Assasin's Creed 2 - Now Available For Pre-Order

[Konrad]

With a 60$ price tag and the most intrusive form of DRM to ever see the light of day.

Not that I'm biased or anything, but I think Ubisoft might be trolling PC gamers hard... That or they're just completely batshit insane.

I quite literally sniggered when I saw that. Either I'm missing some major part of the market, or Ubi is completely oblivious to the fact that cheaper games sell better.

[MyNameDidntFit]

If you have internet it shouldn't be intrusive at all.

The game is barely worth $10 to me, and that's on console where it's not the port that the PC version probably will be.

[Konrad]

If you have internet.

It gets pretty darn intrusive when you don't have internet for a minute or two.

[MyNameDidntFit]

If that happens frequently enough for it to be an issue you really need to contact your ISP -- it's not Ubi's fault if you have a shit connection.

[Konrad]

I'm not blaming them for anything. I am however, laughing at them, quite wholeheartedly for selling a product which introduces 101 potential issues and no benefits whatsoever to the end user. There really isn't one. The three reasons for this they provided were: Playing without CD, Cloud Savegames and Copy Protection.

Except... Hey-oh, 2/3 can be easily done without an unbreakable stream of data coming from your computer to theirs. And the third one, let's be honest - is a pipe dream.

If they want to lose a bucketful of customers on principle alone, and commit to years of network troubleshooting they can be my guest.

It doesn't really matter whether it's my ISP, or their servers that will inevitably break the connection sooner or later. The end result will be the same for them: Ill be standing over here, with a smile on my face, money in my pocket, and a copy of Assasin's Creed 2 I borrowed from my cousin. It's really their business whether I can use their product without issues or not, not mine.
If they don't feel like taking up that responsibility... well, I don't feel like paying them. Simple as that!

[MyNameDidntFit]

You, like everyone else, act as though it's already failed. But we digress.

[Konrad]

I don't think it's going to fail, not majorly anyway - though everyone including them knows there will be hiccups but that happens with everything.

On principle however, they failed when they employed a system with so much potential to fail. The system has already failed in meeting my expectations as a customer, and as it seems, those of many others. To many, it's also a kick in the balls when they raise the price of their product above the standard (keep in mind, in the US game prices are completely stable), while not really offering anything extra in exchange. At least MW2 had an excuse being a self professed best gaem eva.

It's not everyday that a AAA "best selling Original IP" title doesn't find it's place at the top of the "Top Selling" list on steam within 12 hours of being put up on pre-order. I think that's saying something.

They've essentially crossed off the following chunks of their customers: Those who oppose their DRM on principle, those who have limited or unstable internet connections, those who oppose the price tag on principle and those who oppose the price tag for financial reasons.

And I think those might really add up. But then again, this might sell like hot buns the way MW2 did.

I don't think we're digressing either, I'm pretty sure I made this thread specifically to discuss the major fuckup/perfectly reasonable move on Ubisoft's launch of AC2.

[MyNameDidntFit]

Ah, I was thinking the primary intent was discussing the game. But if that's not the case; tally-ho! We can initiate a second thread of this.

The pricing isn't something I'm concerned with. But then, I'm Australian and we get fucked by game prices no matter what, so I may be immune to the shock of a game costing $10 more than you want it to. Retail's probably around AU$90 [US$80] over here, but that's beside the point.

AC2 finds itself 4th on Steam's top selling list. With BFBC2, a franchise that has roots going back further than most forests and a fanbase of rather large proportions [BF, that is. Though it is applicable to the BC series in a lesser manner], on top. Supreme Commander 2, the sequel to SupCom and another game with a following that goes as far back as the gaming wet dream that was Total Annihilation in second. And, finally, the midweek madness deal of 50% off on Wings of Prey (a game I know nothing of, to be honest) has it at third.

It the fact that AC2 isn't beating those three is 'saying something' then I'm not sure what it's saying "this game is selling really well, but not well enough to outsell substantially better based franchises and a game that is 50% off"?

