Publisher Ubisoft has announced that it will be transitioning the hosting of many of its online services "from a third-party data center to a new facility" on February 7. During the transition, which is meant to "improve the maintenance of our infrastructure and deliver better uptime and greatly improved services for our customers," some Ubisoft titles across a number of platforms will be completely or partially unplayable.

Read more: Partial and complete outages »

It’s been five years since players have gone behind the wheel of Ubisoft’s Driver series, but the long-awaited Driver: San Francisco has finally arrived. Anyone that has followed the Driver series from its inception recognizes that these games have had somewhat of an identity crisis. While Driv3r dabbled in GTA-style third-person action, the more recent Driver: Parallel Lines placed a heightened emphasis on its titular focus: driving. Driver: San Francisco, the latest in the series from Ubisoft Reflections, returns to form. It’s a racing title, through and through.

Driver: San Francisco returns players to the role of Detective John Tanner. In this latest iteration, Tanner gets into a serious car accident, granting him the power to psychically shift between cars.

Read more: Playing in Tanner's 'coma dream' »

Ubisoft has scapped the 'Uplay Passport' online pass for Driver: San Francisco, not out of the kindness of its own heart but because the codes were printed incorrectly in some copies. In other Driver: Frisco news, Ubisoft has insisted that the PC edition's delay was "natural," and is promising free DLC over the coming weeks.

Read more: Dodgy codes, development complexities and downloadable content »

After news in July that Driver: San Francisco was bringing back Ubisoft's terrible "always online" DRM requirement drew exactly the sort of reaction you'd expect, the publisher has scaled its DRM plans back a bit. The new plan is that you'll still need an Internet connection to play, but only when launching Driver: Frisco.

Read more: Ubisoft's statement »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Strap yourself in! It's Gamescom 2011; we have a ton of new videos and screenshots for you to enjoy. Be warned, you might be here for longer than usual.

Read more: Check out today's Filter »

When Ubisoft confirmed that the PC edition of Driver: San Francisco would see the return of its terrible 'always online' DRM, it tried to console fans with the words, "Bear in mind though that the PC version of DRVSF is released simultaneously to consoles." Ah. Not any more.

Read more: Another unexplained Ubisoft PC delay »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features a cooperative trailer for Inversion, a teaser trailer for NHL 12, two character trailers and new screenshots for Anarchy Reigns, two character trailers for Mortal Kombat, a game modes trailer and new screenshots for Driver: San Francisco, screenshots for Stronghold 3, a new screenshot for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and new screenshots for Madden NFL 12.

Read more: Check out today's Filter »

All is right with the football world again. Training camps are in session, the preseason is right around the corner, and today the demo for this year's Madden arrives for download on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. A full game of five minute quarters, playable on all three difficulties, with either traditional or "GameFlow" play calling gives gamers a good look at this year's offering. And it's a strong matchup, recreating last year's NFC Championship tilt pitting the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers against the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field.

Read more: Driver demo also takes to the streets »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features a multiplayer trailer for Driver: San Francisco, a how-to video for Warlords, a champion spotlight for League of Legends, a launch trailer for We Dance, a question and answer session for FIFA Soccer 12, two new trailers for Star Wars: The Old Republic, new screenshots for Dishonored, and new screenshots for Wargame: European Escalation.

Read more: Check out today's Filter »

The PC edition of Driver: San Francisco will see Ubisoft bringing back its DRM requirement of an always-on Internet connection.

"PC version requires permanent internet connection," Ubisoft confirms on the official Driver: San Fran Twitter account. This is how the publisher's proprietary DRM system worked when it first launched in 2010.

READ MORE: DRM, demos, and delays »

Today's Filter includes a developer's diary for Driver: San Francisco, a new trailer for Dragon Ball Z Ultimate Tenkaichi, an opening trailer for Starhawk, four new videos for Street Fighter X Tekken, a cinematic trailer for Spider-Man: Edge of Time, a new movie for X-Men: Destiny, a new heroes trailer for Battlefield Heroes, a pre-order montage for Star Wars: The Old Republic, an origins comic for SSX, new screenshots for the beta version of Auto Club Revolution, a bloody trailer for The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut, brand new screenshots for the side-scrolling Sideway, a new trailer for PayDay: The Heist, new screenshots and trailer for DC Universe Online, and an angry new trailer for Asura's Wrath.

READ MORE: Check out today's Filter »

If you haven't heard, online passes are all the rage among publishers these days. Now Ubisoft has announced that it's getting in on the act, with the "Uplay Passport" program. Beginning with Driver: San Francisco in August, Ubisoft games will include a single-use registration code for Uplay Passport, which unlocks "bonus content, exclusive offers, and online multiplayer play." The announcement suggests it will also come to Ubi's other "popular core games" for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter includes dev diaries for Assassin's Creed Revelations and Driver: San Francisco along with new videos for Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, FIFA Soccer 12, Back to the Future, and Orcs Must Die. Read more »

Ubisoft Reflections' imaginary drive 'em up Driver: San Francisco, known to San Fran residents as Driver: Frisco, has reappeared on the radar with a new release date.

Driver: Frisco will now hit PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on August 30, Joystiq reports. It seems that the Wii and 3DS editions, which are more separate games than ports, won't be arriving at the same time. Read more »

Another studio has suffered layoffs today, as Ubisoft has confirmed the Newcastle-based studio, Ubisoft Reflections, will see cuts.

According to Develop, as many as 19 employees on the Driver: San Francisco team could be out of work as part of "wider restructuring." Those facing the axe reach from all levels of the studio, from members of the studio's senior dev team to contract workers. Ubisoft says that the 19 employees will either be made redundant or not receive a contract renewal. Read more »