DRM protection for Assassin's Creed 2 = fail

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98927-Ubisoft-DRM-Authentication-Servers-Go-Down

Ubisoft's new DRM scheme is already causing problems, as the servers required to authenticate games went down today.
When Ubisoft announced its new DRM system, that required PC gamers to be connected to the Ubisoft servers at all times while playing, one of the biggest concerns that gamers had is what would happen if the servers went down.

Well, as it turns out, when the Ubioft severs go down, no one can play their games and Ubisoft customers get very upset. At around 8am GMT, people began to complain in the Assassin's Creed 2 forum that they couldn't access the Ubisoft servers and were unable to play their games. Fast forward ten hours and it seems that the problem still hasn't been resolved, despite the assurances from a Ubisoft representative that the servers were 'constantly monitored'

"I don't have any clear information on what the issue is ... but clearly the extended downtime and lengthy login issues are unacceptable, particularly as I've been told these servers are constantly monitored," said 'Ubi.Vigil', adding, "I'll do what I can to get more information on what the issue is here first thing tomorrow and push for a resolution and assurance this won't happen in the future."

It's unclear whether this is a worldwide problem, or just a European one, but gamers are understandably frustrated. This is a disaster that everyone saw coming, but probably didn't expect to see quite so soon.

Looks like the PC version was released a little earlier in europe, it doesn't come out until tuesday here in NA.  It's already blowing up in their faces, way to harrass your paying customers Ubisoft.

It was cracked in like 26 hours, anyway.

It's a very stupid thing. Either way you look at it.

If I was a PC owner of this game, I'd probably buy the game and use the crack to stop being annoyed. Fuckin' stupid, I already paid for the game, stop pestering me and let me use it at free will.

This kind of stuff ALWAYS happens with a new technology and a new implementation of it...  I'm sure they'll get the servers back up soon.  It's just like when WoW servers go down - causes havoc, they fix it fast.  

The big difference here is that Ubisoft has to keep those stupid servers running just to allow people to play the game, and AFAIK they get no additional revenue for it, but the server upkeep costs them.  WoW/Blizzard doesn't make money unless they  have the servers up, because people won't pay their monthly fees if it's down.  I fail to see why this DRM is a good idea at ALL.

Typical stupid DRM crap - annoys the honest buyers while the pirates are hardly bothered at all.

This should be an interesting topic at E3.

sarcophage


This kind of stuff ALWAYS happens with a new technology and a new implementation of it...  I'm sure they'll get the servers back up soon.  It's just like when WoW servers go down - causes havoc, they fix it fast.  

The big difference here is that Ubisoft has to keep those stupid servers running just to allow people to play the game, and AFAIK they get no additional revenue for it, but the server upkeep costs them.  WoW/Blizzard doesn't make money unless they  have the servers up, because people won't pay their monthly fees if it's down.  I fail to see why this DRM is a good idea at ALL.

One of the great things about that tho is they also will give free game time back to the players that suffered from extended downtime. Normally comes out to be another day of free game play but they do still make it up to the player.

Fadefury

sarcophage


This kind of stuff ALWAYS happens with a new technology and a new implementation of it...  I'm sure they'll get the servers back up soon.  It's just like when WoW servers go down - causes havoc, they fix it fast.  

The big difference here is that Ubisoft has to keep those stupid servers running just to allow people to play the game, and AFAIK they get no additional revenue for it, but the server upkeep costs them.  WoW/Blizzard doesn't make money unless they  have the servers up, because people won't pay their monthly fees if it's down.  I fail to see why this DRM is a good idea at ALL.

One of the great things about that tho is they also will give free game time back to the players that suffered from extended downtime. Normally comes out to be another day of free game play but they do still make it up to the player.

But in a SINGLE PLAYER game, like AC2, once you've payed for it that's it, if their system goes down they can't give you the time back.