Ubisoft Backing Off of ‘Always On’ DRM

Among my gamer friends, there’s one single word  I can utter at any given time that can cause instant and very audible groans: “Ubisoft”. Now, it’s not because Ubisoft publishes bad games, because the reality is quite the opposite. The problem instead lays with the company’s insistence on treating its customers with no respect, by punishing them with harsh DRM that can, and has, made gameplay painful or impossible.

Ubisoft Montreal’s Watch Dogs

As such, many friends of mine have opted to not purchase Ubisoft titles. The biggest DRM reason has been the “always on” scheme, where a game, even single-player, require an active online connection in order to run. As foolish and nonsensical as it sounds, that’s how it’s been with Ubisoft titles for the past while. But according to the company in the past, such DRM has caused a great drop in pirated copies being played. Where’s the numbers? Exactly.

Well, in an interview published by Rock, Paper, Shotgun yesterday, Ubisoft seems to be putting the “always on” DRM behind it, instead requiring its customers to only need an online connection for activation. Coming from Ubisoft, it’s quite difficult to believe this, but like many other gamers, I hope it’s true. As I’ve said a countless number of times in the past, DRM hurts no one but the legitimate customer, and I’m willing to fight that fact to that death. It seems Ubisoft, despite avoiding admission like the plague, agrees.

I must give kudos to the folks at RPS for being so straight-forward with the questions, but it’s a pity Ubisoft’s answers never told us just what we wanted to hear. But in reality, it doesn’t matter. If Ubisoft has learned its lesson, which will be evidenced by its future DRM, then this is a win by gamers.

So thanks, Ubisoft. I guess I’ll be able to purchase and play Watch Dogs without feeling guilty.