Ubisoft Has A Change Of Heart, Releasing Console Game On PC After All

12 years ago

August 25, 2012 at 7:30 am

Let’s recap. In November 2011, Ubisoft creative director Stanislas Mettra said the following about I Am Alive, a game for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

We’ve heard loud and clear that PC gamers are bitching about there being no version for them.

But are these people just making noise just because there’s no version or because it’s a game they actually want to play? Would they buy it if we made it?

It’s hard because there’s so much piracy and so few people are paying for PC games that we have to precisely weigh it up against the cost of making it. Perhaps it will only take 12 guys three months to port the game to PC, it’s not a massive cost but it’s still a cost. If only 50,000 people buy the game then it’s not worth it.

Mettra later softened his stance, but it still didn’t sound like a PC version was on the way.

Now, in August 2012, Ubisoft has announced a PC version of the game. It’ll be out on September 13, on Ubi’s own service as well as Steam. If you’re a PC gamer who hasn’t played it, and want to show Ubisoft that a) you’re not the bitching type and b) their PC piracy stats are full of shit, you should check it out. It’s rough, but there’s a bleak brutality there that a lot of people really appreciate.

The PC version will feature a few additions, like a replay mode to go back and retry levels, along with a new “easy” difficulty, which was needed because the console original could get pretty tough in places.

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41 responses to “Ubisoft Has A Change Of Heart, Releasing Console Game On PC After All”

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That Teemo

August 25, 2012 at 8:32 am

He should have just said “We don’t want to port it to PC because all PC gamers are pirates”

Reply
1. Zap
  
  August 25, 2012 at 8:35 am
  
  Dark Souls is rediculously pirated right now – a game people petitioned to get ported.
  
  Tell me how piracy isn’t an issue on PCs again.
  
  Reply
  1. Ezkaton
    
    August 25, 2012 at 8:46 am
    
    That’s getting pirated because it’s a shit port, “locked” at a specific resolution with no fancy PC options and shit mouse/kb support… coupled with GFWL – it’s not a very appealing package.
    
    Overall, a very ‘out of touch’ game by ‘out of touch’ developers.
    
    Developers need to realize PC is its own market with its own needs.
    
    Reply
    1. Zap
      
      August 25, 2012 at 8:52 am
      
      The petition called for a port – they ported it.
      
      Resolution can be modified easily, there’s even an article on this site about it.
      
      However, all of that is pointless – these are still non-reasons.
      
      You’re right about one thing though – PC is its own market. Developers should stick to consoles only, where everyone loved the game, had fun, and weren’t unrealistic crybabies with entitlement issues. Hey, piracy problems disappear!
      
      Reply
      1. Ezkaton
        
        August 25, 2012 at 9:07 am
        
        Unrealistic?
        I hope you’re joking there, chief.
        
        For one, when there’s a near infinite number of hardware configurations to think about, you need to cater to the needs of many by provding numerous graphical options to cater to both low and high end systems.
        Then there’s the retarded, overbearing, pain in the ass that is GFWL.
        A completely unnecessary jab in the throat.
        
        And people need to stop pretending that console has no piracy issues.
        I see console games going up on torrent sites at least a week in advance on the PC versions.
        
        Regardless, people pirate a lot of the time to see if a game is worthy of a purchase – especially when they get word that a game is ported badly, or has other issues, etc.
        
        I know that’s not an excuse, but when there’s no demo what else is there to do…?
      2. Ezkaton
        
        August 25, 2012 at 9:11 am
        
        Keep in mind a pirated copy doesn’t always mean no purchase by the same user.
      3. Zap
        
        August 25, 2012 at 9:22 am
        
        I’m not arguing against eventual purchase, don’t get me wrong.
        
        What I’m saying is PC users petitioned to have this iconic, awesome game ported. So they ported it.
        
        They made it clear multiple times that they were novices at this, and stated multiple times that they couldn’t do x, couldn’t do y. For anyone to buy it AFTER all that openness and cry about a shortcoming self identified is bullshit.
        
        This game sold like hotcakes and was lots of fun on consoles. Going by sales numbers, it’s doing similarly on PC. Yet a group of people who pirate because it’s so easy on PC to do so try to justify it with bullshit reasons.
        
