[Update] Ubisoft piracy - Ye saga continues
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| Looks like a school of Killer-warez headed this way Captain... |
The recently released Silent Hunter 5 from publisher/developer Ubisoft, which features their new always-online PC-phone-home DRM system has apparently been cracked on the first day of release. If this is the case it does rather put paid to the idea that the new and (some would say) highly intrusive DRM will be any better at combatting piracy on the PC platform.
There are purported patches and cracks for Silent Hunter 5 doing the rounds online on several torrent and warez sites. We here at PCFormat have not deigned to test the effectiveness of these cracks but one download site had this to say to its users.
“[Name withheld by PCF] bring us new “Silent Hunter 5 Battle of the Atlantic”
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| I'm picking up some pirate activity nearby too |
game. Funny thing is that this game is based on newest Ubisoft DRM protection which requires you to be online during the gameplay. Poor legit users…”
The hack was apparently very simple to implement according to the group that perpetrated it and if Silent Hunter 5 has been cracked this fast, the likes of Assassin’s Creed 2 and other titles with the DRM will probably find themselves edited at a similar speed.
[Update] There is currently some unconfirmed chatter on several forums stating that the PC version of Assassin's Creed 2 has already been partically cracked.It seems that AC2 uses the same system in a slightly different manner.
[Second update - 5/3/2010] Ubisoft has issued a statement regarding the apparently cracked versions of SH5 and AC2. "You have probably seen rumours on the web that Assassin's Creed II and Silent Hunter 5 have been cracked.Please know that this rumour is false and while a pirated version may seem to be complete at start up, any gamer who downloads and plays a cracked version will find that their version is not complete."
This has also turned up on the company's Twitter account, under the heading 'Rumour control'. This denial is at odds with claims from pirate users who say that the apparently cracked game is working perfectly. Ubisoft have not stated how the cracked versions of the game are incomplete.
[Third update - 5/3/2010] PCF has got comments direct from Ubisoft for all of you. A few moments ago we got a call from local Ubi representatives giving out a little more detail on their claims that the DRM for AC2 and SH5 remains unhacked. They are not prepared to comment on the record about specifics but we were informed that game crackers have still got a few headaches ahead. To quote Ubi SA, "They (hackers) have only gotten past the first line of defense". This apparently holds true for both titles. We are waiting for further comment from Ubisoft, which should be arriving later today.
Discuss this here
Brett Venter
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You will always remember this as the day you ALMOST... Ah, forget it
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