Ubisoft looks to net piracy solution

Quote

In a move to try and quell the ongoing piracy problem on PC, Ubisoft will require players of a selection of its future PC titles to have a constant connection to the internet.

Titles will constantly verify themselves via a connection to Ubisoft’s servers. To spruce up the offering Ubisoft will also introduce a feature that uploads player’s game setting, making their personal data portable across multiple PCs.

Ubisoft!

There seems to be a move in a direction that game publishing companies are indeed investing into the game service provider industry as so evidently pointed out in the article. This will force many smaller gsp's to either shut down or merge into a larger organization.

The fact is that many global isp/gsp's have been in contact with smaller gsp's in a move to obtain as much of the online gaming scene as possible. Some are hostile take overs and others are purely glad to sell their own clients at what ever cost so as to prevent further loss.

It is rumored that a particular gsp has been sold but will retain its online identity due to its branding within the higher end of gameserver providing and its investment into the broader spectrum of game publishing.

This will obviously cause a rift amongst several established non official alliances within the industry but will also allow the opportunity for some smaller game publishers to try their own talent without big brother telling them what not to do or what to do.

One might ask, how would such a move affect gaming communities ?

An obvious and yet questionable positive outcome would be a cleaner competition side of professional online gaming. This would also include the hiring of game modders to develop a more rigid game style approach without the whistles and bells. It has also been stated that such a control over game server side files might be the pivot point to attract sponsoring at level which was once the scene five years ago.

On the other hand, more and more are questioning the restrictions placed upon the consumer by the publisher as to not allow freedom of choice. This has been the case with the latest games and upcoming releases that will not release server side files. Many are quoted as saying that the server side files will be hacked and thus made available to the public.

I guess in due time we shall see who's idea will be enforced and at what cost.