Uplay Reception and DRM Controversies
When Ubisoft first introduced Uplay, its primary goal was to manage game distribution and digital rights. However, the platform's early years were marked by significant friction between the publisher and the PC gaming community. Much of this tension centered on the implementation of Digital Rights Management (DRM)—technologies used to control the use of digital content and prevent unauthorized copying.
The Struggle with Always-On DRM
The most contentious aspect of early Uplay was the "always-on" requirement. This system forced players to maintain a constant internet connection to play their games. If a connection was lost during a session, the game would halt, forcing the player back to their last save point or checkpoint.
This vulnerability became a major issue in early March 2010, when a denial-of-service attack on Ubisoft's DRM servers rendered titles like Silent Hunter 5 and Assassin's Creed II unplayable for several days. While Ubisoft quietly shifted to a single validation check at launch by the end of 2010, the always-on requirement returned in 2011 with Driver: San Francisco and From Dust. Notably, Ubisoft had explicitly stated that From Dust would only require a one-time activation, though it was later patched to remove the constant connection requirement.
Despite Ubisoft employees confirming in September 2012 that the company would move toward one-time activation on install, the practice resurfaced in 2014 with the release of The Crew, which required players to be always online.
Critical Reception and Industry Feedback
Industry critics and gaming journalists were largely vocal in their disapproval of Uplay. John Walker of Rock, Paper, Shotgun labeled the service a "technical mess" following a server collapse during the launch of Far Cry 3. Similarly, Kyle Orland of Ars Technica noted that the platform had failed to endear itself to PC gamers due to a history of technical errors.
A recurring point of frustration was the redundancy of Uplay when used alongside other platforms. Geoffrey Tim (lazygamer.net) and Patrick Klepek (Giant Bomb) criticized the requirement for Uplay to run simultaneously with Steam, arguing that it offered no real benefit to the consumer. Other critics, such as Shawn Sanders of GadgetReview, pointed out that Uplay consumed significant system memory while offering fewer features than competitors like Valve's Steam or Electronic Arts' Origin.
Joshua Wolens of PC Gamer summarized the sentiment by suggesting that such launchers exist more for the benefit of corporate executives than for the improvement of the gaming experience.
Security Concerns and Rootkit Allegations
Beyond usability and DRM, Uplay faced serious security scrutiny in July 2012. Tavis Ormandy, an Information Security Engineer at Google, alleged that Uplay's DRM functioned as a rootkit—software designed to provide privileged access to a computer while hiding its presence from the operating system.
Ormandy claimed that the software installed a browser plugin that created a security risk by providing system access, and he developed proof-of-concept code to demonstrate the exploit. This vulnerability was believed to be resolved with the release of version 2.0.4 on July 30, 2012.
Key Facts
- Always-On DRM: Early Uplay games required constant internet connectivity, leading to gameplay halts during connection losses.
- Server Vulnerability: A March 2010 denial-of-service attack made several Ubisoft games unplayable.
- Platform Redundancy: Critics heavily criticized Uplay for running as a secondary layer over Steam.
- Security Risk: In 2012, Google engineer Tavis Ormandy identified a rootkit-like vulnerability via a browser plugin.
- Patch History: The security exploit was addressed in Uplay version 2.0.4.
| Year | Event/Issue | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | DoS Attack on DRM Servers | Assassin's Creed II and Silent Hunter 5 became unplayable. |
| 2011 | Return of Always-On DRM | Implemented in Driver: San Francisco and From Dust. |
| 2012 | Rootkit Allegations | Security flaw identified by Google engineer Tavis Ormandy. |
| 2014 | The Crew Release | Reintroduced the requirement to be always online to play. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the main complaint regarding early Uplay?
The primary complaint was the "always-on" DRM requirement, which forced players to stay connected to the internet or face gameplay interruptions and loss of progress.
How did Uplay interact with Steam?
When purchased through Steam, Ubisoft games still required the Uplay launcher to run in the background, a redundancy that critics described as irritating and unnecessary.
What was the rootkit allegation?
In July 2012, Google's Tavis Ormandy claimed Uplay installed a browser plugin that acted as a rootkit, posing a serious security risk by providing unauthorized system access.
Did Ubisoft ever remove the always-on requirement?
Ubisoft lifted the requirement for existing games in late 2010 and stated in 2012 that future games would use one-time activation, though they later reintroduced the requirement for The Crew in 2014.
Which version of Uplay fixed the security exploit?
The security vulnerability identified by Tavis Ormandy was believed to be fixed in version 2.0.4, released on July 30, 2012.