Ubisoft DRM Gets Worse And Worse: Kicks You Out Of Game If You Have A Flakey WiFi Connection

from the lovely dept

Thu, Feb 18th 2010 5:46pm — Mike Masnick

Last month, we wrote a bit about Ubisoft's bizarre anti-consumer policy of using DRM on games that requires an internet connection to check in (even if you're just playing locally). But, it gets worse. As a whole bunch of you sent in (but compgeek was first), apparently it doesn't just check once to see if you have an internet connection, but regularly checks, and if you've lost that internet connection, it will boot you out of the game and you'll lose everything that you've done since your last checkpoint or save. This is a serious problem for anyone who has even slightly flakey WiFi or an internet connection that goes down frequently (all too common these days). Ubisoft's history with DRM is filled with similar missteps, and it's really amazing that the company seems to be so oblivious to why treating fans badly is such a bad idea.

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Filed Under: drm, internet connection, video games
Companies: ubisoft

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Pontifex (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 5:51pm

Note to self: Use a crack when buying Ubisoft games.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 6:00pm

Note to self
Quit playing Ubisoft games. Loved their Myst cycle. Too bad, so sad, you ARE the weakest link, goodbye.
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Modplan (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 6:09pm

This both a shame and odd hypocrisy as several of their games are actually available DRM free from Good Old Games (yes, official and Ubisoft approved, the site itself focusing deliberately on DRM free and provides other exclusive content like artwork and various other things when you buy).

I guess publishers stop caring about DRM encrusting games when they're not the new hotness that they want to attempt to milk. It's even better with recent calls by the industry that second hand games are a "problem" that needs to be stopped.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 6:11pm

This was pretty much already known when the original details came out. The fact that you'll lose your progress wasn't exactly spelled out, but the details did say that losing the connection would pause the game until the connection was re-established. Combine that with checkpoint-based saves and you have the latest in a string of morons at Ubisoft.
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Flaky, 18 Feb 2010 @ 6:12pm

Not a customer of bad DRM games
At one time, I bought a lot of games. I've gotten to where I won't buy a single game till I've downloaded it and tested it.

Most of those with franchise themes have gotten to where they're not worth the price of the game for content alone. That is without considering extra hoops and hassles such as 'internet required' or a sneaky install of copyright programs that can't be uninstalled afterward or worse create other problems with the OS after installation.

I would not buy a car with the understanding I could only drive it on Wed. or that the tires would be coming for it next week. What makes game makers or any software company think I will accept their version of this same scenario?

All it tells me, is that if you pay for it, then you are the sucker that has to put up with the extra hassles at whatever level they deem. Pirating it eliminates both the cost and the side problems. Looks to me like the pirates have the better business model.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 6:13pm

All it needs now is a USB-based breathalyzer and we're set!
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 6:34pm

This is a serious problem for anyone who has even slightly flakey WiFi or an internet connection that goes down frequently (all too common these days).

Right, because wifi used to be rock solid and has started to get flakey only lately. Also, because home type internet connections were always perfect until recently. I agree with your statement overall but not the fluff, you can do better than that.
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Mike C. (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 6:55pm

Re:
Yeah... I mean, it's not like WiFi runs on a common frequency used by cordless phones that were very popular for a few years. It's also highly unlikely that more of your neighbors have one or more wireless routers that could step on your connection. And there's absolutely no chance that you now have 5-7 times the number of devices connecting to your wireless connection than you did even a couple years ago.

Blasphemy I say!

/now where'd I put that upside down exclamation point???
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:00pm

Re:
Stuff like this happens. I recently learned that My neighbor has a video security system and it may use WiFi or maybe the transmitter overpowers the whole frequency band. I've tried changing WiFi channels, and moving to B/G, but nothing helps.

As a result, our WiFi is screwy because of our adorably paranoid neighbors who were worried about Obama coming to take their guns. These problems started a little over a year ago...
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Spectere (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:00pm

Re:
Wi-fi itself isn't the problem, it's that it's becoming too popular.

Go to a house in the suburb and you'll be fine. Go to an apartment complex and you'll be lucky to not get booted off every once in a while. I used to live in a densely populated apartment complex in Maryland and I'd get at least 15-20 networks popping up on my list at any given time. If I were to fire up Network Stumbler or Kismet I'd be looking at triple that. Considering the limited number of channels and the even more limited number of channels with no overlay (three, to be exact) it's difficult not to see a great deal of interference.

