Why does Uplay exist?

BradinHD

BradinHD

BradinHD

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Worcestershire
Alright so I just wanna start off by saying that I hate Uplay. Ubisoft as a developer I think are pretty rock solid and have released some of my favourite games over the past 10 or so years, like the AC series and Far Cry.

But why as PC gamers are we tormented to this horrendous piece of bloatware that is known as Uplay?! It's unnecessary and frankly barely even works, I got to 75% total completion of ACIV and because they're having problems with cloud save my data got deleted and I had to start from scratch.

Just now I tried to launch ACIV through steam so I could play Freedom Cry, and guess what? I can't because the Uplay servers are down and apparently I need to re-enter a CD key for ACIV which I can't do while Uplay is down.

So let's just use this thread as a big F-U to Uplay, Origin, and any other of those unnecessary programs we are forced to download in order to play our games. What are your experiences with it like?
 
I've never experienced any problems until I bought ACIV, but even before then I just want the game I don't wanna have to download any other pieces of software I don't need / want :(
 
BradinHD said:
Alright so I just wanna start off by saying that I hate Uplay. Ubisoft as a developer I think are pretty rock solid and have released some of my favourite games over the past 10 or so years, like the AC series and Far Cry.

But why as PC gamers are we tormented to this horrendous piece of bloatware that is known as Uplay?! It's unnecessary and frankly barely even works, I got to 75% total completion of ACIV and because they're having problems with cloud save my data got deleted and I had to start from scratch.

Just now I tried to launch ACIV through steam so I could play Freedom Cry, and guess what? I can't because the Uplay servers are down and apparently I need to re-enter a CD key for ACIV which I can't do while Uplay is down.

So let's just use this thread as a big F-U to Uplay, Origin, and any other of those unnecessary programs we are forced to download in order to play our games. What are your experiences with it like?
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Its just an anti-piracy method, quite effective too.
 
Neil79 said:
It's not effective at all, it was in the very early stages but not anymore
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Never had anything but problems with uplay, even origin has been an order of magnitude less problematic so I just don't buy their games anymore :S

Not a great fan of every publisher/developer having to have their own DRM/digital platform either as inevitably each has to have its own background process/task and/or tries to start with windows, etc. which just adds a load of extra clutter and potential compatibility problems on the PC.
 
This image of Steam that people have that its not intrusive and simply allows them to play games whenever they want is true, but it is infact as invasive as any other drm including uplay.
 
Eames said:
This image of Steam that people have that its not intrusive and simply allows them to play games whenever they want is true, but it is infact as invasive as any other drm including uplay.
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I get that it's intrusive, they have some pretty questionable terms of service, but it's my most preferred method of buying and downloading games tbf, if I can get a physical copy cheaper, I only do so if it's steam supported, if it's uplay then I usually give it a miss!
 
Its because historically Ubisoft did not want to sell their games on Steam so developed their own DRM platform & store as they also moan a lot about piracy on PC for their games. I think the CEO once said only 10% of their PC games were legit the other 90% pirated :rolleyes:

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/ubisoft-ceo-claims-93-95-piracy-rate-on-their-pc-products/

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/364271/pc-piracy-rate-above-90-says-ubisoft/

So as you can probably tell if you google the subject Uplay is here to stay as long as Ubisoft make their games available on PC !

I do not really blame Ubisoft for it either back in 2008 they decided to release Prince Of Persia (the superb cell shaded platform game) on PC with no DRM whatsoever......that was the last game they did that on as you can guess what the results were:rolleyes: Uplay being developed inhouse as they previously used Starforce but had to drop that after it broke optical drives & or destroyed some Windows installations due to its root kit install methods for the DRM drivers.

Ubisoft do not really have a good opinion of PC gamers anyway in 2007 Assassins Creed1 was leaked by a north american disk duplicating plant & sold poorly on PC (despite it being the best version) as this was 6 weeks before its release date.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ubi-suing-over-ass-creed-pc-leak
 
It bothers me for the same reason as Origin.

1) It offers nothing that Steam does not.
2) You must install it to play, even if you never use it's features.
3) It never quite feels as slick to use as Steam, like Origin some bits of it reek of "that'll do ".

After the GFWL debacle it's about time that something was done about all the crapware required in order to play a game IMO. I would happily support the whole concept of requiring it to be installed to be made illegal. :)
 
The only Uplay game I have is Anno 2070, and I uninstalled it (together with Uplay, of course) because I found Uplay to be an unreliable and bloated mess.

Now 2070 is back in the cupboard, waiting for the DRM to be romoved, just as it was with Anno 1404.

Only effect Uplay had was for me not to buy any more Ubisoft games. Shame really, because I would gladly have bought at least Silent Hunter 5 and a new Settlers game.
 
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