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I’m sure everyone has heard of the new DRM (Digital Rights Management) that Ubisoft intends to introduce with Assassin’s Creed 2?  If you have been living under a rock, essentially the new form of DRM that Ubisoft is implementing is another great example that people that aren’t in the know-how manage to ruin it for everyone.  Let’s say that you bought Assassin’s Creed 2, you take it home, and put it into your computer.  The installation seems fine, it all goes without a hitch (this is theoretically speaking), and the game boots just fine.  You are playing the game, about an hour in, and then all of a sudden, the game stops and places you about half an hour behind where you are now in the game.  What happened, you may be thinking.  Well, the new DRM scheme requires you to be on the internet CONTINUOUSLY!  As you are playing, the software is continuously using your internet bandwidth to communicate with a remote server, supposedly to stop piracy.  The problem with the scheme is, that if you actually lose network connectivity, even for a split second, the game will dump you to your latest save/checkpoint.  This is to stop people verifying the game, then pulling out the network cable and sharing the disc with someone else.

For me, there is a lot of problems with this scheme.  Number one, and the idea that I am most passionate about, is that it is another example of punishing the people doing the RIGHT thing.  For example, if you walk into a store and legitimately buy Assassin’s Creed 2, you will have to put up with this DRM, and there is nothing you can do about it.  If, however, you do the wrong thing, and illegally download a copy of the game, guess what is missing?  The crappy DRM!  So what is DRM really doing?  Is it actually reducing piracy?  Does UBISOFT actually think that by making things difficult for Hackers to copy something it won’t happen?

Another reason why I am not a big fan of DRM, is my location, which is in Australia.  Here in Australia, we have a company called Telstra that ensures that our broadband network is about 10 years behind the times.  We have issues with out infrastructure that prevents a lot of people from getting broadband here, so some people in Australia are still stuck on Dial-Up internet for their access.  That means, that if you are going to play Assassin’s Creed 2, you will have to pay about 25c per go, as you will need internet access to play it.  Heaven forbid if someone picks up the phone and drops your connection!  Another technology that Telstra is trying to push is wireless internet, as it’s a CHEAP way of getting data out there with very little infrastructure.  I think Wireless is a great idea, but anyone who has ever played games on wireless will no that occasionally you get drop outs.  The wind changes, it rains, traffic congestions, etc.  WTF do you do if you want to play that nice copy of Assassin’s Creed 2 you just paid $100 for?  Don’t think of actually returning it to a store though, once the copy is used, it’s used whether you continue to play it or not.

Well, how do we combat piracy, I hear you ask.  Well, like it or lump it, piracy is here to stay.  Stop spending time trying to figure out how to stop it, and start thinking about ways to actually make it easier and more rewarding to buy it legitimately.  How about including multiplayer that works on the one serial number?  I know that if a game is a multiplayer one, you pretty much have to buy the game if you want to enjoy that feature.  What about once-off downloadable content for those who buy a copy and activate it?  These features improve the VALUE of the game, value that might not be easily replicated by a pirated game.  What about reducing costs for games?  Games are far too expensive in Australia.  We pay about $120 for a new release game, whether our actual dollar is worth nothing or something in the stock exchange.  For example, early last year the Aussie dollar was worth about 50c to the American dollar.  This year, it’s worth about 95c to the dollar.  The game prices are exactly the same.   Where is this extra money going to?  I work for an independent retailer, and I get access to cost prices, and they haven’t changed either…
So there you go, my ideas on the new DRM scheme that Ubisoft has come up with.  What am I going to do with it?  Well, I plan NOT to buy anything Ubisoft on PC.  If I manage to see a copy of Assassin’s Creed 2 for cheap, second-hand, well I might consider it, but only for the Xbox 360.  I know that PC piracy is out of hand, and it’s a shame that some people ruin it for everyone, but this is going to far.  DRM has to stop, and this scheme is not going to do anything to stop piracy!