The use of DRM, or digital rights management, in video games has been a divisive topic for years. Some gamers feel that it shackles their ability to play titles they’ve purchased whenever and however they want, while others are indifferent to its presence one way or another. Publishers often use DRM because it provides at least temporary, and usually hackable, security against piracy. In June, Ubisoft inadvertently scored one for the anti-DRM team when it shut down the DRM servers for Might and Magic X – Legacy, a roleplaying game that released in 2014.
The reason cited for the shutdown was security, but the move also made the game’s single-player and DLC content completely unplayable because both are DRM protected, requiring that users sign into the DRM servers for authentication. Despite this, the title remained for sale on Steam, causing people to point out that Ubisoft was now knowingly selling a game with inaccessible content. Rather than release a patch to remove the DRM, Might and Magic X – Legacy was removed from Steam in July. The general sentiment was that the title was gone for good, and gamers voiced their discontent by review bombing the game.
Fast forward to October 20, nearly five months later, when Ubisoft posted an unexpected update about Might and Magic X – Legacy. Apparently, the company has spent the past few months testing out different solutions to fix the authentication issue and relisted the game for sale on Steam and the Ubisoft Store. Additionally, the version that is now available for purchase is the Deluxe Digital Edition, which contains a free copy of Might and Magic 6, the digital soundtrack for Might and Magic X – Legacy, and the “Falcon and the Unicorn” DLC. It’s unclear what exactly was done to fix the issue, but the Steam description still states that the game requires a Uplay account which is now known as Ubisoft Connect.
Might and Magic X – Legacy isn’t the only game to face negative backlash directly linked to the inclusion of DRM. Recently, Hitman: Game of the Year Edition became available to purchase on GOG, which normally would be a good thing, if it weren’t for the fact that the game requires people to always be connected to the internet. This goes against GOG’s established “you buy it, you own it” anti-DRM stance, yet the game’s page still prominently displayed the message, “No activation or online connection required to play.” The result was predictably a review bombing that made Hitman: Game of the Year Edition the lowest rated game in the series on GOG, and the title was removed from the storefront a couple of weeks later.
Might and Magic X – Legacy is available on PC.