From that point of view it ”is a success”. Ubisoft has been using this system since Settlers 7, which then saw it expand to all Ubi PC titles released afterward.
There’s no argument that Ubisoft’s PC DRM system isn’t controversial, however a Ubisoft representative said there’s “a clear reduction in piracy of our titles which required a persistent online connection, and from that point of view the requirement is a success”.
Settlers 7, Silent Hunter V, Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood all use the ‘always-on’ DRM. The biggest issue of contention is the use of the system for singleplayer games, and that if the online connection is lost the game simply won’t play.
PC gamers who’ve legitimately bought Ubisoft PC games complain that ultimately they’re the ones being punished and not the pirates. Capcom introduced a similar system with Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition where offline play was restricted - it was withdrawn after a barrage of criticism from fans.
The latest PC Ubi game with the always-on DRM is Driver: San Francisco. Recently confirmed to not include it however was From Dust, which releases on PC later.
