Ubisoft Has Windows-Style Hardware-Based DRM For Games 473
New submitter Man Eating Duck writes "Guru3D describes how the activation system in Ubisoft's RTS game Anno 2070 also tracks hardware changes: 'So yesterday I started working on a performance review. We know (well, at least we figured we knew), that the game key can be used on three systems. That's fair; the first activation is used on my personal game rig. The second we installed on the AMD Radeon graphics test PC and the 3rd on our NVIDIA graphics test PC. ... For the NVIDIA setup I take out the GTX 580, and insert a GTX 590. When I now startup the game, 'BAM', again an activation is required. Once again I fill out the key, and now Ubisoft is thanking me with the message that I ran out of activations.' Guru3D subsequently discovered that Ubisoft was less than helpful: 'Sorry to disappoint you — the game is indeed restricted to 3 hardware changes and there simply is no way to bypass that.' I, and many with me, will never buy games with such a draconian DRM scheme, as it's very likely that I'll swap out enough components to run into this issue. Even the Steam version includes this nice 'feature.' It's probably a good idea to let Ubisoft know why we'll pass on this title."
Three hardware changes? (Score:5, Informative)
People bitch about Windows activation, but on the few occasions I've experienced where Windows needed to be re-activated because of a hardware change, the process was completely painless. As in, "I'm helping out my mom on Christmas Eve and dinner is going to be served in a half hour" painless.
The first couple of times I called, I spoke to an Indian man who asked me a few questions and gave me a code. More recently, it was a fully automated system. I don't think the process has ever taken as much as five minutes from beginning to end. It seems to me the for individual users, Windows Activation is more of a way to scold you than anything else: "You do know you're only allowed to use this copy of Windows on one computer... right?"
Now, if Ubisoft is really claiming that you get three activations and after that your software is useless, well, that seems like something else entirely.
Re:gamers changes hardware a lot (Score:5, Informative)
To answer your question, no you cannot buy the same game twice; even if bought retail you cannot register two keys to the same account.
You would have to make a second account for the second key/copy.
Just dont buy the stuff. (Score:4, Informative)
Restricted Install Games (Score:2, Informative)
Not Windows style DRM (Score:5, Informative)
Rant and rave about Windows DRM all you want, but the way Windows activation was designed, it actually appears intended to stop piracy. You activate once, and store that hardware key on their validation servers. It doesn't repeatedly poll the server to ensure validation, it only gets used during updates, and it will only block a new update until you re-activate. If you change hardware after a certain amount of time, it will allow you to validate a new install, invalidating and blocking updates on the old install. If you do so before that certain amount of time, all you have to do is call a number, claim you replaced hardware, and replace the existing validation. They're not going to care unless you start doing that multiple times each month.
This, you get three times, period. There is no expiry period. There is no way to call and flush out an old install. Three times, and then the product is dead. This sounds more like a mechanism to prevent resale of games, rather than a way to prevent piracy. How dare someone else get to play the game without paying them additional money! Just wait until they start requiring a webcam, so they can perform facial recognition and ensure you are the only one playing the game.
Re:And they wonder why people pirate (Score:4, Informative)
It's just 5 hardware changes across all devices you own worldwide, which is even more ridiculous. Those hoping to play the game on both a desktop PC and a laptop around the house or on the road are even worse off. (again, something Ubisoft's best customers are more likely to do than anyone else)
Of course they do (Score:5, Informative)
Many pirates pirate because of DRM. Some also pirate out of an interest in trying the game before buying it, some because they feel entitled to their license even though the CD got scratched, some because they have no disposable income of their own (or no room in their budget for it), and some out of sheer sloth/greed.
But to say that DRM doesn't create pirates is to completely fail to grasp some of the most basic principles that drive human behavior.
Re:And they wonder why people pirate (Score:5, Informative)
Quote: "I've never tried to crack a game on Steam, because once it's installed and has had it's activation, I've never been annoyed by any Steam game. "
Be careful. Being on Steam only guarantees it has the light layer of Steam DRM, it DOES NOT prevent the publisher from requiring other, more obnoxious forms of DRM as well. I bought that Pitch Black game on Steam (super sale, looked entertaining), but have never been able to play it because it packs in a non-64bit compatible version of SecuROM as well.
