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Ubi: DRM not behind Splinter Cell PC delay

Published on 5th April 2010 by Joe Martin

Splinter Cell: Conviction has been delayed on the PC by an extra two weeks, but not because of DRM, says Ubisoft.

Ubisoft has tried to assure PC gamers that it has not delayed the PC version of upcoming stealth-em-up Splinter Cell: Conviction because of it's new form of always-online DRM.

Splinter Cell: Conviction will be released on the PC on April 30th - two weeks behind the Xbox 360 version.

"The reason that has been given for the delay is that the extra time was need to polish and debug the game," a Ubisoft spokesperson told Eurogamer. "The slip has not been linked to the DRM."

Ubisoft's controversial new anti-piracy plan involves PC players always having to be online when using their games, even in singleplayer. It's not a system without weaknesses.

Ubisoft is well-aware that the system is unpopular, having factored into consumer and critical response to games like Settlers 7 and Silent Hunter 5, but says it feels "justified" in using it anyway.

Ubisoft is using the new DRM in all PC games, so while Splinter Cell: Conviction might not have been delayed because of it, the game will still feature the controversial DRM.

Check out our latest Splinter Cell: Conviction hands-on preview to find out more about the game, then let us know your thoughts in he forums.

21 Comments

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13eightyfour 5th April 2010, 09:21

Blah Blah Yadda Yadda bunch of muppits!

wuyanxu 5th April 2010, 09:26

Quote:

The reason that has been given for the delay is that the extra time was need to polish and debug the game

debug the DRM so that it won't overload their servers like Assassin's Creed?

Spiny 5th April 2010, 09:50

Bah, I'd forgot about SC being a Ubifail game. My conn drops everytime I get an incoming call, so I won't be getting this.

dinjo_jo 5th April 2010, 10:13

AC II has been defeated so will be SC C

dextro 5th April 2010, 12:41

And I wanted to play both this game and AC2... oh well, guess I'll look into other games until the people at Ubi understand that DRM, and crippling DRM at that, isn't the way.

eddtox 5th April 2010, 12:59

FAIL.

pizan 5th April 2010, 13:30

Is it still considered piracy if I buy the game, but torrent a version that has the DRM stripped out of it and only install one of the 2?

Lightning98 5th April 2010, 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by pizan
Is it still considered piracy if I buy the game, but torrent a version that has the DRM stripped out of it and only install one of the 2?

That's generally what i do in most cases where the DRM is annoying enough (lately more common than say... 2,3 years ago)
You purchased the game, so you reserve the right to do what you want, at least that is my opinion. If i desire to play the game i payed for without constantly exposing my computer to online work, i will do that.

Redbeaver 5th April 2010, 13:54

i cant wait for the pira....err.... non-DRM version!

Sheiken 5th April 2010, 14:15

Why even bother when it gets cracked anyway?
Pirates wont care, because there will always be a fix for the drm, and so only the PAYING consumers get shafted. Gee, what a GREAT idea...

DriftCarl 5th April 2010, 14:24

As soon as the game becomes available on torrent sites, everyone and their mother should download and install it, even if they dont play it as a protest to stupid DRM that punishes the people who buy the product.

tejas 5th April 2010, 15:23

...their idea of polishing is integrating this turd of a DRM and keeping the game DX9. Go to hell Ubisoft...

frojoe 5th April 2010, 15:39

I hope they spent more time debugging this one then the last one. Double agent on PC was full of bugs, some so bad you couldn't finish a level without going online to find a workaround. I gave up about halfway through.

Psytek 5th April 2010, 18:26

It's being delayed so that there is a period where the only place to get it is on 360, and so in a way, since it is to discourage/prevent piracy, the delay itself is a form of DRM.

I couldn't care less.

I'll have it on 360, for free, most likely before release day and won't have to be online to play it. I win.

_Metal_Guitar_ 5th April 2010, 20:30

Oh well...two weeks isn't so bad.
Something that struck me as being more retarded, why release a demo on the 360 and not the PC? Everyone knows it will run on the console, seems pointless.

eternum 5th April 2010, 20:57

I can't help but feel amused and also saddened by the fact that they are implementing a form of DRM on their products that actually *increases* the amount of piracy of those products simply because of how much it cripples the actual use of said products.

tron 5th April 2010, 23:06

I think rather than Ubisoft scrapping it and showing their customers that this form of DRM was wrong, they would rather keep it and remain "wrong and strong".

The other thing is that they want to see if they can get away with this and get customers 'used' to this DRM and have the public outcry die down.

Ubisoft are also one of the biggest supporters of the idea of OnLive, and IMO what they are doing is preparing the customer (PC and eventually console gamer) for their "OnLive" vision of their ultimate future business plan.

Elton 6th April 2010, 01:49

Tron has a good point, but really, while some people are quick to forget..others aren't..Spore anyone?

eddtox 6th April 2010, 15:02

Lol Spore. I waited for years for that game. I was even planning to pre-order it, but then I found out about the DRM and thought better of it. I do not condone Digital Rights Minimization, and I never will, therefore I do not buy DRM'd products.

CowBlazed 6th April 2010, 15:48

Yeup, yet another game I won't even consider buying because of draconian DRM. Good job Ubiosoft keep giving us reasons not to buy your crap.

How long before developers like this realize that console users can pirate games just as easily?

cheeriokilla 6th April 2010, 22:14

My first pirated game in a lifetime will be named Splinter Cell: Conviction. THANKS UBISOFT FOR PUSHING DRM TO THE LIMITS!