DRM Hell: AC2 PC sales and Ubisoft PC support ** DRM Discussion Here **

Now I've argued in favor of DRM to delay the hackers from cracking a game long enough for the devs and publisher to get the sales they deserve for their work, at least in the first month of release when most of the lifetime sales generally happen.

But this move by Ubisoft is the just a bad business decision. Its laid out in this article.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02/17/you-maniacs/#more-25624

This might stave off cracks for AC2 indefinitely but at what price. If this is implemented in all Ubisoft games on PC from here on out as they themselves have indicated, then they're sales on PC will plummet as word gets out on the DRM's draconian copyright protection measures and they might absolve to go console only...

Yeah this DRM system, more then any other, deserves the over-hyped animosity that other systems gotten over the past few years. Other DRM to me is merely an inconvenience where as this is like War is being declared on the honest buyer.

I wasn't planing on buying it before I found out about this. I'm just pointing to the decision as a bad one and I hope it fails miserably so other publishers won't see it as a successful system.

Sigh...the only people this is going to hurt are the people that pay for the game sadly. I honestly think Ubisoft is doing this on purpose so they drive down their PC sales to ground and have a reason to no longer support the PC and switch entirely to consoles.

Sigh...the only people this is going to hurt are the people that pay for the game sadly. I honestly think Ubisoft is doing this on purpose so they drive down their PC sales to ground and have a reason to no longer support the PC and switch entirely to consoles.

THGarrett

Don't buy it then...surely proving them right by pirating is the wrong thing to do...correct? I certainly won't be buying AC2 but I wish the pretend pirate protest would stop though...people aren't pirating games because of DRM...they are pirating them to get free games.Renevent42

But is SC: Conviction safe?ZuluEcho14

Highly doubtful.

I just looked at how many pc games I actually own that were published by Ubisoft. Not that many funny enough and now they lost a possible sale on Settlers 7. Perhaps the problem lies elsewhere?

Yeah, don't have many Ubisoft published games either...last I think I a purchased was Heroes V...although I do own Farcry 2 but got that free with a video card purchase.

ubisoft have always been idiots with PC....

it is pretty bad, but Ill still get the game...

So you're cool with getting booted out of your single player game cause your ISP hiccuped?

Don't buy it then...surely proving them right by pirating is the wrong thing to do...correct? I certainly won't be buying AC2 but I wish the pretend pirate protest would stop though...people aren't pirating games because of DRM...they are pirating them to get free games.Renevent42

Seems like companies now are doing everything to make me return to my pirating ways...I was proud years ago to start my legit game collection and I consider convincing some of my friends to also stop pirating a great achivement...when they find out about this crap Ill never have a moment of peace.

Those that are thinking of buying this should consider how viable their purchase will be in the long run. We have already seen EA closing down servers for unpopular games, now that isn't a problem since the games have a single player mode. Now imagine a few years from now Ubisoft decides it no longer wants to cover the costs of the servers that allow you to save in Ass Creed 2 so they shut them down. Hey presto that game you paid good money for is now useless.

I am sure there will be some here ready to scream "but Ubisoft will patch the game so you don't need the save game server" ............... yeah right if you believe that you will believe anything. I was never a big fan of Ubisoft stuff so I wasn't going to be getting Ass Creed anyway but it is something for you guys to consider.

Yeah screw Ass Crud toot and Ubeatoff.

Yeah screw Ass Crud toot and Ubeatoff.

Rawtheory333

Yeah screw Ass Crud toot and Ubeatoff.

Rawtheory333

HAH funny :lol:

So if I'm reading correctly, this means that if my internet goes down, like if we have bad rain and the telephone exchange has problems. Then I will not be able to play it? I'm sure the ISP will think I'm weird when I call them saying I can't play a game until they fix the net.

So if I'm reading correctly, this means that if my internet goes down, like if we have bad rain and the telephone exchange has problems. Then I will not be able to play it? I'm sure the ISP will think I'm weird when I call them saying I can't play a game until they fix the net.

DigiTM73

That's basically it. Kinda sucks, I get disconnected alot due to rain aswell, but over the past few years I've gotten used to it from only playing online games like CS:S, WoW, Cod blah blah.

It's not a good reason to accept it.. but it's a good enough reason for myself XD, i really cannot wait to play AC2.

This is only going to get worse if you guys buy these games, or pirate them. Please, just accept the fact that you will not be playing these games. It is the only way.

I always had a feeling Ubisoft would do something as stupid as this. I guess I won't be buying AC2 or Splinter Cell: Conviction (if it has it.)

Major disconnect amongst video game publishers. The rate of piracy compared to sales is usually so small that it is insignificant. And, tbh, the people pirating probably weren't planning on buying the game in the first place. tbh, I think all video game publishers should take Econ 101 and adjust their very mistaken beliefs. Look at Hollywood. They complained so much about movie piracy in the past decade but it is still a multi billion dollar industry and as strong as ever. k0r3aN_pR1d3

Am as against this draconian DRM as you but saying piracy is insignificant is just not true. Pirate players dwarf legit players buy a huge margin in most releases. Still no excuse for this type of DRM for a SP gmae. Even an MP game with this would still suck.

