Ubisoft's Annoying New DRM Cracked Within Hours Of Release
from the well-that-helped dept
We recently wrote about Ubisoft's annoying new DRM that requires you to be online to play even as a single player game (and which will stop your game even if your WiFi connection flakes out). Many people responded by saying that while they would have bought the game otherwise, now they would just wait for a DRM-free cracked version to show up. Turns out they didn't have to wait long. The DRM was cracked within hours. So again, we're left wondering what good this did? Those who were going to get an unauthorized copy of the game no matter what still did so with no trouble. The only people who are put out are the legitimate buyers, who now have to hope their connection always works and can't play while away from the internet. How does that help anyone?Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
na na naaa naaa na
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: na na naaa naaa na
The sooner Ubisoft dies an ugly, bankruptcy-induced death, the less overall damage they do to the PC gaming industry. Even EA seems to be rethinking DRM.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: na na naaa naaa na
Since when?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: na na naaa naaa na
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: na na naaa naaa na
This move works against piracy and takes a bite out of the resale market as well.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
I hope Ubisoft can follow their example, but I wouldn't count on it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
Sims games sold over 100 million copies with nothing but a disk check prior to Securom. If they pulled a Spore-type DRM on TS3...yeesh, simmer RAEG! Seriously, that is a huge money-flinging fanbase you do not want to piss off.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
When the cracked version installs with no problem and the DRM one doesn't, it's the DRM.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
I'm not doubting your troubles at all nor am I trying to minimize your problems w/installation, it's just that if there were DRM issues I know they'd be blared from the rooftops over there in simland and I've not seen that. :/
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
When publishers start treating their customers with respect by offering non-crippled software at fair prices I'll buy it, until then I see no compelling reason to change my habits.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
DRM goes bad so often, treats legitimate customers like criminals, does nothing to stop the actual criminals, and makes the software impossible to backup. I now avoid all products with DRM or DRM-like burdens, including the Kindle, Turbo Tax, and chances are, Win7.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: TSO
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Just because theyre legitimate buyers
Anyway, my copy of spore remains patched. Even tho its legit. Of course, now that I own it, I rather regret buying it because they really did miss the mark. The game is a lot less playable and interesting than the hype implied.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Hours
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Hours
...at the expense of pissing off all the customers who choose to pay for it. It's not worth it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Hours
/realizes you may be using sarcasm
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Hours
World of Goo was an excellent game and points out yet again that if you offer a valuable product for a reasonable price in an accessible manner people will pay for it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Hours
Besides, I doubt any "pirate" was sitting there going, "Golly, the game's been out since lunch and it's still not cracked?! Guess I'll go buy it, arrrr."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
CwF+RtB works well with music because you have concerts, which is a scarce resource, and there's nothing better than listening to a band live and the difference is huge.
Selling merchadise works well with online comics, because there's nothing better than a huge detailed poster and the difference is huge.
For computer games, there's no alternative in sight. DLC is just as easy to spread as the game that uses it. Arcades are good only for a few casual games, and the improvement over computer games isn't big enough. Selling a service is works, but only with online games.
And when you read that the few people who dare to post pirated game stats show that 70 - 90% of the people who play the game got it illegally( example:
http://smellslikedonkey.com/wordpress/?page_id=274 ) you get the idea of why companies are trying stupid stuff like DRM.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
It's their alternate business model that's the problem.
"Our game doesn't run on your system? Too bad. We already have your money, and we're keeping it."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[regarding the piracy process] "NOTE: Surprisingly this is MUCH easier than actually buying it on iTunes!!"
