Ubisoft has apparently quietly turned off it's "always on" DRM for PC users. Before the change, games like Assassin's Creed Brotherhood required an internet connection in order to function, so you were basically boned if you had spotty Wi-Fi or wanted to play on airplane or something.
The new changes to Ubi's DRM scheme now mean you must have a connection when you first boot the games up, in order that you can be verified as a customer, but after that, feel free to turn off your modem and play all day..
This is a step in the right direction for Ubi. While piracy is always bad, software companies instituting DRM schemes that penalize legit customers seems like a self-defeating strategy at a certain point. After all, if it's easier and less intrusive to play a pirated game, most people will opt for that, since it's free, too. It's hard to justify paying for something that's troublesome and bad, when the "easy" version is free.
Source: PC Gamer
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Displaying 1–9 of 9
sarid
looks like i was right, the drm is STILL the same thing (read the source for the rest) only now you can turn your internet off once you are playing...
"It looks like DRM checks on games such as Assassin s Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction have been changed for the better. The controversial DRM system was launched earlier this year with Settlers 7, and required players to be permanently connected to the internet in order to play. Now the games will no longer pause instantly if a connection is lost, but will still require an internet connection to validate the install every time the game is booted up."
if you are going to copy a story like this then put in the vital part
RPG-fan
Great news, I can finally buy Ubisoft games on my PC. This type of DRM is terrible because even if your internet connection is fine, Ubisoft servers can have problems where you can't play your games. I hope other companies who have similar DRMs to Ubisoft or thinking of applying it to their games will look at this news.
sarid
the question is, is it a one time only check or every time you want to play check? because if you have to be connected to the internet just to turn the game on...i see no difference than the old drm
LocoCabasa
I chose not to buy Ass Creed 2 this Christmas, despite the sale on Steam, because of the obnoxious DRM. Next time it goes on sale, I can get it without feeling like Ubi wants to punish me.
UNSC Jedi
This is a very smart move by Ubisoft...At the very least, it makes it more likely that I'll consider buying the PC versions of some of their games at some point.
Severnik
That still doesn't help me when I visit my parents out in hickville.
Greibach
Good for them. Always-online DRM is pesky at best, and extremely frustrating at its worst. On a wifi the connection can sometimes be a bit spotty, and its just overly paranoid to require a constant internet connection for offline content, because as you know, it doesn't really deter pirates at all anyway.
chizzance
...or what's left of it.
Atarii2
Definitely a step in the right direction for Ubi's PR.
Displaying 1–9 of 9