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Ubisoft Finally Ditches DRM
September 5th, 2012 by Nickie Williams
Remember that terrible draconian DRM system that Ubisoft had in place? Don’t have an internet connection? Tough. You can’t play the game.
Maybe, after listening to so many people complain about their idiotic system and watched so many other companies fight their customers against the system (*cough* hello, Blizzard)- they finally backed down and decided to ditch the retarded technology. Ubisoft received much criticism about the system after many complaints about the piracy of their games catalogue.
Stephanie Perlotti, Ubisoft worldwide director for online games is quoted as saying:
“We have listened to feedback, and since June last year our policy for all of PC games is that we only require a one-time online activation when you first install the game, and from then you are free to play the game offline.
Whenever you want to reach any online service or multiplayer, you will have to be connected, and obviously for online games you will also need to be online to play. But if you want to enjoy Assassin’s Creed 3 single player, you will be able to do that without being connected. And you will be able to activate the game on as many machines as you want.”
Other Ubisoft DRM-on games available to buy also include:
- Anno 2070
- Assassin’s Creed 2
- Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood; Offline mode available without registering/updating the game. Use parameter -playoffline.
- Assassin’s Creed Revelations
- Driver San Francisco
- From Dust
- Might & Magic Heroes VI; Required for activation and online features.
- Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
- The Settlers 7; Connection required at ALL times.
- Silent Hunter 5
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier™
- Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2; Connection required at ALL times.
- Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
So, it’s good to see that Ubisoft are now going to be freeing up all these titles for offline play. Other companies will hopefully drop DRM in the near future, as no one enjoys having to be constantly connected to the Internet for even just the casual amount of gaming. It’s frustrating, especially for gamers like me that find it difficult to stay connected with a shady Internet connection at the best of times. This reason alone is one of my reasons as to why I am more of a console gamer these days over a PC gamer. I do love my PC games, but constantly having to be connected to the Internet is a ball ache- honestly. So I welcome this change by Ubisoft and hope for a change across the industry.
What do you think? Are you happy to see this change?