Trials Evolution leaks onto torrent sites

This doesn’t happen every day: RedLynx’s Xbox Live Arcade game Trials Evolution has hit torrent sites across the internet. The follow up to the obscenely popular XBLA title Trials HD is still in development and still only has an official release window of sometime in 2012. This has led people to question how the game got onto the Internet to begin with, and judging by past experience, a lot of people think it was leaked internally.

It wouldn’t be the first time RedLynx has done that; back when the original Trials was released, the development studio uploaded an incomplete PC version of the game in order to create some publicity and potentially drive pirates to purchasing the complete game. This time, however, it’s an Xbox Live Arcade version of Trials Evolution that’s found its way online, and RedLynx is denying they have anything to do with it this time.

Speaking to website Develop, RedLynx managing director Tero Virtala said, “We want to be clear that [leaking Trials Evolution] is not something we did ourselves,” despite having done something similar in 2009. He goes on to, of course, recommend people wait for the final release rather than pirate the game – funny that. That being said, you’d need a cracked or debug Xbox 360 to run it anyway. RedLynx is now owned by Ubisoft, so here’s hoping the publisher doesn’t develop some ungodly DRM to make the lives of Xbox 360 gamers a misery as well.

Source: Develop
Via: Kotaku

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Jan 31, 2012

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Anno 2070 and the WTF DRM saga, part 2

A week ago, it was revealed that Anno 2070 had some pretty overzealous DRM measures. Each copy of the game comes with three activations only. If you alter your PC hardware in any way (even if you just upgrade your graphics card, which is kind of likely in the PC gaming sphere) then that counts as a new PC and a second one of your activations will be required to re-register the game with Ubisoft servers. Madness, we know.

Website Rock, Paper Shotgun asked Ubisoft whether this DRM bug would be fixed, and Ubisoft replied saying “LOL, there’s no bug there dog, you be trippin’” or something to that effect, and maybe with a French accent. They added that on the “rare occasion” of a PC gamer requiring additional activations, they should contact Ubisoft support directly for assistance. Gee, thanks.

Anno 2070 developer Bluebyte has since issued a response to Guru3D (the tech website that first uncovered this DRM balls-up) saying that they’ve removed the DRM tied to graphics cards: “Just wanted to let you know, that we now remove the graphics hardware from the hash used to identify the PC. That means everyone should now be able to switch the GFX as many times as he/she wants”. Hooray! DRM disaster averted, somewhat.

Source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Via: Joystiq

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Jan 24, 2012

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Three Ubisoft Download Titles getting retail release?

Eurogamer has spotted a listing over on UK retailer website Play.com for the Ubisoft Triple Pack. The bundle is supposedly heading to both consoles and apparently comes with a copy of Beyond Good and Evil HD, From Dust and Outland.

All three games saw download only releases during 2011 so for those who sit with ghastly internet connections, it’s great to see the three titles potentially being bundled together as a physical copy. Beyond Good and Evil HD is one of those “must-play” titles from a few years back, and From Dust received favourable criticism, especially for the console versions. I can’t comment on Outland though – that game totally slipped under my radar.

According to the listing, the bundle’s release in the UK is on 23 March for ₤19.99 (or about R220). South Africa normally gets titles around the same time as the UK and Europe, so don’t be surprised if you see this cropping up on our local online retailers’ websites as well. That being said, Ubisoft has yet to announce the Ubisoft Triple Pack so perhaps don’t get too excited just yet. Still, it seems like a viable release and the timing is good as well.

Source: Eurogamer

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Jan 20, 2012

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Ok I am Alive… I’m listening

The last time we looked at some footage of Ubisoft’s download only survival game, I Am Alive, I said I was cautiously optimistic. Now that a second trailer for the game has come out, I’m willing to remove the “cautiously” part and replace it with “totally”. Yes, “totally” will do nicely – I am totally optimistic about this one now.

The trailer focuses on the combat elements of the game, which appear to be somewhat understated. Killing is a last resort as you make your way through the remains of the earthquake-stricken city. I like the fact that you’re being asked to think about things before you pull the trigger, and how you can bluff your way out of a fight. It makes sense considering the predicament everyone finds themselves in during this game.

That and there’s a hunting bow, which means I’m going to run around shooting arrows at people’s knees until I’m the only adventurer left amongst the rubble. Yeah, you thought that joke was old now, didn’t you? Bet you didn’t see that one coming. I’ll let myself out.

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Jan 19, 2012

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Ubisoft DRM says “NO!” to PC upgrades

Oh Ubisoft, your relentless quest to burden the PC gaming community with the most diabolical DRM methods seems to know no bounds. We get it: you think everyone who double-clicks a mouse is knee-deep in pillaged software and suffers from scurvy.

Upgrading PC hardware is synonymous with PC gaming. Upgrade your PC too much however and you’ll need to purchase a new copy of Windows. This DRM practice caused a ruckus when Microsoft first introduced it, but these days it seems to be filed in the drawer marked “Just One of Those Things I guess”. You can upgrade elements of your PC and Window won’t mind too much; add some RAM, swap out a new graphics card, you know, normal PC gamer stuff.

