Ubisoft has confirmed that it has dropped the highly controversial always-on DRM (Digital Rights Management) system that is regularly used for its PC titles. The publisher’s worldwide director for online games, Stephanie Perlotti, told Rock Paper Shotgun that Ubisoft has scrapped the system and will now only require a one-off online activation for its PC titles.
“We have listened to feedback, and since June last year our policy for all of PC games 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 stated.
“Whenever you want to reach any online service, multiplayer, you will have to be connected, and obviously for online games you will also need to be online to play. But if you want to enjoy Assassin’s Creed III 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.”
The PC versions of several large Ubisoft franchises implemented the always-on DRM, resulting in games not working without an Internet connection in an effort to combat piracy. For example, if players lost their Internet connection mid-game, they would see the game being terminated and consequently having unsaved progress lost. This issue should no longer occur if a player is playing an offline game with the company’s new form of DRM.