Seems that if your game is going to be pirated no matter what DRM you use, and you don't want to give up and walk out on a still pretty lucrative market, then making it better, easier or more attractive for the paying customer is about all you can do.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Just because YOU don't see the alternative doesn't mean there isn't one.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
game companies shoot themselves in the foot again.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Doh!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
i bought it legitly, was because it is a GREAT GAME and i wanted to reward them for not having overtly crappy drm as well.
however, my free DLC code for stone prisoner seems bugged.. after downloading it , it doesn't appear in my world map, hope its fixed in the next patch.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
You have to log into a bioware account to get the DRM extras to work. Note the bottom left corner of the screen. You also have to set up an account with them.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
A different take on why they keep using DRM
a) it's to stall piracy only for a limited amount of time to boost initial sales
b) the more game features (save games, AI) are done on a server, the harder it will be to crack
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: A different take on why they keep using DRM
it's to stall piracy only for a limited amount of time to boost initial sales
I'm sorry but I just don't buy that at all. We're not talking about DRM being cracked in a month, or even days. We're literally talking about hours after release. That's if a leaked version of the game doesn't get out early and the DRM cracked prior to release.
It also doesn't take into account windowed releases for different regions.
b) the more game features (save games, AI) are done on a server, the harder it will be to crack
That's true, but it also means you become totally reliant on flaky companies for the game to even function.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: A different take on why they keep using DRM
Years ago, I stopped buying PC games at all. The reason? DRM. At least I don't risk spyware and other programs getting hosed with a console title. If that's the plan with DRM, it's backfired for many people, turning a customer into a non-customer without the "pirates" doing a damn thing (at least in my case).
"b) the more game features (save games, AI) are done on a server, the harder it will be to crack"
The flip side to that is that if the servers go down - due to technical issues or the fact that it's no longer economically viable for the publisher - the game no longer works. Ever. I'm not going to spend full price on a game that might not work in a couple of years.
Look at the online servers EA has taken down for 360 releases recently - some titles less than 2 years old. Those only affect the online components of the game, imagine if your games could not work at all without those servers. This removal is almost inevitable, because the costs of running the servers are infinitely more than it costs them to have files stored on my PC ($0), and *every* game will become unprofitable to keep running at some point.
I can still fire up a game of the original Half-Life, Transport Tycoon or Day Of The Tentacle if the mood takes me (and it often does), and still access the save files from 10+ years ago. I'll be damned if I'll buy a product where that's taken away from me because some publisher is afraid of "piracy". I predict a nice underground community dedicated to hacking said servers, with no rescued profits for the PC games industry (while the console market thrives, of course).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Leave it to the French
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
yeah..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Bad reviews on Amazon
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not quite cracked
Ubisoft came forward and pointed this out saying that the DRM was in fact not cracked fully. Found this bit on PC Gamer's news feed - PC Gamer had asked Ubi if they would consider removing the DRM if it got completely cracked pre-release, they said they would 'consider it'. Them pointing out the problems that pirates were having with the game was their way of saying "We don't have to remove it as it hasn't been broken".
The UBI DRM is a very bad business move for them, but it has not been 100% cracked. I wish folks would do full research before posting 'news' in such a manner - especially if their news is a day behind contradicting news.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not quite cracked
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Answer: It's not about piracy
It is much more plausible that the DRM is there to foil the second-hand game market.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Answer: It's not about piracy
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Once again, a publisher has so focused on the 'Dread Pirate Roberts' that they lost sight of two REALLY important things. #1 is us. You know, the customers? The one's who actually pay them money for... #2 THE GAME!!!
What's being talked about now? What's getting all the press? The DRM and whether it works. Instead of pointing to a successful launch and crowing about sales numbers they are fighting a defensive skirmish with announcements that, true or not, no one really believes.
Valve recently pushed out an update to the game Portal that added some new content that has fans decoding files and morse code and finding an old style phone in BBS to get clues to... something. They have fans all agog over something that hasn't even been officially announced yet. The new HL episode? Portal 2? But they are buzzing about THE PRODUCT. Hows that for marketing.
What's being talked about with UBI's new releases?
Yea.
Way to go, UBI.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
A wax seal
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: A wax seal
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: A wax seal
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Both cases ignore people who would have gotten it for free through the least possible effort, but would buy if they thought there would be trouble down the line. That's really the market that is up for grabs here.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Post it!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
UBI
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
really, now?
I'm a very small percentage but I'm still screwed. what recourse do I have besides playing a pirate copy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]