Ubisoft Server Maintenance To Render Always-Online DRM Games Unplayable

[btarunr]

Next week, Ubisoft will be performing large-scale server maintenance, which could see its DRM-handling go offline. It would directly impact some games that are designed to work with Ubisoft's infamous "Always-Online" DRM, which requires gamers to be connected to the internet when playing games enabled with it. Tom Clancy's HAWX 2, Might & Magic: Heroes 6 and The Settlers 7 will be unplayable during the course of maintenance. Bigger titles such as Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Driver: San Francisco, however, will stay online for the duration of the switch-over. Ubisoft is loathed for its hyper-strict DRM that requires you to ping their DRM servers every few moments to reassure them you're not a pirate. It is even known to limit activations to your graphics card. This is yet another example where DRM only ends up hurting legitimate users more than piracy.



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[btarunr]

Many Thanks to NinkobEi for the tip.

 

[magibeg]

Damnit, i was planning on playing some heroes 6. Maybe i should hunt down a crack so i can use the game I bought -_-;.

 

[Shihab]

Now that Crack you saw around Google last month is starting to look appealing.

 

[entropy13]

Damnit, i was planning on playing some heroes 6. Maybe i should hunt down a crack so i can use the game I bought -_-;.

I've been able to play that game even without an internet connection for months now.

 

[Bull Dog]

I still remember Far Cry 2, I preordered it on Steam. The day it released, I saw it was using some kind of hideous activation DRM so I used a crack instead. Sad days when the pirated versions are superior to the ones we PAY for.

 

[erocker]

How long will the servers be down?

 

[entropy13]

How long will the servers be down?

It will go down in the 7th. And Ubisoft doesn't say when they'll be back.

 

[magibeg]

I've been able to play that game even without an internet connection for months now.

Jerk

 

[MikeMurphy]

I just read this article today and quite enjoyed it. Its a well-done piece of piracy.

Give it a read.

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/22134

 

[newtekie1]

I support DRM when handled properly. Always on DRM is a bad idea, and Ubisoft has made it even worse by fumbling it several times.

 

[Easy Rhino]

oh noes! time where you may have to venture outside, see the sun and be around other people!!!!

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

This company just needs to go the way of the dodo already. Their products aren't even all that in the first place.

 

[Widjaja]

What steam does is about my limit for online activation.
Always online is just asking for people to come along and crack the game.

 

[RejZoR]

I won't be affected by this at all. Why you may say? Because i haven't bought a single game with their retarded protection scheme and i never will.

 

[R_1]

Well, legit users are pirates with money, so they should suffer too. Nobody is innocent. Stop complaining.

 

[claylomax]

Now that Crack you saw around Google last month is starting to look appealing.

Don't do it ... It's wrong.

 

[qubit]

"Loathed" is the right word.

I just wish I hadn't been half asleep when I bought HAWX2 in a Steam sale. Because of this **** I don't ever intend playing it and haven't even downloaded it. Complete waste of money.

Ubisoft has already removed this DRM from some of its products, so why not all of them, FFS? Maybe HAWX2 will finally get rid of it and I can play it?

About that three activation limit referred to in the story, I had reported the graphics card thingy here and the update here.

Don't do it ... It's wrong.

Treating your paying customers like dirt is even more wrong.

 

[EnergyFX]

I just read this article today and quite enjoyed it. Its a well-done piece of piracy.

Give it a read.

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/22134

Good paste Mike. The comments made some interesting points on where the concept becomes problematic in delivery... but still, I agree, providers need to catch up.

 

[EnergyFX]

... Treating your paying customers like dirt is even more wrong.

Agreed, but it is legal.

Honestly though, as much as I argue against piracy... this is a situation where I wouldn't blame anybody for getting a crack. Me thinks a judge would even see it your way on this one. Cracking something you legally purchased because the provider knee-capped it... hmm, whatever.

Kinda makes me think back to the Soundblaster dibacle where they nerfed their own products via driver... and then did whatever they could to make the older more capable driver inaccessible... and then sued the guy that wrote new driver re-enabling all the stuff they nerfed. WTF!

Edit: I don't buy anything soundblaster anymore... and I think I'll add Ubisoft to my boycott list too now.

 

[Shihab]

Agreed, but it is legal.

Cracking is perfectly Legal where I'm currently living IT'S HEAVEN!... not.

 

[Grings]

I just read this article today and quite enjoyed it. Its a well-done piece of piracy.

Give it a read.

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/22134

I like the points Gabe makes in that article, though if i were him i'd have severed any contracts with Ubi years ago.
Third party DRM, particularly Ubi's, has been by far the largest source of negative press Steam gets, not to mention all the issues Steam support has to deal with from pissed off customers.

 

[NinkobEi]

Wouldn't it be ironic if somehow users could lock the money they spent on the games because UBI Soft is changing hardware. Make Ubisoft call us and ask to reactivate their cash.

 

[Depth]

Pirates will still be able to play. How does that sound, ubisoft?

 

[EnergyFX]

Pirates will still be able to play. How does that sound, ubisoft?

lol