Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 11, 2010. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Game manufacturer Ubisoft has introduced a new DRM system called the “Online Services Platform”, which requires a permanent internet connection. This copy protection is used in the PC version of “Assassin’s Creed 2”, where it launched with a worst-case failure. During the first weekend after the PC game’s release, the authentication servers suffered massive disruption, prompting complaints from gamers whose enjoyment of the game was impaired.
According to Ubisoft, the disruption was caused by an attack on the DRM servers, and the title “Silent Hunter 5” was also affected. The incident is still being investigated in greater detail, which is why the company cannot yet comment on it more precisely, Eugen Knippel, Head of Marketing at Ubisoft Austria, told news service pressetext.de in response to an enquiry.
“Thanks” for an Impossible Start to the Game
Customers’ emotions ran high in any case. “I want to thank you for the excellent DRM in Assassin’s Creed 2,” wrote one sarcastic user in Ubisoft’s forum. On Sunday in particular, there were massive complaints from gamers who could barely enter Assassin’s Creed 2, if at all. Some users also said they were ejected from an ongoing game because of lost connections.
The background to the problems is that the copy protection requires an online connection to Ubisoft’s DRM servers. These were apparently overloaded on Sunday, although Ubisoft blames an external attack. Through Twitter, the company announced that only five percent of users had experienced problems and denial-of-service errors. In any case, angry users responded to the problems by calling for a boycott of games using the DRM system.
Effective in the Fight Against Piracy
For Ubisoft, the DRM system is an important measure in the fight against software piracy. “Five days after the release of Assassin’s Creed 2, no ‘cracked’ version is yet available, which underlines the effectiveness of this system,” Knippel emphasises. In principle, the required online connection should be manageable even for users with ISDN connections, since only two megabytes of data need to be transmitted for around 20 hours of gameplay in Assassin’s Creed 2.
For customers, however, the disadvantage of requiring a stable online connection to Ubisoft’s servers is offset by only moderately convincing benefits. The fact that the original DVD does not have to be in the drive while playing was also true of the controversial copy protection Electronic Arts used with Spore. In contrast, Ubisoft permits unlimited installations. Probably the most interesting aspect of the new DRM system is that game saves are also stored online automatically.
In any case, it remains to be seen how the current outcry over the new DRM system will affect Ubisoft. “The Settlers 7”, the latest sequel to one of Ubisoft’s flagship titles, appears later this month and also uses the online copy protection. If calls for a boycott bear fruit, The Settlers 7 could experience a weak sales launch.