[QUOTE="k0r3aN_pR1d3"]Major disconnect amongst video game publishers. The rate of piracy compared to sales is usually so small that it is insignificant. And, tbh, the people pirating probably weren't planning on buying the game in the first place. tbh, I think all video game publishers should take Econ 101 and adjust their very mistaken beliefs. Look at Hollywood. They complained so much about movie piracy in the past decade but it is still a multi billion dollar industry and as strong as ever. Rawtheory333

Am as against this draconian DRM as you but saying piracy is insignificant is just not true. Pirate players dwarf legit players buy a huge margin in most releases. Still no excuse for this type of DRM for a SP gmae. Even an MP game with this would still suck.

I won't buy it. No way.

There has to be a better solution to combat piracy. Driving away good, honest customers is no kind of solution.

[QUOTE="Rawtheory333"]

[QUOTE="k0r3aN_pR1d3"]Major disconnect amongst video game publishers. The rate of piracy compared to sales is usually so small that it is insignificant. And, tbh, the people pirating probably weren't planning on buying the game in the first place. tbh, I think all video game publishers should take Econ 101 and adjust their very mistaken beliefs. Look at Hollywood. They complained so much about movie piracy in the past decade but it is still a multi billion dollar industry and as strong as ever. k0r3aN_pR1d3

Am as against this draconian DRM as you but saying piracy is insignificant is just not true. Pirate players dwarf legit players buy a huge margin in most releases. Still no excuse for this type of DRM for a SP gmae. Even an MP game with this would still suck.

The majority of releases get somewhere between 50%-90% piracy rates...that's not insignificant at all. Not saying all those people are lost sales or whatever, but your comments (like every one I have read of yours) is just baseless non-sense.

Sounds like I'll have to put my eye-patch on when I play AC2.fzdk

This is only going to get worse if you guys buy these games, or pirate them. Please, just accept the fact that you will not be playing these games. It is the only way.

Falconoffury

This is the answer. If you aren't happy with the DRM, either don't buy the game or pick up later at a discounted price, pirating the game only exacerbates the problem. The industry will certainly take note of those games that are making money. If games with strict DRM are underperforming in comparison to others, adjustments to meet what the market demands will be made.

This is only going to get worse if you guys buy these games, or pirate them. Please, just accept the fact that you will not be playing these games. It is the only way.

Falconoffury

the game will fail.

it has laughable drm, no new features, is 6 months old and COMES OUT IN MARCH.

I highly doubt many gamers have the time for a 6 months old no hype game when so many major titles are coming out.

and in the end ubi will blame piracy once more

Don't buy it then...surely proving them right by pirating is the wrong thing to do...correct? I certainly won't be buying AC2 but I wish the pretend pirate protest would stop though...people aren't pirating games because of DRM...they are pirating them to get free games.Renevent42

I think I will be more angry at the people tha will buy a game with this DRM included than at Ubisoft for implementing it. I hate when people act as if it is ok to do this which is what buying it will tell them.

I think I will be more angry at the people tha will buy a game with this DRM included than at Ubisoft for implementing it. I hate when people act as if it is ok to do this which is what buying it will tell them.

PublicNuisance

Yes DRM is bad now, but you have 2x choices. Don't buy the game or buy it. Now with 99% of games using DRM, then that really limits your playing options. I complain but if the game gets high score and it looks like something I will enjoy, then I will prob get it. As for Ubisoft closing servers down and then not being able to play it. They aren't allowed, by enforcing DRM by having to be on the internet, they are bound to keep those servers running day and night. There has to be legal implications if a company sold something to a consumer that doesn't work right.
I have a bad feeling that Silent Hunter 5 will be the same. I will so be laughing when I see these titles out there on the torrents days before release.

[QUOTE="PublicNuisance"]

I think I will be more angry at the people tha will buy a game with this DRM included than at Ubisoft for implementing it. I hate when people act as if it is ok to do this which is what buying it will tell them.

DigiTM73

Yes DRM is bad now, but you have 2x choices. Don't buy the game or buy it. Now with 99% of games using DRM, then that really limits your playing options. I complain but if the game gets high score and it looks like something I will enjoy, then I will prob get it. As for Ubisoft closing servers down and then not being able to play it. They aren't allowed, by enforcing DRM by having to be on the internet, they are bound to keep those servers running day and night. There has to be legal implications if a company sold something to a consumer that doesn't work right.
I have a bad feeling that Silent Hunter 5 will be the same. I will so be laughing when I see these titles out there on the torrents days before release.

I have a feeling that if we carefully read the EULA we all agree to when installing a game that Ubisoft will have covered themselves just to not have to face legal action. I am not sure, but it seems like something they would do.

I understand DRM is hard to avoid, even I have games that sue it, but I don't own any that have this level of DRM. There is a line, and they certainly crossed it in my eyes.

DRM has been tolerable so far. Except for Codemasters. I lost Dirt 2 because my gamertag on GFWL got hacked and Microsoft closed it down for me due to security reasons. Created a new GFWL tag, all games worked ok, except Dirt2 which is tied only to the gamertag it was registered too. Contacted Codemasters, and they stated that they don't reissue keys.
Currently going through legal affairs. Has cost me a bit over $900 in costs, for a $40 game.Why, because they need to be taught a lesson, that they are supposed to screw with pirates, not paying consumers.