Re:so glad (Score:4, Informative)
If by "research" you mean "check the Steam Store page", then yes, you do. Case in point:Anno 2070 [steampowered.com]. Specifically says "3rd party DRM Solidshield Tages SAS 3 machine activation limit"
Yes, I do love Steam.
Re:Three hardware changes? (Score:5, Informative)
You've been lucky. I've witnessed a retail version of windows XP be refused activation after a hardware change. Calling microsoft was unproductive.
I call bullshit.
The only reasons a key is blacklisted from the installer (ISOs and retail discs get updated with new installers and key blacklists) or from the activation program are:
1) Key is fake. .nfo release notes, or keys that you can find via google when some idiot or some management software posts a public log that contains it.
2) Key is a volume/site license key that has been deactivated or has reached its maximum number of installations.
3) Key is a single-installation or limited-time key, such as a demo/beta/preview key, or an MSDN-AA key (cheap/free Windows through your school).
4) Key has seen an exorbitant amount of use and has been flagged as a pirated key. Typically these are the keys that pirates insert into the
Manually activating with a valid key (none of the above situation apply) is as simple as calling the number (24/7, toll free in every country that matters) and keying in the code it displays on screen. An automated system, or a live person, will then ask you how many PCs the copy of Windows is installed on, and you will say "1", and then they will give you a key to type into the box, and you're done.
You can reformat and change your hardware every fucking week if you want.
Re:And they wonder why people pirate (Score:5, Informative)
I fully understand the used game market hurts the developers;
WRONG WRONG WRONG. I'm sorry, but you've been bamboozled. The used game market doesn't hurt the developer. The used game market is a secondary market that exists in parallel to the primary market, wherein owners exchange goods in return for money. Any time a game enters the used game market, the developer has already received money for the game. Furthermore, if it's a true used game market, the games in circulation are originals, and don't involve CD-Rs. Therefore, from the perspective of the developer, any game that is in the used game market is identical to a game that is sitting in the closet of the first buyer of the game.
The argument that the used game market hurts developers is identical to the one that people who don't buy multiple copies of a game hurt a game developer, or who don't buy the same game every 6 months, or every 3 months. It is fundamentally based on the assumption that developers have a right to your money, and that you do not have a right to the product you're buying from them.
It is absolut bullshit, and every developer who pulls this argument gets put on my personal do not buy list. Yes, I'm down to buying a few games per year, mostly from small time developers. I still buy the occasional big-budget title, but after ME3, I'm probably done for a long time.
Re:Wow, you are stupid (Score:4, Informative)
Re:And they wonder why people pirate (Score:5, Informative)
I bet 20 years from now we're going to have to do things like emulate false activation servers for DRM so we can actually play the games.
Maybe you will. I sure as hell won't, because I won't buy a game that uses DRM like that on general principle. I don't care how awesome it is - my life will not be duller or less meaningful if I never play it.
/SOAPBOX
This is one of the principles Ubisoft and others have forgotten. I don't have to buy your crap, and I sure as hell won't if I don't trust you. Ever. You aren't entitled to a sale, Ubisoft. You aren't entitled to anything. Show this kind of arrogance, and all you get is me utterly ignoring everything you do from now on.
SOAPBOX
These companies seem to think that all they really have to do is hype a title and then the mass of cattle-gamers will rush to the nearest store and buy 5 copies on release day, fearing their lives will end in dismal agony if they don't. Maybe that'll work for a while, but eventually people get wise to this sort of thing, and then you're screwed. I cite plummeting movie theatre attendance in the past 50 years as an example.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:The problem is console kiddies... (Score:4, Informative)
Crysis is made by Crytek, and distributed by EA games, not Ubisoft. Also, Crytek distributes their game engine as part of an SDK for free, so you can mod their games or create your own from scratch: http://www.crydev.net/ [crydev.net]
Re:And they wonder why people pirate (Score:5, Informative)
Re:And they wonder why people pirate (Score:3, Informative)