The latest miserable press surrounding Ubisoft's trashy DRM concerned news that Anno 2070 would confuse a simple hardware change with an entirely new PC -- a real problem when you can only install the game three times before it stops working. Ubisoft has responded the way it always does when its DRM comes under fire -- it doesn't care.
"While it's correct that copies of Anno include three activations and that changing hardware may trigger the need for reactivation, the vast majority of Anno customers never encounter this scenario," said Ubisoft. "On the rare occasion when a customer does need additional activations, Ubisoft customer service is available to quickly resolve the situation, and we encourage those customers to contact us directly so that we can ensure they are able to continue to enjoy their game."
There you go -- it only wastes the time of a few consumers, therefore it's okay.
That excuse never washes with me, not when it's a problem that never needed to exist in the first place. DRM exists only for publishers to exert control over paying customers, not fight pirates. Therefore, if just ONE customer is inconvenienced by it, it's an inexcusable trespass on the part of Ubisoft. In other words -- I shit on its excuses.
Ubisoft: Anno 2070 DRM Works As Intended [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
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Contest:
11:15 AM on 01.20.2012 | 
I'm tired of Ubisoft's silliness, maybe when the majority stop purchasing their products and services, maybe then Ubisoft would stop with the shit excuses.
@onered
yes you are.
idiot.
"sad to say that this is one video game company i will not be sad to see go under. paradox"
fixed.
you are fucking awesome. that totally just made my day.
It's a fantastic game though, I have been loving it.
I guess this doesn't really stop me from buying this game. I just won't get it from Steam. I'll go out, buy a boxed copy from a store then download a crack to get around the DRM.
Anno DRM could have been hilarious, and not hurt paying customers. Random natural disasters constantly happen and destroy everything. At random intervals the Tycoons or Ecos attack and destroy everything. Players waste tens of hours doing this, complain in the forums, then get banned.
Ubisoft = instant dealbreaker when it comes to purchasing games fer me these days. Which makes 2 such publishers I won't touch with an 11' pole
Do you hate steam now?
what? can't tell if serious...
if so, do vehicles also inconvenience you with their pesky ability to get you to a place faster than walking?
I have dail up, a mifi with 10gb a month for 8, and shogun 2.
you know if you don't like that auto updating you can turn it off in the games properties
Tried that. It won't let me play games that need an update until they are updated. The only way to avoid this is to never use steam while online, which means no new games that require steam....
So here is what is going to happen. pirates are going to download that, never having to worry about how many activations. While legitimate customers who have paid money will be completely abused.
Good job ubisoft drm :D
I have no interest in this game, but I might just pirate it, just to boost up those piracy numbers.
Someone... Please... Fire a class action lawsuit at these dolts. They clearly need a wake-up -to-reality call, stat.
At this point the day Ubisoft goes out of business shall be a day of global constipation for not a single shit will be given. Shrewd inverters will have the laxative markets covered and walk away with a kings ransom.
Just another brick in the wall marked "Ubisoft hates the industry and its customers"
"and we encourage those customers to contact us directly so that we can ensure they are able to continue to enjoy their game."
Yeah, which means "don't circumvent us and go to the developers, but please remember we'll make you wait over a week while we get a known issue resolved for you".
NO customers should have this issue, Ubisoft -Period.
The whole reason I USE PC's is because I can upgrade them. When my software stops working because of the sole reason I use PCs over consoles... well then we have a problem.
And wtf happens if you buy it on Steam? Does it disappear from your games after you use up 3 activations? Or does the unplayable game stay there in your library, forever reminding you how stupid you were to buy a Ubisoft game?
Can we get an update?
Well all these doubts and questions leave me not really even wanting this game anymore. I had it on the top of my Steam wishlist, but I am removing it and pretending it does not exist. DRM of this nature does nothing but tell the consumer they do not matter. Required clients like Steam and Origin are one thing, but limiting the use (and longevity) of the product is never a good thing Ubisoft. I cannot honestly remember the last Ubisoft game I purchased besides the first Assassin's Creed and it looks more and more that it will be the last title I purchase from them.
I stand my ground and won't even pirate it, however I think that they are encouraging people to do so with their lies.
The whole '95% of our potential sales are stolen by pirates' argument simply means that they can make numbers say anything they want. Things won't change until gamers unite and boycott companies for such lazy practices.
We don`t HAVE to play AssCreed, just like we don`t NEED to play Battlefield 3 (EA is as retarded if not more so with their Origin scam), but holding out on some of the most immersive games available and facing the scorn of most others for doing so is a path that few will dare follow.
Same goes with most drugs really, who cares where your drugs come from; Iz just wantz to gets High and numb myself from the real world. Way easier than to actually take a stand.
If I am reading correctly they only removed the GFX card change. It would still probably include a mobo or processor change. Hell it might include an OS change. I know reformatting would wipe the file that gets stored on your drive and eat up an activation. The only only way I will buy this is if they give me either no limited activations or some means to reclaim activations rather than having to call them and hope. Revocation tools are available for EA games like ME1 and Crysis Warhead, so at the very least Ubisoft can give us this. What is worse is the damn game is already through Steam and yet they still feel the need to throw more DRM on the situation. Stupid stupid stupid.