Let's not even get into 2.4GHz cordless phones. There's nothing like getting kicked off your own network because your friendly neighbor one floor beneath you made or received a phone call. It made me with that 802.11a had caught on.
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Spectere (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:05pm

Re:
If they want to treat me like a criminal they're sure as hell not getting my money.

I have enough willpower (not to mention a collection of damn good games that aren't loaded down with pointless, invasive DRM) to avoid a few titles here and there.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:14pm

Re:
You cannot play the game if Ubisoft's servers crap out as well. People will pay for this abuse...why?

The game/s will be cracked, but best is to not buy or bother with Ubisoft games anymore. They obviously hate the PC market, let 'em show themselves out the door with nothing to show for it.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:15pm

After Farcry 2 not working, and Ubifail not addressing the issue, I will never buy another product from them again.
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Mr Big Content, 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:21pm

Excuses, Excuses
It’s really amazing the creative pretexts the pirates keep coming up with to justify their nefarious ways. If you can afford to buy a Ubisoft game, why can’t you afford a proper, reliable Internet connection?
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:31pm

Re: Re:
The point is that these things have always been flakey. This is nothing new 'these days'.
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Brendy, 18 Feb 2010 @ 7:43pm

Simple logic to follow...

If game has DRM, download cracked version.
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RD, 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:05pm

...and the retards come out to play...
"If you can afford to buy a Ubisoft game, why can’t you afford a proper, reliable Internet connection?"

A) it shouldnt be necessary to have an internet connection just to play a game (online-only games are different of course).

B) a "proper, reliable internet connection" isnt always available, and SHOULD NOT BE ASSUMED TO BE AVAILABLE. See A) above.

C) Your elitist snobbery makes you look like an overbearing, anti-consumer jackass.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:09pm

Re: ...and the retards come out to play...
D) Your broken sarcasm meter makes you look silly.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:09pm

Re: ...and the retards come out to play...
D) Your broken sarcasm meter makes you look silly.
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Tom Landry (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:16pm

I frequent many gaming sites and their comment sections. Ubisoft is quickly replacing EA as the most hated publisher in the industry. I find it difficult to believe that their PR people are willfully ignoring the horrific word of mouth that their company is engendering.

They are going to lose far more money from disgruntled potential customers than they ever will from piracy.
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Tom Landry (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:21pm

Re:
Use a crack when buying Ubisoft games.

there, fixed
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:22pm

Re: Excuses, Excuses
Quality of connection is hardly the point now is it?
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:37pm

DRM relaxation
The strategy thus far for game companies that are presenting strict DRM at release time seems to be to start with the most draconian measures possible, then ease up just before release with lighter restrictions that are still quite draconian, in an effort to guide consumer thinking to the notion that DRM restrictions are the norm. I think it's part of a larger plan to simply acclimate gamers to DRM so they can leverage greater control over games in the next decade. DLC at ship-time seems to play into this, with increasingly larger and larger parts of the game now only available to "official" copies.

The plan might even be working, if you look at community response both before and after DRM restrictions are relaxed. Spore is a good example. Gamers see headlines like "Super Xgame DRM requires urine sample every 5 minutes" and become outraged, then later see "Super Xgame restrictions relaxed", and they essentially absorb only the headlines, allowing the restrictions the publisher wanted all along to be slipped in as the norm, as the cost of some company image.

There's probably a term for this ask-for-the-world strategy, since it's hardly a new thing and it's bread and butter for politicians, but I can't think what it is.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:48pm

It's almost like ubisoft is secretly trying to show how insane copy prevention schemes are by introducing an extreme example.
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Pontifex (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 8:58pm

Re:
Yes, so since you basically agree with him, it is perfectly reasonable to chew him out over the writing style. How wise.
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Spectere (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 9:01pm

Re: Re: ...and the retards come out to play...
If you would have purchased the SarcMark® software that misunderstanding would have never occurred, y'know.
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Pontifex (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 9:02pm

Re:
EA has certainly been on the rise recently on the Consumer Relations angle. I'm split between hating Ubisoft and Activision-Blizzard
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Pontifex (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 9:04pm

Re: DRM relaxation
I legitimately don't have a problem with launch-day DLC. Usually, the game is complete without it, and it provides an incentive to buy new without alienating customers.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 9:14pm

I have the fix
Dont by Ubisoft games.

