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Ubisoft is removing DRM from all its PC games, which means from now on all their PC titles will only require a single online activation after installing, with no activation limits or a limit on how many machines the games can be installed on.
Ubisoft is removing DRM from all its PC games, which means from now on all their PC titles will only require a single online activation after installing, with no activation limits or a limit on how many machines the games can be installed on.
Speaking in an interview with RockPaperShotgun, Ubisoft's worldwide director for online games, Stephanie Perlotti, said that the controversial DRM that required players to always be connected to the internet in order to play any Ubisoft PC game was scrapped some time ago.
"We have listened to feedback, and since June last year our policy for all of PC games (sic) is that we only require a one-time online activation when you first install the game, and from then you are free to play the game offline," she said.
"Whenever you want to reach any online service, multiplayer, you will have to be connected [to the internet], and obviously for online games you will also need to be online to play," she said. "But if you want to enjoy Assassin's Creed 3 single player, you will be able to do that without being connected. And you will be able to activate the game on as many machines as you want."
DRM has been a hotly debated issue for many years. Many players have experienced problems with Ubisoft's "always-on" DRM, which forces them to be connected to the internet in order to play PC games. A dropped internet connection results in the game stopping, and players can often lose any progress they have not saved.
Ubisoft will not be the first company to drop DRM from their PC games. CD Projekt Red, the makers of The Witcher series, are best known for being vocal about shunning DRM from their games. Their game publishing arm, GOG.com, also releases all their games DRM-free.
More information about Ubisoft's move to scrap DRM from their games is expected to be released later today. We will update this story when more information is available.