        If this had stayed on console, everyone would be happy. Why bother porting anything?
      4. Ross
        
        August 25, 2012 at 1:09 pm
        
        PC gamers are still very picky when it comes to ports regardless, so if a game isn’t ported well it’s almost seen as an insult; if you then go and put G4WL or another bad DRM in there, then it magnifies the problem tenfold (I personally have no issue with G4WL, but I know a lot do). With that, people don’t feel that the developers deserve their money, so they pirate it. So yes people petitioned to get it on PC, but they still wont buy the game if they feel the quality of the port isn’t worth it (regardless of who the dev is and how much experience they have).
        
        FYI, I am a PC (and console) gamer who use to pirate on PC, so I definitely understand the reasons they do it; but it’s to a point where I have accepted that not every game is ported equally, so I just buy games without looking into port quality. I guess I can easily do that because I play on console as well, thus having lower expectations; but for PC-only crowds however, I doubt we’ll see that transition any time soon.
        
        And Re – Why bother porting?: Even though there are more pirates on PC than console, there is still money to be made.
      5. OzHuski
        
        August 25, 2012 at 1:43 pm
        
        People just itch about G4WL because ey can. I’ve never had an issue with it. I’ve had many a problem with poor coded games and steam Hugh..
      6. Letrico
        
        August 25, 2012 at 10:05 am
        
        Why are you so grumpy early in the morning supporting piracy? Are you one of the pirates? I’m waiting on more user fix and I’ll but and play it. I won’t pirate it because it is a lousy port to give it a try. Most people who says they pirate to demo the game never ends up buying them anyway. Just a pirate trying to justify their crime by making up a good scenario. A murderer is always a murderer. No matter what reason behind it.
      7. SamSam
        
        August 25, 2012 at 3:28 pm
        
        lol, next you’ll be saying “A nazi is always a nazi” … rest of the comment was fine but the end was trollspeak.
      8. Thom
        
        August 25, 2012 at 9:12 am
        
        Whilst the situation sucks, the quality of the port has put me off buying it. However, I think your missing Ezkaton’s point: in the current market your trying to convince a lot people to buy your game out of the goodness of their heart. There is a market of people who will pirate, but will purchase if they think the developer deserves it. Valve targets this group. Therefore, it you want to reduce piracy you need to do a bang up job. I’m not saying that a lousy port provides a moral justification for piracy, merely that this is the reality of the market: bad port = more likely to be pirated.
      9. SamSam
        
        August 25, 2012 at 3:27 pm
        
        troll
    2. McGarnical
      
      August 25, 2012 at 9:22 am
      
      Anyone who plays Dark Souls with m&k is deluded.
      
      Reply
      1. Ezkaton
        
        August 25, 2012 at 9:45 am
        
        The same could be said for those who use controllers over m/kb for FPS.
        Or people who you controllers instead of steering wheels for racing games…
        
        People will use what they prefer, regardless of whether it’s the best option or not.
    3. Ridort
      
      August 25, 2012 at 10:24 am
      
      This doesn’t make an ounce of sense. If it’s such a terrible port that it’s not worth playing, if it’s not an appealing package, then why are people pirating it? If it’s such a steaming heap of shit, then why is everyone pirating it? I was under the assumption that it was terrible, so why do people still want to play it?
      
      Reply
      1. Ezkaton
        
        August 25, 2012 at 12:36 pm
        
        It makes plenty of sense.
        
        People don’t know if it is good or bad.
        People hear things that leave a bitter taste.
        People download game to see if it’s as bad as it sounds, and/or meets their personal a) expectations, or b) tolerance level.
        If game is good in their eyes, people potentially purchase said game.
      2. Alex
        
        August 25, 2012 at 1:01 pm
        
        The worst part is your rationalisation for all of this is it is complete nonsense. The only reason you steal this stuff to try before you buy is because you know the chances of you getting caught are so small it’s more than worth it. You wouldn’t steal food at a store and then go home and try it with the intention to buy more if it tastes good.
        
