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Ubisoft DRM Server Goes Down; Gamers Can't Play

by - source: Tom's Hardware US

Ubisoft's DRM servers unreachable as gamers try to play Assassin's Creed II and Silent Hunter V.

Gamers have been up in arms ever since word got out about Ubisoft's internet-required DRM scheme. It seems that a worst-case scenario has happened, as owners in of Silent Hunter V and Assassin's Creed II were unable to play due to Ubisoft's authentication server being down.

Ubisoft's latest DRM effort will not allow its game to play unless there is a connection between the player and the publisher's servers. If anything should happen at either end, the player – even if in the middle a game – will be ejected to the main menu screen. Over the weekend, Ubisoft's servers went down, which left gamers with relatively new games unable to play.

North American weren't as largely affected by the downtime as Assassin's Creed II doesn't launch here until Tuesday, but those in Australia and Europe held back from their games show a critical weakness in this form of DRM.

An Ubisoft UK community manager commented in the official forum:

I don't have any clear information on what the issue is since I'm not in the office, but clearly the extended downtime and lengthy login issues are unacceptable, particularly as I've been told these servers are constantly monitored.

I'll do what I can to get more information on what the issue is here first thing tomorrow and push for a resolution and assurance this won't happen in the future. I realise that's not ideal but there's only so much I can do on a weekend as I'm not directly involved with the server side of this system.

In another post, the same community manager wrote:

Due to exceptional demand, we are currently experiencing difficulties with the Online Service Platform. This does not affect customers who are currently playing, but customers attempting to start a game may experience difficulty in accessing our servers. We are currently working to resolve this issue and apologize for any inconvenience.

Source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

Related links:

Ubisoft Patch Makes its Internet DRM Less Painful

Ubisoft's Internet-required DRM Already Cracked

Ubisoft's DRM Currently Winning Against Pirates

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moricon 08/03/2010 18:14
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Well there you go!!!!!!

cj_online 08/03/2010 18:20
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wow stupid crappy annoying DRM.... and they call pirates as "stealers" .... looks like they're the ones stealing, gamers' freedom and peace of mind.

schwizer 08/03/2010 18:27
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"I realise that's not ideal but there's only so much I can do on a weekend"

Maybe there should be a disclaimer on the game box saying something like

"Caution! Only playable during regular office hours. Because if the server goes down outside those hours, nobody's on it until the next day."

><

N19h7M4r3 08/03/2010 18:36
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BUAHAHAHAHA DRM just keeps getting better (worst) and better (worst)...

will_chellam 08/03/2010 19:49
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I was wondering how long it'd be before this happened.... turns out, not very.

Vampyrbyte 08/03/2010 20:01
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I already avoid games that have been plagued by DRM. I normally end up pirating them as its safer, I wouldnt have to put up with this crap and maybe end up buying a game i can't play in a few years time because they took the servers down.

MAC_HATER 08/03/2010 20:54
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ok - so they say that a "small number" of gamers were affected by the servers being "overloaded" by players

what really happened was ALL legitimate paying customers were refused access to the game they just purchased - yet the pirates had complete unrestricted access and essentially a better game from day 1 of release

i can see the incentive right there - lets buy a game that might not work each time i go to play it due to idiots overseas and watch the pirates gloat on the other side having the merry time

you really did hang the jury with the innocent ubisoft - i only wish i could be a fly on the wall at the first quarterly sales figures for your games when managment packs a tanty because for some completley unknown reason no one is buying your games anymore!

dan-fish 08/03/2010 21:19
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Fail

Pailin 08/03/2010 22:06
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and just as Ubisoft was feeling all smug at the hackers crack not quite working for the whole game(s), yet... LOL

iinweed 08/03/2010 22:54
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HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

cj_online 08/03/2010 23:20
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Are Game publishers/producers retarded ? Don't they ever ... ever read criticisms ? go on gamespot... this site... guru3d etc... everyone complaining about DRM... i thought customers mattered and that the "customer is always right" wtf happened to that rule ?

shakari 09/03/2010 04:21
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For those who havent read it yet http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ubis [...] 2926.html. Basicly theres been a ddos attack against the drm server/s.

And i would be that this isnt going to be the last. It sucks that people want to do this and spoil the game for those who actualy paid for it, but then I guess ubisoft were pretty stupid thinking that something like this wouldnt happen.

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