See that internet there….it’s always on.

In case you have been living without an internet connection for the last month or so (in which case you won’t like this) Ubisoft have implemented a DRM system that requires a constant connection to the internet to validate your game at all times. If you lose your internet connection while in game then it is game over, albeit with a recent automatic save or checkpoint for you to return to when you get back online. This has had the PC gaming community up in arms and several boycotts and petitions organised which so far have been in vain.

Ubisoft’s newest games Silent Hunter 5 (SH5) and Assassins Creed 2 (AC2) have both released protected by Ubisoft’s DRM since which we have had claims and counter claims of the DRM being hacked and pirated versions of the games appearing online. So far, so very, very standard for a new PC release with the challenge of a new DRM protection however a new twist to the tale played out last weekend when there was a DoS attack on the Ubisoft servers that saw all or a percentage of people unable to play their games depending on who you believe. This is by far the most militant that sections of the gaming community have been in response to yet another perceived injustice that has been brought against the PC gamer and while there are several arguments that we should be angry and defend our rights as gamers there is the nagging question, what if Ubisoft are right?

Always Online

The main issue with the new system is the requirement to have the game always connected to the internet. While this is never an ideal situation it is not exactly new to PC gaming. World of Warcraft has over 11million players, every one of them has to rely on their internet connection to play the game and they have bigger problems if they lose their connection. A single player game can be saved and return you to the exact moment when it crashed out whereas in an online game you can’t go back. You cannot recreate the situation you were in with the other human players you were playing with, the game changes.

I have no Internet connection.

To be fair, if you have a PC capable of playing Assassins Creed 2 and you are not online then you are doing it wrong. A PC gamer will not get very far into most new releases before they need to download a patch or go online to find a fix or workaround. Your graphics card or sound card will require new driver downloads; you will have to verify you game when it is first installed or you have to have Steam installed. Over the last decade we have been cajoled (Free content) and bullied (Steam) into requiring an always on connection to pursue our chosen hobby, it is as much a part of PC gaming now as the mouse and keyboard.

A problem with Ubisoft servers.

The DoS attacks have shown that the Ubisoft servers are vulnerable. This is the side of the argument that requires us to have a little faith that Ubisoft can deliver a service that is always on without issues. An always on service will never be a reality but this shouldn’t be a hard service for them to provide 99% of the time. Only time will tell if they can do this successfully.

No DRM is every going to be universally accepted, it changes the rights of the user and also treats us like the pirates it is trying to stop. However publishers do need to combat piracy, it is real and it is damaging to the industry. Ubisoft are right to take measures to try and stop it. While this DRM will stop a small portion of players actually playing the game is probably the future method that all games will use eventually. The age of the offline PC gamer is passing and while it won’t be an easy transition it will be one that ensures continued support for the platform.