Joystiq

Ubisoft hopes to negate the need for DRM with support and content

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST

The contentious DRM systems that often accompany Ubisoft's PC releases may be made obsolete, should the publisher's plans for enhanced post-launch/community support prove as effective as its hoping.

The plan is to make pirating the least attractive consumer option by updating, supporting and providing "companion gaming" services for Ubisoft's PC releases, similar to how MMOs generally function. "As the rest of the game industry continues to evolve, the more you hear about cloud gaming, the more you hear about companion gaming, the less a pirated game should work in all of that environment," said Ubisoft VP of digital publishing Chris Early during an interview with Eurogamer.

By providing a healthy regiment of ancillary content and post-launch support, Ubisoft's PC gaming ecosystem will be so irresistible that people will stop pirating, and once that happens the publisher will be able to relax its DRM standards. Now, eradicating the whole world of theft sounds like it'll take some time, but Early maintains that Ubisoft's DRM will be as convenient as possible in the meantime: "We want to find ways that don't inconvenience that player who is paying for it. We've had a variety of degrees of success as we wind our way down that path. Our plan, our hope is we stay on the less intrusive, less cumbersome side of that path as we go on."

Ubisoft hopes to negate the need for DRM with support and content originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft's Chris Early on Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy and other 'companion games'

JC Fletcher — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST

Ubisoft's VP of digital games, Chris Early, delivered a talk last week at SXSW Interactive on the rising phenomenon of "companion games"; small, downloadable or web games that use the same IP as and link in some way to a larger retail product. These games include Dragon Age Legends and Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy for Facebook, but also, he explained, titles like Dead Rising 2: Case Zero.

After the presentation, we talked with Early more about companion games, their value to core gamers, and how they can be used to completely dominate a player's life.

Continue reading Ubisoft's Chris Early on Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy and other 'companion games'

Ubisoft's Chris Early on Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy and other 'companion games' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft launches digital game publishing business

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Ubisoft is looking to grab a larger share of the online and phone-based game markets with a new initiative, helmed by former Microsoft manager Chris Early. "We have some catching up to do," Early told VentureBeat, admitting the company has largely ignored the growing online market. Its competitors, including Capcom and EA, have already committed to these emerging markets. "We can draw upon what we have learned. What we bring to the table is experience in making great gaming content and great game brands."

Early will be responsible for coordinating Ubisoft's growing efforts to make games for Facebook, iPhone and other digital platforms. Eventually, the publisher hopes to be able to launch games on these alternate platforms on the same day as high-profile console launches. The goal, Early said, is to have "about 10 percent of the online game market in the West." With Zynga seemingly harvesting money out of Farmville and its other Facebook properties, it's no surprise that Ubisoft would want a piece (no matter how small) of that lucrative pie.

Ubisoft launches digital game publishing business originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Games for Windows Live boss among Microsoft layoffs

Jason Dobson — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Chris Early, general manager for Games for Windows Live, has been listed among the casualties of Microsoft's first sweeping round of layoffs. While Microsoft has yet to make a formal announcement, VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi reports that emails to Early have bounced, and surmises that "more well-known managers will exit now there are fewer people to manage."

The former exec was first put in charge of GFWL in July 2007, and had been an evangelist for the platform since the early days of Live Anywhere. Takahashi ponders if this might signal the beginning of the end for service altogether, which despite a recent revamp has struggled to find acceptance. We wish Early the best of luck as we turn our heads skyward and wonder aloud if anyone in this economy is truly safe.

Games for Windows Live boss among Microsoft layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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