If there’s one thing that annoys gamers it’s AI. Hang on. Sorry. If there’s one thing that annoys gamers it’s DRM, er, one second. If there’s one thing that annoys gamers it’s microtransactions and pointless cosmetics. Aargh. Concentrate. If there’s one thing that annoys gamers it’s having to always have an internet connection for a game that doesn’t require an internet connection. That’s it. Got there in the end.
Well, in that case, Ubisoft is in line for yet more flack. Following on from yesterday’s leak that single-player Battle Passes are now a thing in Assassin’s Creed, the stealthy cash cow is now sent to demand that you have an online connection to play the game.
If true that means no playing on the go, no playing if your internet goes down, and, in the longer term, no playing if Ubisoft ever decides the game is dead.
This kind of thing generally causes gaming outrage. It’s seen as a form of DRM that, as usual, punishes legitimate purchasers of the game.
The news appeared on the Assassin’s Creed Shadows PSN page which states Online Play Required so we have a couple of things to unpick from that information, Firstly, this is the PlayStation version, but it will likely be the same across the board and secondly, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be the first AC to feature the new Assassin’s Creed Infinity – a new online hub for all things Assassin’s Creed, which you may or may not have a use for. Obviously, any kind of online hub will require being online.
Ubisoft has form for shutting online games down – it recently did so with The Crew which caused a fuss in that community, especially as a new Crew game was on the horizon it was seen as a cynical move.
Coupled with the now infamous quote from an Ubi exec that gamers will have to get used to the fact that they don’t actually own the games they purchase, well, you can see why people get upset.
Reddit is angry
A couple of choice comments from Reddit show the way this is going to go:
“Online-only restrictions like these seem to never take into account more rural areas or poorer countries where internet is just straight up not stable. There’s a reason single-player games exist for people who don’t and shouldn’t have to deal with bad connections.
From what I’ve read, there are still even locations/states in 1st world countries like the US where internet is still pretty spotty.”
“They know about those areas, they just don’t care. The perceived savings/revenue from implementing the feature to them outweighs the perceived loss of customers. It’s a financial decision, plain and simple. The customer experience (or number of customers) is entirely inconsequential.”
“Well it’s clear Ubisoft said we don’t own games anymore and that is what they meant. In a few years they take the whole game offline so people buy the name game. Must be crazy to pay full price for this.”
This is another that will run and run we think.
