Ubisoft's "always online" DRM is back

Source: Gameinformer (link to original article)

Ubisoft has had a rough time with gamers in the company's attempts to stem piracy via DRM. Last year gamers got mad that the publisher required a constant Internet connection for the PC version of its games because it would sometimes boot people from titles and even lock them out when the service was down. Driver: San Francisco sees a return of the controversial practice.

Eurogamer found a tweet from Ubisoft's official Driver account that reads: "PC version requires permanent Internet connection."

That Ubisoft is still pursing its anti-piracy efforts in some fashion is not surprising, but given that the company removed the controversial DRM for the PC versions of Assassin's Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction, I'm sure lots of gamers were hoping that Ubisoft would find another way to protect its properties.

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Why Ubisoft? Why are we going through this again? Ok granted, I really don't care about Driver: San Francisco, but this upsets me nonetheless. When will they learn?

I was almost on the fence with Driver. Ubi just knocked me off.

Didn't most of the Ubi games with this DRM have it removed soon after release?funsohng

It took hackers taking down their legit servers and eventually cracking the DRM before it was removed.

No new ubisoft games for me then.MFDOOM1983

Funny thing is, when they started using it last year, it was cracked by pirates in a matter of 2 weeks. No amount of DRM is gonna incrase game sales, on the contrary. 95% of those who pirate the game weren't gonna buy it anyway, and ridiculous DRM also drives away legit customers. Why is it so hard for companies to understand this?

Whatever happened to Ubi? They used to be a halfway decent company.

Also, how stupid can they be? This "always on" DRM does not prevent piracy, the only thing it does is show how many legitimate customers bought it. Are they complete morons? Don't they realize that the reason people pirate games (aside from getting it for free) is to be able to bypass asinine measures such as these? The ONLY people this affects are the people who pay. I don't see the logic in this, and if someone would like to explain it to me, I'd appreciate hearinghow it's a good idea. I'd love to be able to sit down with the suits at Ubi and hear their reasoning.

One of the reasons I own a console is to play ubisoft games.

Guess I'll be getting it on Xbox then.

I have a feeling it has to do with the game itself. Driver really isn't that big anymore, kind of a no name. I figure there is a lot stronger possibility for not well known games to get pirated. Never thought Driver was worth a second of my time anyways.

they got the games cracked in 15 days and yet they continue to annoy real customers, wont buy it

Oh cool, I can cross all upcoming Ubisoft games off my wishlist. How nice of them to save me some money.

Pretty sure this just screws over legit customers and encourages piracy.

It feels like it isn't even your game when you have to have an internet connection just to play it. I won't buy games with DRM like that.

Yay, another reason to buy Driver.

Still don't care about this kind of DRM and don't understand why people do.bobbetybob

I'll give you an example. My internet is very unstable sometimes in that it goes up and down randomly. With this DRM it would boot me out of the game constantly and make my life miserable in a SINGLE player game because of a bad connection. You can deal with that if you want but I won't.

I guess ubisoft doesn't like that whole "profit" thing.

Still don't care about this kind of DRM and don't understand why people do.bobbetybob

If your internet is unstable, you could get kicked out of the game (this is singleplayer we're talking). Or let's say there is a problem with Ubisoft's servers. Guess what? You can't play the game even though it's singleplayer. That is why this kind of DRM just sucks.

Why don't they just use steamworks then?

guess i wont be getting far cry 3 /future soldier then :(

Ok i guess console is only way to go if i want to buy Ubisoft games

Hopefully Anno 2070 and Heroes VI won't be using it. It seems Ubi is just irrationaly scared of pc pirates harming console sales, hence From Dust and Call of Juarez delays and now this Driver nonsense.

Looks like I'll be buying FC3 on the consoles then.

Thats a shame, I was considering picking the game up, but this type of practice from Ubisoft really puts me off.

[QUOTE="bobbetybob"]Still don't care about this kind of DRM and don't understand why people do.Whiteblade999

I'll give you an example. My internet is very unstable sometimes in that it goes up and down randomly. With this DRM it would boot me out of the game constantly and make my life miserable in a SINGLE player game because of a bad connection. You can deal with that if you want but I won't.

If your internet is unstable, you could get kicked out of the game (this is singleplayer we're talking). Or let's say there is a problem with Ubisoft's servers. Guess what? You can't play the game even though it's singleplayer. That is why this kind of DRM just sucks.

Vari3ty

You both have missed his point. Bobbetybob does not like Ubi's DRM either nor does he understand why there are those who do like it. I have lambasted Ubi in the past for using DRM that is restrictive and when this came out, I lambasted Ubi again. I stopped buying Ubi games years ago and tell everyone to boycott Ubi too. Their customer service stinks with CS telling people to go to the forums for help and the only help forthcoming is from other gamers. Tech Support is liable to claim you are pirating the game when it continually has problems, especially with hardware.

As it stands, Ubi does not deserve anyone's business or hard earned cash. Keep it in your pocket or spend it elsewhere. Until people stop buying games from Ubi, they will keep treating paying customers as pirates at the least and keep making games that you cannot play, even after spending your money on their gimped products.

[QUOTE="Whiteblade999"]

[QUOTE="bobbetybob"]

I'll give you an example. My internet is very unstable sometimes in that it goes up and down randomly. With this DRM it would boot me out of the game constantly and make my life miserable in a SINGLE player game because of a bad connection. You can deal with that if you want but I won't.

WhiteKnight77

If your internet is unstable, you could get kicked out of the game (this is singleplayer we're talking). Or let's say there is a problem with Ubisoft's servers. Guess what? You can't play the game even though it's singleplayer. That is why this kind of DRM just sucks.

Vari3ty

You both have missed his point. Bobbetybob does not like Ubi's DRM either nor does he understand why there are those who do like it. I have lambasted Ubi in the past for using DRM that is restrictive and when this came out, I lambasted Ubi again. I stopped buying Ubi games years ago and tell everyone to boycott Ubi too. Their customer service stinks with CS telling people to go to the forums for help and the only help forthcoming is from other gamers. Tech Support is liable to claim you are pirating the game when it continually has problems, especially with hardware.

As it stands, Ubi does not deserve anyone's business or hard earned cash. Keep it in your pocket or spend it elsewhere. Until people stop buying games from Ubi, they will keep treating paying customers as pirates at the least and keep making games that you cannot play, even after spending your money on their gimped products.

Yay, another reason to buy Driver.

Phoenix534

[QUOTE="Phoenix534"]

Yay, another reason to buy Driver.

LookAnDrolL

Pretty much, DRM absolutely reinforces piracy.

In my case the sale is lost, ubi can suck it. I was really begining to be interested in From Dust until I came across this crap...

[QUOTE="Phoenix534"]

Yay, another reason to buy Driver.

LookAnDrolL

I'm going to say another reason to just not play Driver. Like I needed anymore of those.

Don't remember the last time I bought one of their games. Doesn't look like I ever will again.Twoyen

Yet another game where the pirates get the better version, i just dont even bother with ubisoft games anymore...none of them have been that good since beyond good and evil and prince of persia sands of time anyway.

Good thing I buy Ubisoft games on consoles then :)

Hey Ubi how about actually making good games maybe this imaginary number of pirates would decrease then.

Well I won't buy it then. My connection is pretty bad and I don't want to be kicked out of a single player game that I bought. I wish more people would take the approach CD Projekt Red and and a lot of indie developers took.

From Dust doesn't have it. Which means that Ubi puts this DRM in games that are multiplatform and launch on PC the same day as on consoles.

So Anno 2070 and Heroes VI are safe it seems.