HOMM V won't be using Starforce copy protection

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/news/story.php?sid=6147655&page=2
from GalCiv2 Forums

Ubi Soft announced yesterday that Heroes of Might and Magic V would not be using Starforce copy protection.

For users who don't like very stringent CD copy protection, this is a huge victory.

31,024 views 49 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think you guys are partially to thank for that decision. Hopefully your sales will continue to excel and the press will keep referring to you every time someone doesn't (or does) put copy protection in there game.
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Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
This is definitely awesome news. Ubi Soft makes some truly excellent games, and their recent use of Starforce really bothered me.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Victory for the consumers! Looks like some companies still care like Stardock does
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Source

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/news/story.php?sid=6147655&page=2


Make sure you check all the sublink, Ubiosoft is not the only one kicking starforce out.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Awesometastic! I really wanted to buy HOMM5, but the starforce protection was holding me back. Looks like you started a revolution!
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Make sure you check all the sublink


Ohh Spellforce 2 is back on my list of buyable games as well!
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Looks like you started a revolution!


Both HOMM5 and Spellforce 2 will still have copy protection, just not Starforce.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Both HOMM5 and Spellforce 2 will still have copy protection, just not Starforce.


Baby steps. At least companies seem to be moving away from the ultra-intrusive level of copy protection.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
This seems to be great news. Of course, it doesnt mean anything if they just replace Starforce with some other equally intrusive DRM scheme, siphoning my resources and gummin up the works.

But for the time being, I can tentaively look forward to actually purchasing HoMM5 now, which is a relief.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Both HOMM5 and Spellforce 2 will still have copy protection, just not Starforce.


Well, everyone should also check all the comments make on those article, not just reading the article itself. You can easily notice that most people starts making Stardock as something you would call ... a figure head. And I think it helps.

Along with this major decision and reaction to it. Notice how many people saying they're buying Galciv2 because it does not have a copyprotection? Well, I don't know how honest those comments are but they're still there. Maybe now other publishers will take Stardock's thinking more serious instead of thinking they're just some hot shots with risky behavior.


If this keeps up, it won't be hard to imagine Stardock will be the pinnacle for the new idea. Brad and his teams may be finding themselves in a position more famous then they can dream of Image wise. Heh, I bet that's what the folks at Stardock are thinking right now



By the way Brad, do you have new sale figure for Galciv2? Since it has been a while with the old figure when you guys said it exceeds Galciv1. I think most retaier should have their re-order sale in by now. Care to share some number with us?
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Anyone guessing that the five million dollar class action "helped facilitate the decision"? Ubisoft would have gone to court for SF if they hadn't done this. After ignoring Boycott Starforce, and the Boycott HOMMV projects on the net, they have FINALLY responded to it, and finally the computer wrecking madness is at an end.

woot!
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The best thing about it is not lack of CD protection but the lack of CD that is great. Once installed I don't have to try and find the CD every time I have to play the game.

Great move.. I wish all companies would follow suit.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As I said before the revolution has begun!! Viva la Stardock!!
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
WOOHOOO!

Now I can actually buy the game. It looks like it will be good.
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Heh...anyone been to check the Straforce corporate forums yet to see what kind of ascii raspberry blowing might be going on there?


**Warning!** :

This is usually about the time a company developing a bad rep starts trying to "rebrand" itself. Be on the lookout for Starforce under other names now.
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
This is usually about the time a company developing a bad rep starts trying to "rebrand" itself. Be on the lookout for Starforce under other names now.


There will be a "new" form of copy protection called Claria Copycheck or something like that. Oh wait, Claria is already taken.
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think Gal Civ 2 exposed the argument that DRM such as Starforce is required for a game to sell well. I know many people I talked to about the game were won over by the lack of DRM. Congrats to Stardock for giving the concept of no DRM in PC games a try and encouraging other companies such as Ubisoft to jettison covert,intrusive DRM such as Starforce.

I predict a link to torrents of HOMM 5 by a Starforce employee in the near future.
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I read this and it was what sealed the deal for me for HOMM5: I bought the Collectors Edition.

It's glad to see more companies joining in the anti-StarForce movement: http://www.glop.org/starforce/
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just wanted to add that I was one of the people who bought GalCiv2 because it wasn't copy protected. I was considering purchasing the game, but didn't really want to spend the money. But when Starforce posted the link to the pirated copy I decided that I needed to support Stardock and it's ballsy stance against DRM. I haven't regretted my decision.
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Another stake in the DRM coffin is Elder Scrolls Oblivion. The only DRM on the game is a cd check. That's it. And it's sold well over 1 million copies already.

Make a good game and people will buy it.
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have to say I love this forum. Back when the HOMM5 beta was out and I was a beta tester I refused to load the game and said there was no way in hell I would buy it because of StarForce. So I post that and get a bunch of replies saying "you are an idiot for not buying a game just because of Starforce" yada yada yada. Might point was, and has always been, that there are simply a TON of good games out right now, many with non invasive copy protection, that I will happily choose to spend my money (and time) on. When the day comes that all "good" games come with "invasive" copy protection schemes then I'll buy them. Until then no frickin' way!

Stardock (and Valve - yes, I'm absolutely OK with Steam) will be getting my gaming dollars...and now I might actually buy HOMM5...