Ubisoft eases PC DRM (a little) DRM checks on Ubisoft Games appear to have changed - gamers can now play titles like Assassins Creed 2 without a constant internet connection. The DRM system, launched with Settlers 7 in March last year, required players to be netted-up the entire time in order to play. The changes mean these games no longer require a …
might explain the 'change of heart'
Why would you buy a game which won't run on your PC without jumping through the hoops set by UBIsoft?
I was an loyal Ubisoft customer for a long time but I finally gave up when my latest legally purchased game refused to play because I run a virtual drive on my PC. I finally had to use a crack to get the game to run. I found that little tip on Ubisoft help forums.
I loved Farcry 1+2 and all the Tom Clancy’s Games and Unreal rocked! But there is plenty of other game developers out there which don't insist on a DNA sample before you play.
I have a choice and I exercise everytime I put my hand in my pocket.
icon? Ubisoft don't make their customers feel very welcome. Maybe they should.
I don't think they are talking about PC game sales.
<quote>
''This performance was achieved thanks to a greater number of higher margin Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 titles released.''
</quote>
If you are going to post something to support your argument you should read it first...
the conclusion I got from the document is that the PC games aren't doing very well at all and the company are relying on Xbox and PS3 sales to boost their figures.
shoot own foot.. DOH!
"Nevertheless it's good news for most, especially those stealing a flaky unlocked Wi-Fi signal from the neighbours."
I don't understand this slight at gamers, it has absolutely no relevance to the article.
As for the DRM, it has been systematically bypassed and because of it's failings (cutting off legitimate gamers) has been acting as a motivation to download pirated games and not a deterrent.
""Nevertheless it's good news for most, especially those stealing a flaky unlocked Wi-Fi signal from the neighbours."
"I don't understand this slight at gamers, it has absolutely no relevance to the article."
I do believe they were simply having a joke. But if you can't take one, then here's a box of tissues...
Can you really call a person's dowload a "pirate copy" if they own a legit copy and are only DLing the crack in order to actually use the product they paid for? I know they are bypassing DRM which is (swear swear) illegal in its own right, but that is not the same as 'stealing' the game without paying for it?
Well its nice to see a small move into the correct direction, the thing is DRM doesn't stop piracy the pirates go oh thats a nice DRM you have there *rip* *crack* oh look im playing the new title all copied. The paying customers then are lumbered with the restriction's, compatibility issues, degraded performance all for what? Nothing as the pirates are still playing the game. It serves nothing more than to punish your paying customers.
The thing is look at MMO's or games that have a strong online element but require a CD key to use the online features, they do better than the single player games with weak online features and stupidly strong DRM.
It was the same when spore came out I bought it couldn't play it and was told get a crack, well to hell with that I took the game back got a refund and then downloaded a pirate copy played it and then deleted it, I've now no longer bought games with any major form of DRM since, and I've stuck to using things like steam rather than retail (have to love this xmas's sale)
Well done Ubi, you have pissed away the last of your once great reputation (and no doubt a boat load of cash) in order to make a poor copy of something you could have bought from Valve.
That said, I don't actually care; I don't want to buy anything from Ubi anyway. Their output of late seems to consist solely of trash console ports with 'Tom Clancy' plastered incongruously on the box.
I would like to point out that putting 'Tom Clancy' on the box in no way distracts me from the fact it is a shit game. In fact quite the opposite.
/rant
You can run steam in offline mode as much as you like. AFAIK you still need an initial connection to the internet to run the games, then it allows the internet to drop. Previously even a small stutter would kick you out. Not good in games such as silent hunter 5.
Ive been running steam in offline mode here at work for about 9 months without issue.
I have passed on every ubi game since this stupid DRM came out and will continue to do so - even when SH5 was dirt cheap on steam recently.
"Nevertheless it's good news for most, especially those stealing a flaky unlocked Wi-Fi signal from the neighbours."
I don't understand this slight at gamers, it has absolutely no relevance to the article."
-----
Surely the relevance is that those with flaky signals wouldn't have been able to play the games before cos when their dodgy signal cuts out, so did the games? Makes sense to moi, I always used to nick signal from the neighbours to play online poker - the amount of times I slow played aces and lost because of signal failure actually made me pay for my own broadband connection. Not quite the same, but similar-ish.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