        You aren’t owed a chance to try before you buy. You aren’t owed a chance to pirate a game because you’ve “heard things that leave a bitter taste”.
        
        You need to grow up and realise that your entitlement makes you look like a fool. And the only reason you haven’t been shamed into realising the error of your ways is because the internet is a forum of fools, all agreeing with the wrong sentiments because they don’t know any better. The tyranny of the majority justifies your worldview.
        
        “It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
      3. Ezkaton
        
        August 25, 2012 at 9:23 pm
        
        For your information, I buy all my games.
        But nice rant anyhow.
  2. Anon
    
    August 25, 2012 at 8:48 am
    
    Piracy may be an issue, but Dark Souls has also been the second highest seller on Steam for days now. I guarantee you the PC port will have been profitable for From.
    
    Reply
    1. Zap
      
      August 25, 2012 at 8:53 am
      
      My bad, I didn’t realise that there’s a set amount of profit they’re allowed to make, at which they’re not allowed to complain about piracy.
      
      Reply
      1. Thom
        
        August 25, 2012 at 9:05 am
        
        They can – but I think they are making decisions based on piracy when they should be making them based on “will this be profitable?” A game can have a 90% piracy rate (which is shit of course) and still make enough sales to be a good return on investment.
  3. Cam
    
    August 25, 2012 at 10:37 am
    
    Why do people pirate?
    
    OK. Let’s look at physical goods. Rolex, Sony, whatever.
    
    PHYSICAL PRODUCT:
    1) Availability – Physical goods win out. Buy from any store legally, no covering tracks or legal issues.
    2) Quality – official is usually a superior-quality product, reputation based on it.
    3) Price – Because pirated products still cost money, the difference isn’t as great. You will still be hitting the ‘forking over’ barrier.
    
    DIGITAL PRODUCT:
    1) Availability – Official goods are frequently restricted by artificial digital borders for no apparent reason other than to prop up retail partners. The comparison is a relatively safe, anonymous, widely-available torrent.
    2) Quality – DRM in games, 10min of unskippable studio ads and anti-piracy messages in movies.
    3) Price – Well. No help there. Free is free. It COULD help to drop digital-distribution prices compared to retail, though. The ‘lost customers’ have already shown they are net-savvy, so digital clearly meets their needs better than physical, so why force the price parity?
    
    The fucking brain surgeons need to try and do more to fix the difference so that they can at least beat pirates on 2 out of 3, like physical goods do.
    
    Reply
WiseHacker

August 25, 2012 at 9:14 am

Come on Ubisoft – it’s high time you admitted it.

The real reason why you didn’t do a PC port int he first place is because you knew once you put the DRM on, no one would even pirate the thing. Most DRM these days is like an infectious disease and no-one would touch the stuff with a 100 foot pole.

One final thing, if you do use your own DRM, make sure it is GONE from the Steam version. Unless you want another fiasco with From Dust.

Reply
LoL

August 25, 2012 at 9:35 am

Always get a good laugh at people trying to justify their reason for pirating games….

And then listening to pirates bag developers for putting in preventions to stop pirating….

Reply
1. Cam
  
  August 25, 2012 at 10:39 am
  
  It’s not funny, because they’re going to do it anyway, and in the end the Devs don’t fuck the pirates… they fuck US.
  
  Piracy is as sure as the sun rising, so doing some asshole shit to people and saying you wouldn’t have to do it if the sun didn’t rise doesn’t make you any less of an asshole.
  
  Reply
2. Virus__
  
  August 25, 2012 at 10:57 am
  
  Last game I pirated (this year) was out of print and not available anywhere and I really wanted to play it! That being THPS2.
  
  Reply
  1. PiratePete
    
    August 25, 2012 at 12:42 pm
    
    That was the last thing I got too! What are the odds. I owned that game once but Its one of those things that has long since disappeared under some pile of junk somewhere.
    
    Reply
incontrovertible

August 25, 2012 at 9:41 am

Fuck you Ubisoft, I was interested in the concept of this game when I first heard of it and was excited for a PC game. When it was announced a console only game I stopped caring about the title, it is obviously limited in scope.

I do not want your crumbs Ubisoft and if you continue to demean your customers you will lose all your business on the platform.

