Ubisoft's DRM No Longer Requires Constant Internet Access on Some Titles

Ubisoft should just stop publishing PC games. It's not like PC gamers are gonna miss anything exclusive; they're all console ports. Better off playing them on the 360 or a PS3 without the added bullshit.

Too little, too late.

Sorry Ubi, insisting on online verification from your servers every time I want to play a game just isn't on.

Just because this is 'less bad', it doesn't mean it's OK.

It's the principle. I've paid for a product, I expect to be able to use it without asking your permission first. Here are five

1 - Can I resell the game?

2 - Can I lend it to a friend?

3 - Can I install it on whatever machine I own? As many times as I like? Without calling your support guys to get extra activations?

4 - Will I still be able to play the game ten years from now on an old rig, the same way I do Thief and Morrowind?

5 - Can I install on my laptop and play on a train?

If you cannot answer 'yes' to all of these, then frankly I'm not interested. A product where a legal, paying customer has to jump through hoops after paying for the privilege is an inferior one to the free variety that pirates enjoy, and I don't see why I should be made to jump through said hoops for doing the right thing.

You know what the best DRM is? Add value to the legal versions. Printed maps, glossy manuals, art books, 'Making of' DVDs, soundtracks...

Make games a real 'product', the way they used to be, instead of cutting things down to the bone, selling us cheap ephemeral digital crud with pdf manuals, ripping us off and generally treating us like criminals doesn't endear you to us, the guys who pay your salaries.

YOu forgot to mention RUSE ; it was the first PC game to get DRM thrown out.

You know..I stayed away from Assassin's Creed II until a few weeks ago because of all the hoopla surrounding the DRM. So Steam had a sale on it and I thought, fuck it and am glad I finally did.

When I started it up, I had to create an Ubi account which took a minute, log in, enter my serial number, and within a few minutes of hitting "Play Now" I was in game. No issues, nothing. The little screen that pops up to authenticate with Ubi's server is only up for a few seconds when you run the game. Not nearly the headache people still portray it to be and it's a lot of FUD if you ask me. Once you set it up the first time, it's completely unobtrusive.

And honestly, whoever can afford to buy a system that will play this game adequately will have a broadband internet connection. I'm tired of people making a big deal over the smallest fraction of a percent of the PC gaming community not being able to authenticate over the intertubz.

I could give a shit about some kid in Appalachia or Bangalore, India not being able to play a game because of DRM because they don't have an internet connection. That's life, get the fuck over it.

I think for many people, the problem with DRM is that they feel like they are renting a game instead of buying it (for the price of buying). When a remote server decides if you are allowed to play your game or not, who can blame them? There is no guaranty you'll be able to play the game, even if you have a working internet connection, as long as Ubisoft maintains control via DRM. They could turn off their server at any time. Ubisoft is basically asking customers to trust them with access to games that were paid for, while saying we don't trust you to the customer.

Wow this is massive news!

I am very happy they have done this and hope they will continue to do this with all their PC products.

I have supported them while they have had the DRM, for I love their IP's, so this feels like a real payment for my self and other early supporters at a time of darkness.

Hats off UBISOFT now do this for the rest of your products and keep it this way. You will see the support you get.

I am sure a bunch of you are very happy now in the PC gaming crew.

If my comments are somewhat acerbic on this matter it's because I feel as a consumer I shouldn't be made to jump through hoops and suffer massive inconveniences to play games I've bought and paid for.

2 of the biggest games of the last 2 years, Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age, had NO DRM. Yet they sold perfectly well. These are isolated examples but there are dozens more out there. Ubisoft should take a lesson from them.

Intrusive DRM is bad news. Full stop.

I still won't buy their games until its fully removed, I mean seriously what is the fucking point of even having the one time check when you launch the game? The pirates already got around your always on bullshit and now this will just be easier for everyone to crack, again only punishing the legit buyers. JUST REMOVE IT COMPLETELY and I will immediately go back to buying your PC games. Complete airheads in charge over there. I'm holding onto the hope that this is just the first step in them completely removing it because they would never EVER admit that this always on DRM idea was a bad one to begin with so they will phase it out slowly. For the record I saw AC2 on a clearance rack for 6.99 brand new and STILL passed on it because of the DRM. This game was a fully paid PRE-ORDER until the announcement of the DRM and I cancelled it.

too late.

I'm guessing they didn't sell as many copies of things as they expected to during the Steam sales despite the crazy prices and thought "shit".

Good, but not good enough as long as the initial connection is still required.

Not buying yet, Ubi.

Too bad this wasn't done during the Steam holiday sale, I would have bought AC2 if it was.

Now I'll have to wait till the next sale.

Of course, the much hated, draconian DRM. Only a watered down version now? Please.

Ubisoft are dead to me until they repeal this nonsense. Completely.

It says enough that in the article Brian Leahy uses the word "infected" to describe a game with the DRM.

Although inarticulate, I've said it before and I'll say it again :-
Fuck Ubisoft. Fuck them right in the ear.
Greedy Corporate Swine.

I don't really see all that huge a difference between having a constant connection and having to have a connection on every launch. I suppose it'd be nice if your connection is really flaky, but other than that, it doesn't seem to be much of a change.

I guess it is a step in the right direction, but it is a pretty small step.

Offline mode or no deal Ubi. Get to it, because I would like to play Assassins Creed 2 at some point.

Curious timing on this decision. The conspiracy theorist in me wants to believe that they didn't sell as well as they had hoped during the steam sale and finally got the message that their DRM was affecting sales.

I specifically don't buy Ubisoft games for this reason. There are too many other games to be playing to even wonder if I am missing something from not playing their games.