Blargh. Anyway. Like I said, I don't care for the pricing, but I figured I'd say all that anyway because I've nothing better to do.

[Konrad]

It the fact that AC2 isn't beating those three is 'saying something' then I'm not sure what it's saying "this game is selling really well, but not well enough to outsell substantially better based franchises and a game that is 50% off"?


"It should be selling better." is all it's saying, really. And it does seem to fluctuate last time I looked it was about sixth or seventh on that list which is really, really pathetic. Being beaten by an RTS with no advertising campaign? The skies are falling sir! The skies.

[MyNameDidntFit]

The skies are perfectly intact, I assure you. I see no reason why it should be selling better than it is... it's fifth, as of this post, with AvP now ahead of it also -- perfectly reasonable considering that AvP is an exceptionally hyped game that is actually released.

[Lance]

ACII is a decent game (having completed it already) I liked it, but it did feel a little short to me. It would have been nice to have more cut scenes with Desmond but overall, it's solid - no brilliant, just solid.

It does set up AC III nicely though.

[MyNameDidntFit]

Also, I just noticed that SupCom 2, Konnie's "RTS with no advertising campaign" is also 10% off at the moment, probably adding to its sales substantially.


As Brett posted an opinion on the game, I figure I might as well state mine: I thought it was mediocre, at best. See elsewhere on the forum for my reasoning.

[Konrad]

Granted, I didn't really follow the hype behind it as I wasn't a huge fan of SupCom, but RTS games have a tendency to not sell as well as action titles so 10% off or not, either SC2 is selling fantastically, or AC2 is not doing so well.

I guess we'll really have to wait until some sales numbers or statements are released though to see if they're lower than expected.

[JustaBitOutside]

I really enjoyed assassins creed one, warts and all. It was a FLAWED game, but I really loved it. I have just started the second one and while I would say that many things have improved some things are still irritating. You have to troll through about two hours of game play before you get your assassins gear and actually get to kill anyone. You spend all this time delivering letters, carrying packages, and with the most simple combat possible. Once you get rolling it's cool but.... really?

[Jason]

ACII is a decent game (having completed it already) I liked it, but it did feel a little short to me. It would have been nice to have more cut scenes with Desmond but overall, it's solid - no brilliant, just solid.

It does set up AC III nicely though.

You see, I went the complete other way with that - I couldn't have cared less about Desmond - you could have completely removed him from the story and I don't think the game would have suffered in the least bit - he's dull, irritating and has about as much warmth as a kebab shop french fry.

[JustaBitOutside]

I think the developers must think that their story is more compelling than the rest of us. At least, those of us who are literate :):lol:

[Konrad]

So the russian version of this game apparently leaked out. Roughly one week before release - this is now officially the ultimate showdown of Pirates vs Developers.

And quite frankly I'm not sure whose side I'm on. If their ultimate day-one-piracy prevention is cracked before release, this will be the ultimate slap in the face. The question remains if it will also be an eye opener, or a scapegoat for their already poor sales.

[Konrad]

Bump. Silent Hunter 5, which uses the same DRM as AC2 has been cracked one day after release. So much for those preventive measures, eh?

If AC2 isn't cracked and distributed all over the web for free before release, it's going to be on release day considering the fact that pirates now know how the system works. Here is hoping that Ubisoft realises what a bunch of turds they are and patch the now useless DRM on release so I can actually buy this thing.

[MyNameDidntFit]

From what I hear of the crack and it's methods it sounds almost as if Ubisoft have left a fucking massive hole in their DRM wall -- avoid the launcher and block internet connections from the game and you're fine. Personally, that'd be the first thing I'd make sure stopped the game from starting if I were making the DRM :/

[Konrad]

And now ladies and gentlemen I present to you, Assasin's Creed 2 - Cracked before release date edition.

What a major fuckup Ubi... What a fuckup.