GO UBI!

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:40

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09 ... -pc-games/

Quote:

In an interview on RPS today, Ubisoft tells us that they will no longer use their controversial “always-on” DRM. In fact, they quietly scrapped it months ago, but haven’t made that official until now. In what is a really remarkable turnaround, the publisher pledges that from now on they will only require a single online activation after installing, with no activation limits, nor limits on how many PCs it may be activated.

Hurrah!

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

It would be interesting to know exactly why they scrapped it and, indeed, why they kept it so quiet when they could have got some good PR from shouting this from the rooftops.

TheVision · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:45

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09 ... interview/

This is quite a good interview, well worth reading.

BikNorton · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 10091

Bamba wrote:

why they kept it so quiet when they could have got some good PR from shouting this from the rooftops.

To see how it affected piracy before and after the announcement?

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22286

TheVision wrote:

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09/05/ubisoft-drm-piracy-interview/

This is quite a good interview, well worth reading.

Really? It was just a list of questions that weren't answered. Understandably so in some cases, but still.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Do they even genuinely have a way to monitor piracy levels?

There's mention of that 95% piracy rate again in the RPS interview but that just sounds like bullshit to me.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38482

Bamba wrote:

It would be interesting to know exactly why they scrapped it and, indeed, why they kept it so quiet when they could have got some good PR from shouting this from the rooftops.

Too make sure it fucking works before releasing

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

DavPaz wrote:

Too make sure it fucking works before releasing

To make sure what works? It's a policy change for future products, not a software rollout.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Trooper wrote:

TheVision wrote:

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09/05/ubisoft-drm-piracy-interview/

This is quite a good interview, well worth reading.

Really? It was just a list of questions that weren't answered. Understandably so in some cases, but still.

I agree. RevStu and others are tweeting about it being "how games journalism used to be", but it just reads like a fairly standoffish conversation to me with little more information gleaned than might've been with the usual arse-licking.

Kudos to RPS for not doing the arse licking, but it proves why so many do it - ask tough questions of these PR people and they just clam up anyway. The whole industry is a joke.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38482

Tell that to the first guy who can't play even though he should be able to.

@bamba

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

DavPaz wrote:

Tell that to the first guy who can't play even though he should be able to.

@bamba

What are you talking about? They're not making a change to existing games, they're just not going to use this kind of DRM in future games. Why would that give anyone any (new) problems with playing stuff?

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38482

You're a very excitable man. Chill.

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

DavPaz wrote:

You're a very excitable man. Chill.

You're reading a tone there that doesn't exist it seems. I was trying to clarify what you meant, nothing more. :shrug:

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

I didn't get that tone either. Chill out DavPaz.

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

WTB wrote:

Kudos to RPS for not doing the arse licking, but it proves why so many do it - ask tough questions of these PR people and they just clam up anyway. The whole industry is a joke.

Is this really that different from any other industry though? And politics obviously; where being able to repeatedly answer with a non-answer in the face of hard scrutiny is some kind of career requirement.

MaliA · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:20

Bamba wrote:

WTB wrote:

Kudos to RPS for not doing the arse licking, but it proves why so many do it - ask tough questions of these PR people and they just clam up anyway. The whole industry is a joke.

Is this really that different from any other industry though? And politics obviously; where being able to repeatedly answer with a non-answer in the face of hard scrutiny is some kind of career requirement.

You might think that, but I couldn't possibly comment.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Probably not. My point is, this is the only industry where an awkward conversation is lauded as journalistic integrity. It should be fucking standard!

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22286

MaliA wrote:

Bamba wrote:

WTB wrote:

Kudos to RPS for not doing the arse licking, but it proves why so many do it - ask tough questions of these PR people and they just clam up anyway. The whole industry is a joke.

Is this really that different from any other industry though? And politics obviously; where being able to repeatedly answer with a non-answer in the face of hard scrutiny is some kind of career requirement.

You might think that, but I couldn't possibly comment.

Did you threaten to overrule him?

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

WTB wrote:

Probably not. My point is, this is the only industry where an awkward conversation is lauded as journalistic integrity. It should be fucking standard!

Oh yeah, the journalists should still be asking the hard questions, that's totally their job description as far as I'm concerned. I just don't think the result would be, or is, any different from any other walk of life is all.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

You're right - most of the time. But we've all seen Paxman crack politicians over the years.

MaliA · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:46

Bamba wrote:

WTB wrote:

Probably not. My point is, this is the only industry where an awkward conversation is lauded as journalistic integrity. It should be fucking standard!

Oh yeah, the journalists should still be asking the hard questions, that's totally their job description as far as I'm concerned. I just don't think the result would be, or is, any different from any other walk of life is all.

I've remarked before how journalists will write at the top of their interviews "We were told not to ask X,Y or Z, as mr Q will leave the interview". Perhaps the height of this ridiculousness was the England football people threatening to walk out if any members of the press asked about the then upcoming court case involving England's Brave John Terry.

A sad state of affairs.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

I think everyone telling people to chill out should chill out.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22286

I think everyone should just SHUT THE FUCK UP

AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!

<rips phone directory in half>

myp · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:06

'Go Ubi'? They've righted a heinous wrong of their own doing, not cured cancer or won an Olympic gold medal.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Both of which are on a par.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

The Last Salmon Man wrote:

'Go Ubi'? They've righted a heinous wrong of their own doing, not cured cancer or won an Olympic gold medal.

I'm perfectly happy with congratulating a company for recognising that they've made a mistake, and reversing a bad decision. It doesn't happen nearly often enough.

GazChap · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 14:13

Except in that article, they refuse to admit they made a mistake and just repeat the same "We listened to feedback" PR-speak.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

The result's all I'm really interested in, not how it's presented. They've made a decision which is good for the consumer. Couldn't give a toss how they choose to dress it up.

Be Excellent To Each Other

GO UBI!
No more 'always-on' DRM

Who is online

Be Excellent To Each Other

GO UBI! No more 'always-on' DRM

Who is online

GO UBI!
No more 'always-on' DRM