I don't care how nice a game may appear to be, if the game is so riddled with crap like that, Id rather not deal with the struggle at all. i'll just go buy something that is DRM and trouble free.
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Le Sigh, 18 Feb 2010 @ 9:15pm

Exactly - offer me incentive to be a paying customer instead of a punishment.
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Cynyr (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 9:27pm

Re: Excuses, Excuses
because uptime is paid for in a big way, want 99%? pay up, hell my linksys router + Qwest dsl modem have a fight about 2x a week that causes me too loose internet for several minutes while i reboot both. 100% reliable internet should not be required for offline play. Not that i was going to buying this with out official WINE support or a proper linux port.
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anti Mr Big Content, 18 Feb 2010 @ 10:11pm

ya its amazing that i used to buy games and since i had one that screwed my box up and lost loads a data. Ive never bothered
just let them price themselves into bankruptcy let the fools that pay keep doing so till there richy parents have no jobs and money
it will come be patient this cant continue and when this crashes you wont have any trillions of tax payer cash to spend out of it.
GO GO GO DRM
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:), 18 Feb 2010 @ 10:40pm

We need one of these for games
http://i.imgur.com/GxzeV.jpg
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 10:42pm

Re: Re:
If Mike's skin is so thin that I cannot call him on his bs then he should not allow comments on this blog.
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:), 18 Feb 2010 @ 10:43pm

We need one of these for games
http://i.imgur.com/GxzeV.jpg

They ruin the experience and ask people to paid for it?
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Blatant Coward (profile), 18 Feb 2010 @ 10:49pm

Now see here!!!
I think it's wonderful that Ubisoft has invented the Single Player Online Game!

In the future we will all be playing SPORG's and wondering what the fuss was!

Now I am going to go dash off and play a quick round of Solitaire the MMORPG.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Feb 2010 @ 11:26pm

Re: Re: DRM relaxation
For recent games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2, I entirely agree. However I'm pretty confident it will rapidly become just another front for the DRM battle, with more characters, maps, essentials, and outright core features being wrapped up as DLC only.
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:), 18 Feb 2010 @ 11:32pm

Re: Now see here!!!
What I really find great is that they gave up on the PC games market and are betting all in on the console market.

There is no shortage of online games for free that want a piece of something.

0 A.D. open source
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ChadBroChill (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 12:15am

Re: Re:
He is coming though . . . . [shifty eyes, clutches sniper rifle tighter]
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Feb 2010 @ 12:27am

Re: Re:
Nonsensical. Copy/Paste what was said with no modification. What was fixed?
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Marcel de Jong (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 12:36am

Re: Re: Re:
I think he meant:

You must be on crack if you buy any Ubisoft games.
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EviLiu, 19 Feb 2010 @ 12:55am

Gears of War
I had a problem with Gears of War similar to this the other day. I just got back into the single player Gears of War on the pc, until my connection went out for a few days. Without a connection, you can't sign into Games for Windows LIVE or whatever it's called, and therefor can't save or load a game, at all. You can only start a new campaign and Insane difficulty is locked out.
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wiseguy, 19 Feb 2010 @ 1:01am

Re: Re: Re:
I think Mike meant wifi is STILL flaky these days, as opposed to some time in the future.
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Cixelsid (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 1:03am

Goddamnit
I can't believe I pre-ordered this on Amazon. I know exactly what's going to happen - the day afer launch everyone will be trying to run AC2 and Ubisoft's servers will fall over. And then no-one (except those who cracked the DRM) will be able to play.
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Yeebok (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 1:39am

This is why I won't buy ME2
I have ME1 and quite enjoyed it, though to be honest the replayability factor was 1 playthrough, which I was peeved about. I've been looking forwards to ME2, but I won't buy it until I know for sure it's DRM free, or at least at a level which I am happy with (which is very light).
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Feb 2010 @ 2:31am

The real problem here is the ignorant consumers that continue to buy into products and services that continue to treat their paying customers as criminals.

DRM=Digital RENTAL Media
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ethorad (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 5:19am

Re: Re: Re:
I think it's that there's more interference now, as Mike C was pointing out.

I was an early adopter with wifi in my area so even though I was in a block of flats my network was the only visible one.

These days, even though I'm now in more spaced housing there are half a dozen wireless networks plus I have a sonos sound system which uses the wifi space and 4 cordless phones (also the number of things attached to my wifi has gone from 1 PC to 2 PCs, a laptop, an iphone, an ipod, an xbox 360 and my wii).

On the flip side the wifi router is better than my old one, but even so connections drop occasionally.
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Spectere (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 6:21am

Re: This is why I won't buy ME2
You're in luck. The retail copy of ME2 uses only a basic disc check.

