My poor Internet connection can finally take the rest it deserves with the demise of Ubisoft's controversial Digital Rights Management (DRM) system. On second thought, scratch that…it's torrent time!
News Blips:
Oh, happy day: Ubisoft has apparently silently axed its always-on DRM system. Gamers on Reddit posted pictures of Assassin's Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction both purring like a kitten without Ubisoft's dastardly clause of maintaining a constant Internet connection. Don't yank out that modem just yet, though; the games still require Internet access to launch. The change follows Ubisoft's decision to omit its DRM system from its latest real-time strategy game, RUSE. The company hasn't released any official word yet, but it'd probably be drowned out from all the ringing bells and fluttering doves anyway.
Rock Band series creator Harmonix is sold for $50. In a stark indication of how low rhythm games have sunk in popularity — or how accepting the industry is of carting off companies for less than a console game — Viacom sold the company to investment firm Columbus Nova for a pittance, landing itself both a $150 million tax write-off and a prime contender spot for the "Douchebag Moments of 2011" award. As for Harmonix's new overlords? Well, they're saddled with all of Harmonix's liabilities, including music rights fees, a diminishing genre market, and music store upkeep. Capitalism, ho! [Gamespot]
Activision Chief Executive Officer Bobby Kotick calls the U.K.'s loss of game tax breaks "a terrible mistake." Following the U.K. government's decision to can its planned tax relief for video-game developers in the country, Kotick lent his opinion of the matter to the Telegraph. "I think it was a terrible mistake," he said, presumably atop his throne of gilded Call of Duty flight helmets. "There are so many other places that are encouraging the video game industry." That was apparently all the evidence the Telegraph needed to postulate a possible departure of Activision from the U.K., as it hinted that Activsion "could quit Britain" but didn't publish any official statements from Kotick in that regard. My advice: Don't move to China. Things "disappear" there.
The source code for Canabalt is made public as a big thank you for the succesful Indie iPhone Holiday Sale charity drive. "Canabalt has been a crazy ride for us," wrote creator Adam Saltsman on Semi Secret Software's official blog. "It's helped keep the lights on and pay for our health insurance, and allowed us to take the kind of risks that indie devs love to take. But, in the spirit of the Humble Indie Bundle, the holidays, and a (likely) bout of temporary insanity, it's time to open our trenchcoat and show everybody what we've got going on under there!" Under the licensing terms, interested code monkeys can reach into Saltsman's trenchcoat and utilize the engine code but not the art assets or game code. Those are no-no spots!
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