Ubisoft officially dumps Starforce

Citing "complaints," the publisher ends its relationship with the copyright-protection provider.

Posted Apr 13, 2006 5:56 pm PT

Following several days of rumors, Ubisoft has officially confirmed that it will no longer use the controversial digital-rights software from Starforce. "Ubisoft has decided to use an alternative copy-protection system to Starforce for upcoming releases," said a rep for the company. The announcement means that Starforce software will not be included in Heroes of Might and Magic V, the publisher's much-anticipated forthcoming PC role-playing game.

Ubisoft's decision caps weeks of controversy surrounding Starforce. In mid-March, an employee of the Russian-German-Chinese-Cypriot company was accused of posting a link to a site where users could illegally download Stardock's space sim Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords. Shortly, thereafter, Aspyr Media decided to sever its relationship with Starforce and remove its software from its forthcoming game, Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars.

Ubisoft's motivation for ending its agreement with Starforce was more personal. At the end of March, the company was slapped with a $5 million lawsuit by gamers who claimed that Starforce's DRM system compromised the security of their PCs. "We are currently investigating complaints about alleged problems with Starforce's software," said the Ubisoft rep.

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morbid_man_guy

i like the way steam works, no discs etc. it would be nice if all games ran through steam or equivalent program, rather than screwing around with crap like startforce and other annoying disc protection things

Posted May 12, 2008 7:03 pm PT
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JackBurton

For a list of StarForce "protected" games go to:
http://www.glop.org/starforce/list.php

To download the StarForce Removal Utility:
http://www.onlinesecurity-on.com/protect.phtml?c=55

Posted Sep 25, 2007 12:09 pm PT
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VfighterX

Posted Jul 3, 2007 8:18 am PT
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gameerkid

(darth vader from star wars walks in)

darth vader:wheres STARFORCE they must talk to me about the virus in my ISD compter after i got the game!

Posted Aug 30, 2006 6:26 pm PT
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BmGod12

STARFORCE SUCKS THE GUYS HOW THOUGHT IT IS A UNCEL ****
GUY HOW **** TAPEWORM INFESTED PIGS

Posted Aug 16, 2006 2:27 pm PT
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ReD_GLoVe

Posted Jun 15, 2006 9:03 pm PT
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Teivan

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

Posted May 16, 2006 5:31 pm PT
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Posted May 16, 2006 5:29 pm PT
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Posted May 16, 2006 5:28 pm PT
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Posted May 16, 2006 5:24 pm PT
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PlasmaPlague

soldiers of ww2..
spellforce...
......
i want but i stopped...
so many nice games r killed by Starforce....sad

Posted May 3, 2006 6:20 am PT
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quietguy

After taking one look at everything that Star-Force presents to me.............NO! YOU ARE EVIIIIL! MORE EVIL THAN SONY'S rootdisk worm!

Posted Apr 26, 2006 7:07 pm PT
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hakkafixi

Wise move Ubisoft,you were losing fans with that ruin of a program.

Posted Apr 24, 2006 9:28 am PT
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Raime10

Good decision for Ubisoft.

Posted Apr 23, 2006 5:45 am PT
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pbego

This is interesting news. A bit late, since I don't think they'll patch their old games, though some publishers have. I just picked up King Kong for $14 yesterday before I knew it had Starforce in it. I'm planning to return it because I'm not going to install anything that loads my system up with Starforce again! (Took lots of playing around with registry edits to purge it the first time it happened). So unless Ubisoft announces updates for old games, this one is still going back unopened.

But yes, these guys might get business from me in the future if they have a game I want. If they had stayed with the Starforce, I know I wouldn't have bought anything from them.

Posted Apr 23, 2006 4:37 am PT
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maawal

Superb news!the best news i've ever heard in ma life!!!! wOOOOoooHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!cheers users!

Posted Apr 21, 2006 10:07 am PT
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Justinwwk

Ubisoft did the right thing to dump Starforce. I remembered these legally bought games of mine have problems with Starforce protection. It doesn't recognize my original game disc! What's the use of buying original games?! Darn~ Congrats on the dump! ^^

Posted Apr 21, 2006 8:16 am PT
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AFK4Lifez

Hurrah! No more starforceeeee!

Posted Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm PT
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abaddon18

There must be a God somewhere! This definitely proves it!

Posted Apr 19, 2006 6:29 am PT
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nicobarengo

Awsome News!!!

Posted Apr 18, 2006 1:18 pm PT
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usoda

Sometimes, dumping the strongest copy protection can be the way to sell one more copy. Nice build-up for Brand Recognition.

Posted Apr 17, 2006 7:52 pm PT
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Lord_Calidor

All of the Starforce employees should be given a new 0-24h job of System Admins and be forced to clean their crap from computers all over.
Oh, and also given a lengthy flogging, just for a good measure.

Posted Apr 17, 2006 11:35 am PT
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mmaginnis

I don't suppose this means Ubi will be releasing patches to remove the Starforce virus from it's older titles (SC3, etc)...

Posted Apr 16, 2006 7:49 pm PT
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adomolis

Last week I bought Colin mcrae rally 2005, and it was with starforce. After launching a game it just said: Your serial number is wrong or something. But the game is original!!!! Good thing the UBI screwed the starforce! I am so happy!

