Ubisoft tweaks controversial Driver DRM

By Fred Dutton Published 17 August, 2011

Always-on internet ditched, sort of.

Ubisoft has changed its DRM plans for Driver: San Francisco following fan outrage at the publisher's insistence that users maintain a persistent internet connection while playing.

As reported by Rock Paper Shotgun, you'll no longer require always-on internet to enjoy the game.

Don't break out the bunting and canopés yet, mind. You'll still need to log in every time you boot it up.

Here's the full statement from Ubi:

"We've heard your feedback regarding the permanent internet connection requirement for Driver and have made the decision to no longer include it. So this means that Driver PC gamers will only need to sign in at game launch but can subsequently choose to play the game offline."

The game is due to leave the garage on 27th September.

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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (21) Latest comment 9 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • chaywa #1 9 months ago

    So Ubisoft are still living in a parallel dimension where Laptops don't exist!

  • wizlon #2 9 months ago

    It's better, but it's still the same isn't it?

  • bad09 #3 9 months ago

    No change and it's quite insulting (and extremely telling of their shit attitude to the PC base) claiming there is. They've not "heard" anything except for their own ignorance and stupidity.

    I'll just quote RPS seeing as customers are still not listened to.

    "if you’re genuinely listening to the reaction against your DRM, then please actually hear what’s being said. With DRM that requires an internet connection to launch, every time, you are once again mindlessly and needlessly punishing your legitimate customers in a way that will not affect those with pirated copies. You will, once again, be selling a product with a serious and significant defect, that those who download it for free will not be encountering. There’s no logic or rationale that makes that okay. By requiring an internet connection for launch, on every launch, you punish anyone whose internet isn’t working, who wants to play away from home (on a train, on a plane, on a holiday in Cornwall, at their grandparents’ house, in their barracks…), or who cannot afford a broadband internet connection. It is cruel. It is stupid. It doesn’t work on any level. If you are listening, really listening, then stop this. Stop treating customers like criminals, and start showing respect to those who pay you significant amounts of money for your products."
    Edited by bad09 at 17/08/11 @ 17:33

  • jamiscool #4 9 months ago

    I'll 'drive' them to the loony bin, that's what I'll do.

    I don't even care that it's the entire company that I'd have to drive there, even if it takes me all year, it'd be worth it for the satirised looks on their faces.
    Edited by jamiscool at 17/08/11 @ 17:35

  • Der_tolle_Emil #5 9 months ago

    Are they kidding? DRM aside, what kind of bullsh*t is it to say "we listen to you, therefor we replaced the DRM with another DRM, which does exactly the same!".

    Crappy DRM and then mocking your customers? Way to go Ubi...
    Edited by Der_tolle_Emil at 17/08/11 @ 17:37

  • TheNonk #6 9 months ago

    Even without this nonsense it's a no-buy. The demo was shockingly bad. Out of body experiences - seriously?!

  • Feanor #7 9 months ago

    Whining about game company decisions on the internet never works!

    ...Oh.

  • dsmx #8 9 months ago

    So instead of been constantly punched in the groin while you play the game it only does it once every time you start the game.

  • DavidSebb #9 9 months ago

    "We've heard your feedback" hahahaha, that really made me laugh. Its like we JUST started talking about their DRM..amazing.

  • Vixremento #10 9 months ago

    For me it's still better than it was (not perfect, sure - but if I authenticate and then get to play it's better than getting my connection dropped together with my session). Of course I still have the problem of connecting when I'm capped and stuck on a local only connection...ah well maybe I'll still pass on it - there's always Diablo III (ah FFS...no there isn't!)

  • spongebob #11 9 months ago

    And again Ubi gives a reason to not buy their game and instead download a "fixed" version illegally. Very stupid.

  • dingo75 #12 9 months ago

    Ubi keep trolling and I keep not buying your shit.
    Newest victim: From Dust

    Steam X-Mas Sale at the earliest.

  • Stratix #13 9 months ago

    So they've solved "What if I loose connection?" but "What if I want to play on my laptop during my commute/ in the countryside/ at my granny's house" still stands strong. I hate to say it, but the only solution there will be to pirate it orrr... Get a different game.

  • Ahskay #14 9 months ago

    I choose:

    Piracy!

    If i really wanted to play such a piece of Ubicrap
    Edited by Ahskay at 17/08/11 @ 21:15

  • immateriaux #15 9 months ago

    Morons

  • Optyk #16 9 months ago

    Don't pirates still manage to find a way around the always on DRM though?

  • Ahskay #17 9 months ago

    Yes they do Optyk.

    In the eyes of Ubisoft we are all pirates hence the heavy DRM in their games.

    I buy happily my games unless a company gives me this kind of crap. Look at CD-projekt, they know how to treat their customer base.

  • brod #18 9 months ago

    So Ubisoft isn't satisfied with me activating a genuine copy of the game once... it wants me to prove that I'm not a pirate every single time I play the game?

    FUCK OFF - NO SALE

  • Rack #19 9 months ago

    So now they're only worried that your authenticated copy will become pirated in between gaming sessions rather than during. That's slightly less inconvenient but no less crazy.

  • mukki #20 9 months ago

    Not much better... Buhhh!

  • Ryze #21 9 months ago

    This is useless for me. The cracked version on the other hand...