Ubisoft, however, seems to think otherwise. If you alter any of your PC’s system specs, it’ll count as a strike against your limited installs of Anno 2070.

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Jan 17, 2012

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Glimpse 40 seconds of I Am Alive gameplay

Ubisoft’s upcoming disaster survival game I Am Alive is hitting Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Store in the coming months – in fact, it’s one of the titles for Xbox Live’s “House Party” promotional push that should kick off around late February if previous promos are anything to go by.

The download only game has remained somewhat of an enigma, often disappearing for months only to resurface again to offer tiny glimpses but no real gameplay. Well, here’s a smidgeon of just that: some gameplay footage fresh out of CES 2012.

There’s certainly a lot of grey going on in there, which I suppose is acceptable considering it’s a game that plays against the backdrop of surviving an urban disaster. Looks like there’s a hefty dose of Prince of Persia climbing mechanics as well. I remain cautiously optimistic. Hit the jump to watch the main character, umm, jump around, a lot.

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Jan 12, 2012

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Oh wait, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier IS coming to PC

Back in November last year, French publisher Ubisoft decided to paint all PC gamers with the same brush, labelled everyone a pirate, and cancelled the PC version of upcoming Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. The compromise for PC gamers was the free-to-play Ghost Recon: Online. Whoopie.

Naturally people were bummed out; especially legitimate Ubisoft customers who’ve, you know, actually paid for games in the past. The good news is that there’s been a change of heart over at Ghost Recon HQ and the PC version of Future Soldier is happening after all. That free-to-play game is still happening as well so PC gamers get a double-dose of Ghost Recon – think of it as consolation for Ubisoft labelling you a pirate.

IP Development Director Adrian Lacey has posted a video announcement in which he breaks the news of a delay for the game, but then softens the blow by confirming the PC release. Console gamers will have to wait until 24 May 2012 for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. As for PC players, there’s no release date as yet, but it is coming! That’s better than nothing, right? Hit the jump for the announcement video.

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Jan 12, 2012

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Assassin’s Creed survey points towards possible time periods

A report over on website Empire State Gamer claims that a recent survey conducted by Ubisoft asked those taking part to pick their favourite setting for “one of the next Assassin’s Creed games to take place”. There was a list of eight possible historical periods ranging from Victorian England to Feudal Japan.

With Ezio’s trilogy officially concluded in the recent release of Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Ubisoft will need to introduce a new lead ancestor for protagonist Desmond Miles to hijack. If Ubisoft’s decision to annualise the Assassin’s Creed series is still in play, then they should be well into production on Assassin’s Creed III already. In a recent visit to Ubisoft Montreal, they wouldn’t let us anywhere near the Assassin’s Creed wing of the building, presumably because they were working on the next game already.

It does seem odd then that they’d be surveying possible time periods now; surely that would be decided on already? Unless of course these are possibilities for an Assassin’s Creed title beyond Assassin’s Creed III. Hit the jump for the survey options.

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Nov 28, 2011

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No PC version of Future Soldier because yaaargh!

Oh man, it feels as if it was just yesterday that Ubisoft was blaming piracy for their decision to drop the PC version of I Am Alive. Hang on, it totally WAS yesterday!

There’s a new Ghost Recon game coming out soon; it’s subtitled Future Soldier and it’s looking pretty good. PC gamers won’t be getting it though, because Ubisoft thinks every PC gamer is a stinking pirate. While the console gamers get the full retail Ghost Recon: Future Soldier with a single player campaign, PC users can look forward to the free-to –play online shooter Ghost Recon: Online.

Wow, that’s a crappy compromise. Ghost Recon: Online producer Sébastien Arnoult tries to explain the rationale like this: “When we started Ghost Recon: Online we were thinking about Ghost Recon: Future Solider; having something ported in the classical way without any deep development, because we know that 95% of our consumers will pirate the game. So we said okay, we have to change our mind. We have to adapt, we have to embrace this instead of pushing it away. That’s the main reflection behind Ghost Recon: Online and the choice we’ve made to go in this direction.”

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Nov 25, 2011

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No PC version of I Am Alive because yaaargh!

Ubisoft’s on again off again, full retail once, download-only now, earthquake survival game I Am Alive will not be coming to PC because of piracy concerns. Apparently all of the requests “bitching” for more information regarding a PC release has not gone unnoticed by Ubisoft. Unfortunately the answer is not a good one, and it seems that that’s thanks to the publisher’s dwindling faith in the PC as a commercially viable platform.

According to the game’s creative director, Stanislas Mettra: “we’ve heard loud and clear that PC gamers are bitching about there being no version for them. But are these people just making noise just because there’s no version or because it’s a game they actually want to play? Would they buy it if we made it?”

More heart-warming quotations and business decision influences after the jump.

Posted by Miklós Szecsei Nov 24, 2011

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