Ubisoft’s Driver: SanFran Has Always-On DRM

[Kyle_Katarn]

At a certain point you have to wonder if Ubisoft is in the midst of some spectacular version of a Producers-style attempt to treat PC customers as abysmally as possible for some unknown goal. In the last couple of weeks they’ve bumped PC release dates on their last two games (Call Of Juarez and From Dust) just days before release – rather spitting in the eye of pre-order customers. And now they’ve now ensured that those looking forward to playing Driver: San Francisco can distract themselves with the knowledge that it will carry Ubisoft’s loathed DRM that requires you always be online to play both single- and multiplayer.

It’s a bit like a car manufacturer introducing a new type of car immobiliser that won’t let it start when it’s raining, and then proudly declaring they’ll be installing it in the next model too. Ubisoft’s always-on DRM doesn’t work. It’s not ambiguous. Most their games that have had the bloody thing enforced upon them have proven a miserable mess for players who just want to enjoy the game they’ve legitimately paid for. Instead they find that if Ubi’s servers are down (and in the current LulzSec-inspired culture, it’s hard to imagine this won’t happen after major releases). Or if there’s a drop in their internet connection, they simply can’t play...

Full article: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011...always-on-drm/

Well.. what else is there to say? Shame, I really was looking forward to From Dust (another dick move by Ubisoft, by the way).

[nezach]

I remember when no one could play Assassian's Creed 2 because of the DRM Ubisoft said that meant the DRM was working because the pirates couldn't play it either. Unfortunately that was not and is not true as pirates had already cracked it. It was just the law abiding customers who got to enjoy the overbearing DRM.

Oh well, I guess the decision makers still got enough bags of money despite that to make the DRM scheme worth it to them.

[mr_charisma]

1. DRM helps stop 'casual copying' between friends (like copying a CD to tape)
2. Casual copying is antiquated. Nobody does it when you can get titles easier from torrent sites.
3. The cracking groups are good at what they do. People who pirate the games don't have to deal with the DRM.
4. DRM therefore, only hurts legitimate paying customers.

But you already knew all that.

[WedgeBob]

Why couldn't Ubisoft admit that Steam itself was enough? Jeez!
I'd much rather not jump through any more DRM hoops other than Steam at this point, thank you.

[Kyle_Katarn]

The sick thing is that when Ubisoft realizes that it's titles are not selling well for the PC, they're most likely going to blame it on the piracy and not their own screwed-in-the-head decisions... WedgeBob is right, Steam itself is exactly enough.

That goes for all the derps that feel compelled to layer GFWL on top of Steam as well.