The Steam copy has nothing extra bolted on to the Steam DRM.

I'm glad that EA seems to have learned their lesson. It's sad that Ubisoft and friends haven't learned from EA's DRM experiments.
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nfk, 19 Feb 2010 @ 6:34am

Years from now
And what happens to everyone that wants to replay their old Assassin's Creed 2 game years later, when Ubisoft is either gone or they simply don't want to maintain the servers to authenticate the small percentage of people replaying one of their old games?
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Killer_Tofu (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 6:59am

Re: Goddamnit
So cancel your pre-order.
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Joe (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 7:00am

Re:
Yeah, EA left a bad taste in my mouth with Spore. I won't buy their games anymore. I think the only difference between EA and Ubisoft now is that EA has games I actually would like to play...
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Tyanna, 19 Feb 2010 @ 7:11am

This CAD comic made me giggle this morning. I think it's a nice summary :)
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Feb 2010 @ 7:12am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Flakey wifi and home internet connections in general have always been flakey. Mike makes it sound like everything used to be fine and now these days its a real mess. Its always been a mess. If Mike means to say that things are getting worse then he should say that, I think he can do better and thats it. I dont appreciate the bs part he used to fluff up the story, it was not necessary.
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TechWeasel (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 7:59am

Re: DRM relaxation
It's a variation of the "door in the face" strategy in interpersonal communication - ask for or demand something totally crazy, making a subsequent, lesser request seem more reasonable.

Not to be confused with the "foot in the door" strategy, where you make an inconsequential request of somebody; after he/she accepts, a slightly bigger request or demand is more likely to be accepted as well.
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Pontifex (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 8:21am

Re: Re: Re: DRM relaxation
Indeed, I am worried that this may be the future. At least it isn't SecuROM.
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Yakko Warner, 19 Feb 2010 @ 8:34am

Re: We need one of these for games
I like.

My kids scratching up our copy of Madagascar was probably the best thing to happen to that movie. I ripped the video to a DVD-R, and now we can watch the movie we bought without having to sit through an unskippable 5-minute "featurette" on the "upcoming" movie Over the Hedge every time we put the disc in.
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Yakko Warner, 19 Feb 2010 @ 8:37am

Re:
Penny Arcade has their own take, too. :)
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BigKeithO, 19 Feb 2010 @ 9:04am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Anal much?
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BigKeithO, 19 Feb 2010 @ 9:14am

Re: This is why I won't buy ME2
EA seems to have come around on the DRM front. You get the basic disc check when you load it up, annoying but its been like that for ages on the PC.

They do make you pay for the "Cerberus Network" (at least on 360) which will run you about $12. Without that piece of DLC you can't actually buy any additional DLC. If you get the boxed copy of the game they include this with the disc.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Feb 2010 @ 9:46am

Digging through the links (this article -> older article on TD -> Gamespy), it seems that this whole system is supposed to emulate Steam in some fashion.

It "lets" you install the game on any number of PCs, run it without the disc, but more importantly all saved data (like your progress etc.) is stored remotely on Ubisoft's end. That sounds scary to me anyhow from the simple perspective of: what happens if Ubisoft stops supporting my game. They won't keep these servers going forever, so if I want to play a game 17 years after it came out (I just played through the original Doom again yesterday) I am out of luck, though I paid for it?

I can understand why they would think that phoning home constantly would be okay in a game that requires an internet connection to store saved data anyhow. Not that I agree with it, I won't be buying any games with this type of DRM (I won't be pirating them either).
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Greevar (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 10:52am

Re: Re:
¡
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Greevar (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 11:07am

Re: Re: Now see here!!!
The joke is on them! Consoles see just as much piracy as PC do. A search on the pirate bay for Mass Effect 2 XBox 360 gives a lot of results.
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 19 Feb 2010 @ 12:21pm

Re:
"They won't keep these servers going forever, so if I want to play a game 17 years after it came out (I just played through the original Doom again yesterday) I am out of luck, though I paid for it?"

What they'll probably end up doing is selling a cheaper non DRM'd version in a couple of years. Maybe those who have proof of purchase will get a discount on the non-DRM version once it's released. Probably not.