Reply
Toasty Fresh

August 25, 2012 at 9:52 am

The only fucking reason these people get any business is because they have good franchises. I would avoid this company like the plague if they didn’t own Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six.

Reply
Azza

August 25, 2012 at 10:16 am

I really don’t like this attitude Ubisoft has. Its not just the pirating thing, they are sounding more and more like the jaded convenience store worker who is irritated by the most simple of queries and doesn’t want to be there.

Reply
1. Ethan
  
  August 25, 2012 at 10:46 am
  
  That’s an excellent analogy.
  
  When it comes down to it, Ubisoft’s PC games don’t sell too well (although I suspect far better than their bullshit statistics) because they treat PC players horribly. While the DRM doesn’t bother me anymore, there was a time when I didn’t have constant Internet access. This meant playing ACII wasn’t possible without pirating, unfortunately. Upon getting a decent Internet connection, I bought ACII and then the subsequent games. I’m not justifying piracy at all, but it highlights that a) they have some excellent games and need to stop bogging them down with DRM that DOES NOT WORK AT ALL and more importantly
  
  Reply
2. Ethan
  
  August 25, 2012 at 10:56 am
  
  That’s an excellent analogy.
  
  When it comes down to it, Ubisoft’s PC games don’t sell too well (although I suspect far better than their bullshit statistics) because they treat PC players horribly. While the DRM doesn’t bother me anymore, there was a time when I didn’t have constant Internet access. This meant playing ACII wasn’t possible without pirating, unfortunately. Upon getting a decent Internet connection, I bought ACII and then the subsequent games. I’m not justifying piracy at all, but it highlights that a) they have some excellent games and need to stop bogging them down with DRM that DOES NOT WORK AT ALL and more importantly, b) start treating your customers like customers. Speaking that way about potential customers is downright fucking rude. Besides, if you’re speaking to the public, when customers piss you off, you bite your tongue. What do they expect? It’s a very large and powerful customer base with a strong sense of identity. It you treat them like shit, expect mass piracy and complaining. On the other hand if you release a good game at a good price without being condescending (either through the game or in the press) to the user in the process, then it will be applauded and sell like hotcakes. The pizza shop down the road can get this right – why can’t you?
  
  Reply
  1. SamSam
    
    August 25, 2012 at 3:32 pm
    
    ^ good point.
    
    Reply
bjg

August 25, 2012 at 10:45 am

WOOT, time to pirate

Reply
Stash

August 25, 2012 at 10:54 am

I don’t know who there kidding but console games are pirated just as much as PC games and from looking at that scene console games are the first to be pirated on multi platform releases….

Reply
Cam

August 25, 2012 at 10:56 am

I routinely prove that their piracy stats are full of shit every time they discount their stuff by 75% on Steam.

I’m going to hazard a guess that those choads don’t actually consider discounted sales to be actual purchases, and that they’re purely basing their stats of the first month sales when they’ve criminally over-priced an incomplete (DLC not yet released) game, or released a game on PC six months after its console release, then wonder why dedicated gamers aren’t buying it a second time.

Fuckwits.

Reply
1. PiratePete
  
  August 25, 2012 at 12:46 pm
  
  They are just trying to spread FUD, look at their last article saying 93-97% of their games were pirated and it turned out they meant that 93% of their games on PC had been downloaded at least once.
  
  That kind of bogus statistic means that with an afternoon and some dedication I personally could give the Xbox 360 100% piracy rate for Ubi simply by downloading all the games once.
  
  There is piracy on every device, they keep not mentioning that there are still many successful developers that are PC only. These people do well because the entire planet doesn’t consider them a douche bag like Ubisoft.
  
  Reply
[Razor]

August 25, 2012 at 11:29 am

For me, their DRM works. I don’t even bother pirating their games.

Reply
Trex

August 25, 2012 at 1:41 pm

I can’t wait to get in my ship and pirate the hell out of this!!! Now where did I leave my eye patch and parrot?

Reply
Christophe

August 26, 2012 at 11:23 am

*throws money at screen* Nuff said.

Reply

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Ubisoft Has A Change Of Heart, Releasing Console Game On PC After All

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