Despite Plenty Of Warning EA Still Decides To Follow Ubisoft Down The Wrong Path With DRM
from the this-is-a-mistake dept
Last summer, we wrote about some reports that EA was going to require a constant internet connection for Command & Conquer 4. At the time, many people argued that this was a bad, bad idea and would backfire greatly. Given EA's serious problems with bad DRM pissing off customers, you would think that EA would tread carefully here. In fact, late last year, EA gave some signs that it was moving away from annoying and draconian DRM.On top of that, we all saw what happened when Ubisoft tried to require an online connection as a form of DRM. The game was cracked within hours of release -- and then the DRM servers crashed and were offline and slow for quite sometime -- pissing off all sorts of legitimate customers.
Given all of this, you would think that EA would know better than to move forward with plans to include this same form of DRM with C&C4. No such luck. Brian was the first of a few of you to send in the news that EA appears to be sticking with the plan. While that news report seems to indicate this is a new thing, it's not. It was announced last summer -- but it's really unfortunate that EA hasn't yet seen the strategic error in moving forward in this manner.
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Filed Under: command & conquer 4, drm, internet connection
Companies: ea, ubisoft
Reader Comments
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They have always done this
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I Wish
Including informing you what you need to do to make the game work including what DRM is use.
The trouble is that he game reviewers who do a good job are fired for their audacity to tell the truth.
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Need to get your facts straight
The UBISoft DRM was NOT hacked within 24 hours. It was partially complete. You could not complete any missions in Silent Hunter V, you could only do the tutorial and in Assassins Creed 2 you could only free roam. As soon as you tried to enter the Animus in AC2 the game booted you to the Pause screen.
This all may have changed since then, and I have personally not tried the pirated versions, although I have read extensive reports online about the "cracking" of the DRM.
All I know, is that this bogus DRM needs to go. I'm not predisposed to LEASING my games for full retail prices. This is putting a restriction on ALL Single Player games that use this DRM. Due to issues that are NOT under the PC Game owners control, UBIShaft decides when and where we game.
What's even more funny is that there was a post that I read that had a Ubishaft guy speaking about how Ubi provided the best service anytime anywhere... not so much apparently, if their servers go down and you can't play your game, eh?
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You keep whining about the DRM ...
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Re: Need to get your facts straight
However Mike is indeed mistaken. Sure you can kind of, sort of play the game but not really. Take this all with a grain of salt, I bought the game months ago for the 360 so I have no first hand knowledge of the pirated PC version.
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Re: You keep whining about the DRM ...
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Re: You keep whining about the DRM ...
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Re: You keep whining about the DRM ...
Has worked well for me; DRM is not a problem.
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do you know how many people buy products to play them on the road, EA shill?
People do have reasons to RTS without being online. Ever heard of a lan? Most lans are not build to necessarily have an online connection.
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Lame
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Resistance is Futile
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get upto date
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http://forums.commandandconquer.com/jforum/posts/list/35920.page
PC gamers tend to be a lot more informed than their console counterparts when it comes to this kind of corporate fuckery so its a bit odd that someone at EA would even try to sell this "no DRM" line to the community.
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Re: Re: You keep whining about the DRM ...
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why do they keep on insisting punching themselves in the face with their own fist?
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DRM
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There fixed that for you.
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Yes, it was cracked. and you can complete missions by editing the savegames with a text editor.
as for downloading things off of ubisofts servers, it is a complete fabrication by ubisoft, not a single thing is downloaded.
not that any of it matters, the game is only half finished
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Re: Re: Re: You keep whining about the DRM ...
This then raises the question of why EA and Ubisoft don't simply drop support for the PC market, then. Surely, it'd save them time, money, effort, and reputation if they just bailed out of the PC market unceremoniously.
It seems that they need an external agent to blame in order to justify dropping PC support. Once PC sales dry up from these DRM shenanigans (which they'll attribute to piracy, rather than boycotts), the publishers can pull out while saying "look what you made me do, baby" like the abusive spouse they are.
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overall the game is a piece of crap...
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Proper Reaction: Revolution
Honestly, the very fact that computers are so volatile and susceptible to downtime, is bad enough. But the fact that the corporate suits, working for a gaming company, seem to be unfamiliar with this concept is shocking. Stock tip: Sell Electronic Arts (ERTS).
The other thing is, WHAT KIND OF TARGET is a machine that allows people the world over to play a game? Im no hacker but Im sure that has already occurred to them. If I were to be the guy in EA working on DRM, on top of getting rid of it, I would fire whoever came up with this weak idea in the first place because stupid people are bad for business.
EA, gamers are your entire consumer base, and your pissing us off. Lawsuits can not make us buy your games, and with your current DRM methods, Im betting a lot of us won't. If you are willing to continue on your path, it may be brave, but as useful as it is, alone it wins you nothing. It must be coupled also with intelligence, like say, bravely starting a new business model.
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DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
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DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
DRM = Digital RENTAL Media
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