Ubisoft is now StarForce-free

by Ross Miller { Apr 14th 2006 at 3:55PM }

Starforce, the one company that is possibly more reviled than EA and Microsoft (on gaming forums, at least), has just lost another publisher. Ubisoft announced yesterday, after a few days of rumors (thanks to everyone who sent those in), that it is dropping StarForce from all future Ubisoft titles. That includes the forthcoming Heroes of Might and Magic V.

The animosity between gamers and StarForce has been around since its the company's inception, and claims (both verified and otherwise) of what its security software will do to a computer have been rampant for years. For more information, check out the (possibly biased) Wikipedia entry.

[Thanks, MTigerV]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

JPRacer @ Apr 14th 2006 3:59PM

Good thing, let just hope they don't come up with something worse.

KwadDamyj @ Apr 14th 2006 4:03PM

Am I the only one who didn't even know about StarForce in any way/shape/form until the past few weeks?

guano @ Apr 14th 2006 4:18PM

I would love to hear Starforce's response to that.

Tim @ Apr 14th 2006 4:40PM

Being new to the games publishing industry, I'd like to know why Microsoft is particularly reviled. I've heard stories about EA's work issues and I understand the emotion towards MS as a company, but what's the deal with MS in the games sphere? Thanks...

slow news day @ Apr 14th 2006 4:40PM

KwadDamyj, you're not alone. Until recently, I had never heard of StarFoice. But then again, I've been toiling in console land as of late. Now if you were to mention rookit, then I'd be like, oh yeah, heard about that one.

Matt Q @ Apr 14th 2006 4:49PM

"Am I the only one who didn't even know about StarForce in any way/shape/form until the past few weeks?"

No.

CV_Otaku @ Apr 14th 2006 5:07PM

Thank Jeebus. There's nothing like an underlying virus copy-protector to really ruin a game.

I can't say I'd ever jump on the boycott bandwagon, but I'd certainly question a bit more if the game was worth it. Thankfully, with UbiSoft, I won't be put in that position.

Now, if only other companies would follow suit.

Chris @ Apr 14th 2006 5:36PM

I wonder if Starforce will "offer" to fly the Ubisoft executive committee to Moscow to insist that they demonstrate what problems convinced them to break off the deal.

Sabre @ Apr 14th 2006 5:57PM

I wonder if they will start posting torrent links to Ubisoft games on the Starforce forums.

Owen Waring @ Apr 14th 2006 5:58PM

Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for that! According to http://celestialheavens.com , they're switching to SecuROM, with which I've never had any serious problems, huzzah!

had2comment @ Apr 14th 2006 7:25PM

A Wiki entry being possibly biased??! Say it ain't so!

Jokes aside, I hate Starforce as much as anyone and I'm glad Ubi kicked them to the curb.

mercatfat @ Apr 14th 2006 7:26PM

why does the StarForce logo look so much like the older Sim City logos? Will Wright should sue.

Brad @ Apr 14th 2006 7:59PM

No.4, that is because Joystiq has always been biaised towards Microsoft

And it is good to see that Ubisoft have cut ties with this dirty bit of driver/software

Ross Miller @ Apr 14th 2006 8:09PM

"because Joystiq has always been biased towards Microsoft"

We have?

Goobers @ Apr 14th 2006 8:29PM

I a neither happy nor sad about this information.

But as "devil's advocate", I would like to point out that:

a) SOME people encountered problems because they were attempting to circumvent the "protection". Like trying to hide or bypass various software.

b) SOME (not necessarily the same people) encountered problems while NOT trying anything "fancy". Installed game, crash.

c) SOME had UNRELATED problems but blame the "protection".

D) SOME DIDN'T have any problems and are only complaining because they heard other people complaining. ... WHY?!?

E) some have no major problems or complaints with the "protection".

You would think that considering the crap I put my computers through, I'd have problems up the "wazoo"... but yet, here I am, able to play all the games I've bought with their various protections schemes, both on a "factory" assembled laptop and on "home" assembled desktops.

I'd like to point out that ONE game caused BSODs left and right, crashes, lockups, you name it! And yet who's fault was it? I would guess it was WinBlinds, seeing as all the problems went away by simply unloading WB from memory prior to running the game. Heh, something seemingly unrelated... who'da thought.

So my response to Ubi dropping SF... bleh.

Ron @ Apr 14th 2006 9:39PM

Hahah hadda laugh at the image!

Overall Im pretty happy that companies are starting to get away from DRM'ing content. Galatic Civ's 2 was a great game, and I bought it after pirating it.

Draco @ Apr 15th 2006 9:43AM

I am glad that StarForce is removed from the game, I have had no problems with Starforce on my software, but I am not a fan of software installed on my PC that I can't remove!!

its worse then the rootkit in my oppinion, if you try to remove the program (using the legit methods) you can lose access to your CD/DVD drive, and require a OS reinstall.

its not like Starforce protects the games either way, it just takes longer to be copied, Securom is what they (well 3DO) used on Heroes 4 and 3, the older versions that is, and although you could copy that game very easily it still sold accoding to how good the game was.

a good game will sell well whether or not its protected, it's foolish to sell a product without any protection, but even just enough so you cant just Nero CD to CD copy should be enough to keep the complete novices out.

sgtfubar @ Apr 15th 2006 11:34AM

Best news I've heard in a while.

CheekyLee @ Apr 16th 2006 8:33AM

Thank you Goobers! I was beginning to think I was the only person in the world who hasn't actually had any problems that I can unequivocally blame on StarForce. It seems to me that a whole bunch of people are ready to hare StarForce for no other reason than it is the accepted thing to do. I have even been accused of being a StarForce employee when saying I have never had any problems on other sites.

My only gripe with the software is that it installed without my knowledge, and that is completely unforgiveable. But, until somebody actually shows me proof that StarForce messed them up, I'm going to stay lodged firmly in the "Who gives a fuck?" brigade. (It's a lonely place, for sure, but at least I'm not surrounded by moaners.)

Sagan @ Apr 16th 2006 10:18AM

I was also one who has never had any problems with StarForce. At least I thought so. I think I even commented about it sometimes (like you guys here), but I was never able to burn any CDs with my current computer. I had the problem almost from the very beginning. I checked several message boards and other persons had the same problem with the drive. I was just about to return the DVDRW when I heard on a podcast how Starforce leaded to completely unrelated problems on his computer. So I deinstalled it, tried to burn a DVD and it worked.

I had been playing Trackmania: Sunrise for a very long time and never noticed any problems with StarForce during the game. But it caused all of my CDs and DVDs to not work. I would even go as far to say that a lot of the people on the message boards have got their problems from StarForce and not from the drive.

I have got a Samsumg Ts-h552b. Google it and you will find other people who have problems with starforce.