What's more disconcerting is the fact that you won't be able to play without an internet connection now. Not everybody even has internet, or access to it full time. What about when you're traveling? Want to play AC2 on a plane? Better hope they have WiFi on the flight that you now have to pay for.
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nasty, 19 Feb 2010 @ 2:49pm

Sign ur peitition! Let them know how wrong they are!!

http://www.petitiononline.com/ew15dl94/petition.html
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Luci, 19 Feb 2010 @ 4:41pm

Rather like the take over at Ctrl+Alt+Del

http://www.cad-comic.com/cad/
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Feb 2010 @ 5:03pm

Torrents. They can take the hint of fail.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2010 @ 7:27pm

Re:
You give them too much mental credit.
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markryder (profile), 21 Feb 2010 @ 5:21am

not to all those stupid posters saying they will steal it
Change your computer because all software has bugs and as time goes on they will fix it (for those that are legal)

Its amazing the comments about cracks and torrents from the scummy thieving people who don’t buy the software anyway (which is why the company need to protect it)

If you use windoze computers make a note to self your widows is not wanted anymore. No it’s acceptable to wait for the update so what’s different

Stealing is a crime and protecting your software from thieves who comment about how they wont play it anymore has no values because you steal it anyway go on steal something else instead make a note.

Also your not treated like a criminal because they want to check their software (that’s if its genuine)
Just like all software if you steal your just a scummy person and your comments hold no value to any article about copy write because you don’t buy the products and if you did not steal then expect an update to fix any issues like all the other software in the world.

Nothing is perfect those that have noting to hide will get their updates those that steal will have a harder time playing this as a stolen game.

All games should implement this with an auto save before checking

Mark Ryder
Strictly underground
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2010 @ 12:30pm

Re: not to all those stupid posters saying they will steal it
Hint: DRM won't stop the "thieves" at all, just like a dictionary didn't stop you from making a fool of yourself.
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Dan, 22 Feb 2010 @ 9:47am

LOL @ MARK RYDER
Seriously Mark? Your comments, while certainly lengthy, are vague and poorly written, littered with typos and grammatical errors. I suspect that you, sir, are an idiot.
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 22 Feb 2010 @ 12:01pm

Re: not to all those stupid posters saying they will steal it
"All games should implement this with an auto save before checking"

That's certainly the publisher's right. Just like it is the right of gamers to not buy those crappy games that are more of a hassle to use than the games made by the competition. See that's the beauty of the free market. By all means, make poor decisions if that's what you think is best. The market will just buy from those who make better decisions.

Perhaps instead of name calling potential customers, you should use that time to learn a bit about basic economics.
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Annoyed Gamer, 23 Feb 2010 @ 7:45am

Don't buy it, but don't pirate it.
I get annoyed when I hear people use bad DRM as en excuse to justify their theft of software. I have no love for Ubisoft's new DRM model, but I will avoid their software in protest. I WILL NOT steal the game. All that does is give the publishers more ammo to justify bad DRM and the ugly cycle continues.
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Happy Gamer, 23 Feb 2010 @ 8:18pm

Re: Don't buy it, but don't pirate it.
Which is why you will be unable to play the game. And I will be able to play it with or without an active connection.

And I don't care if they constantly make the drm worse and worse, because I will never have to deal with it.
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Jeff Rife, 24 Feb 2010 @ 8:58am

Re: Re:
If they want to treat me like a criminal they're sure as hell not getting my money.
This is absolutely the correct way to think.

Everyone who buys the game puts money in Ubisoft pockets. It you then use a crack to disable the DRM, you might actually enjoy the game. At that point, Ubisoft will believe that they have a million happy customers, because nobody complained about the DRM.

The only way to teach these companies to stop using stupid DRM is to stop buying their software.
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bob newheart, 28 Feb 2010 @ 2:23am

Re: DRM relaxation
"DLC at ship-time seems to play into this, with increasingly larger and larger parts of the game now only available to "official" copies."

LMAO....... DLC content is and has been hacked also..

I am like a few other people who have posted here.. I have gotten so tired of paying good money for crap that now days i download and test out anything before buying it..

As you know.. Once you buy a PC game the store you bought it from will NOT take it back. DRM is dead.. And the sooner Game publishers figure this out the better it will be for them.

Fact.. I have bought way more games after Downloading a "illegal" copy of it.. Then i ever have without downloading it beforehand. This is a issue that music companies have yet to figure out also.

Wake up .. No matter what copy protection you put on it its going to be broken. The only people your preventing from playing your game with this stupid DRM is those people who buy legit copies.

Stupidity in this world knows no bounds
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Douche, 4 Jul 2010 @ 7:51pm

Re: Excuses, Excuses
Because, maybe they don't live in a location that affords them a strong internet connection. Thought about that, Mr. Big Cuntent?
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