Posted Apr 16, 2006 4:02 am PT
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Anthriel

Starforce is officially dead for most of us. Even if the next version of their copy protection would include a cure to cancer, people would still hate it.

That basically limits them to games which don't have any customers who use the Internet. That would be the next Barbie game, I guess. Naturally, most of the audience doesn't know how to copy games, so Starforce would still be silly for that.

Starforce is only useful for games with an audience that frequents the Internet and can circumvent basic copy protection. However, those audiences absolutely loathe it and will refrain from buying games with Starforce.

So yeah, it is dead. Not all employees may know it yet, but they should look out for a new job.

Posted Apr 15, 2006 4:10 pm PT
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dj_lee_1989

result!!!!!!!!

Posted Apr 15, 2006 3:16 pm PT
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balljacker03

this is really good

Posted Apr 15, 2006 11:37 am PT
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Dive992001

What games had the Starforce encryption?

Posted Apr 15, 2006 11:33 am PT
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akshayasok

HAIL UBISOFT , **** STARFORCE

Posted Apr 15, 2006 5:27 am PT
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kmilo_rws

Yipee!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 10:38 pm PT
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ohmygodandyours

What some of u guyz miss is that starforce acts like a virus.
1) it installs itself on the C drive without users intention or notification
2) it not only corrupts illigal games it also corrupts many other programs that may be copy protected.
3) the user has no option to turn off or uninstall the program

im happy that this happened and my favorite publisher (ubisoft) is the first one to take a step. Lets see how things go from now on...

Posted Apr 14, 2006 8:33 pm PT
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grievance8

Break out the beer & hookers! W000t! Best news ever!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 7:31 pm PT
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jiang5chen15

Hurray ! GRAW will sell another copy. Splinter cell too.

Posted Apr 14, 2006 6:59 pm PT
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martok

E-e-e-e-excellent. I was crestfallen when I found out HOMM5 was going to include Starforce, as there was no way I was going to purchase it (and I'd really been looking forward to the game). Ubisoft has just gained themselves another sale!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 3:00 pm PT
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vinnie123456789

w00t! -- but i never had a problem with Splinter Cell 3 -- oh wel, it's ggood that devs are f***ing 3rd party malware companies. POWER TO THE 3RD PARTY MALWARE COMPANIES!! ----um, i meant to say "PEOPLE". Just so u know. ok then. i'm gonna stop writing now. yup, sometime soon...

Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:53 pm PT
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phoenix14

i never played starforce but everyone is happy about it so i guess it's good news

Posted Apr 14, 2006 2:14 pm PT
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decebal

THIS IS THE BEST NEWS I'VE HEARD IN A WHILE!!!!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 12:39 pm PT
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Kfoss

and how is the new company any better?..who is the new company there using anyway?!?!..

Posted Apr 14, 2006 12:18 pm PT
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Gromul

{Cartman mode directed at Starforce}: Nje nje nje nje nje nje! Hehehehehehe!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 10:56 am PT
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johanvliet

well done ubi

Posted Apr 14, 2006 10:28 am PT
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Hybrid094

About God damn time. It looks like I can start buying Ubisoft games again.

Posted Apr 14, 2006 9:15 am PT
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dinodude64

mr_squibble
Goodbye Starforce. Nice never knowing you!

ditto that and now im going to buy HMoMV cuase i dont have to worry bout my computer doing a compy and blowing up in my face.

Posted Apr 14, 2006 9:00 am PT
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qiwihead

This is great news. Now if we could just get Ubi to dump Massive and their friggin annoying in-game ads. If they did that and finally fixed the crappy netcode they use in all their multiplayer games, Ubi would be right back up there on my list of the best devs.

kainenable

Woot!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 8:48 am PT
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mr_squibble

Goodbye Starforce. Nice never knowing you!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 8:46 am PT
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Blazer88

Wow,..good news.I definatley be getting Heroes V now.It's always a good thing when a company listens to it's consumers,..or at notices thier sales are taking a hit because everyone is avoiding thier games like the plague because of it's copy protection.

Posted Apr 14, 2006 7:41 am PT
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Naruto-freak

This is awesome!!!

Posted Apr 14, 2006 7:02 am PT
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altorcaydr

"i think starforce is the only copy protection that really manages to keep pirates at bay."

Hahaha, you're clueless. Starforce takes a little longer to crack, but not by much. Like, it takes 3 days instead of just 1 to figure it out. I use a crack on *every* game I have so I can protect the discs - at least 5 of them that I know of use Starforce, and every one has a working crack.

I've never played any of the HoMM series but for taking a stand like this and actually giving a damn what the customer thinks for once, I'll at least seriously consider trying it.

Posted Apr 14, 2006 6:59 am PT
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fitbabits

If UbiSoft knew what was up, they would not have signed up to use Starforce in the first place.

This is evidence of people power, nothing more.

Posted Apr 14, 2006 6:57 am PT
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sam1013

Thank you Ubisoft. You do need copy protection from the scumbags that want to steal your hard work but not the kind that has the possibility of damaging computers

Posted Apr 14, 2006 6:41 am PT
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