the first place.

However someone who was going to buy it legitimately and no longer will because of their pathetic DRM system is a guranteed lost sale. They've already lost several sales from myself on Settlers 7, AC2/BH and now From Dust. That's £80-100 lost from me alone.

 

[Neil79]

There's a follow-up to our question about whether From Dust will use Ubisoft's DRM that requires a constant internet connection on VG247, where a Ubi rep has told them: "From Dust will not require a permanent online connection to play in single-player mode." In contrast, there's also a post on PC Gamer where a Ubisoft representative deemed the "always on" DRM a "success," saying they've seen "a clear reduction in piracy of our titles which required a persistent online connection, and from that point of view the requirement is a success."

Bluesnews

 

[Lunawolfy]

However, they're making the assumption that a pirated copy is a lost sale, which 95% of the time wont be the case.

Exactly.

I've spent a fair amount of time 'on a boat' and game amassed a decent library of 'books' which I otherwise would not have read. If I was to pay for the prospect of possibly having a good book I wouldn't when friends can let me 'borrow' their book.

Remember I'm not elligible to attend the book groups or be the first to read its sequels.

As I was never even dreaming of buying the book, they have not lost the money the writers claim they have. Its almost like a very extended demo of the book.

Whilst there are books which only offer the experience of reading them on dark nights alone, books that offer book groups really pull me in. (I recently purchased DA's War-meadows: Good Assosiates 2) so they makes sales that they wouldn't have.

In short if you've been confused

Single player games, piracy is a bitch.

Multiplayer, usally lacks single player and we can't play online. So end up buying it anyway!

 

[robgmun]

waiting for the guys to come in and claim anyone against it must be a pirate.

Way would Pirates complain? They don't have to deal with the DRM

 

[Parmesan]

I mean, you don't get road sweepers going home to play this :

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/07/08/street-cleanin-man-street-cleaning-simulator/

That man writes one hell of a review!!

 

[Gundog48]

And every game they have put DRM on has been cracked. I think Settlers was done in a weekend. Pirates will always find a way, so they are really only hurting their legitimate customers.

 

[wildman]

waiting for the guys to come in and claim anyone against it must be a pirate.

yaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr

 

[Dutch Guy]

And every game they have put DRM on has been cracked. I think Settlers was done in a weekend. Pirates will always find a way, so they are really only hurting their legitimate customers.

True, but the more measures the take the longer it takes to crack and the first days/weeks are most important to sales.

I wouldn't mind if a SP game required a constant internet connection but then Ubisoft must make damn sure i can play whenever I want.

 

[Red_knight]

Bah. I was going to buy From Dust

 

[platypus]

Hotspots are required for Wifi to work on a boat I think, I dont think he is near one.

Microwave link to onboard wireless routers?