SecuROM officially removed from Red Alert 3 on Steam

I had been interested in the game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, as I loved the original Red Alert, and the original Command & Conquer. I kept hoping that they would be able to make a game that would be comparable to those original games when Westwood Studios was making the games.

Upon Red Alert 3's retail release, I discovered that the game included SecuROM DRM. I decided at that time to avoid it, even though I wanted to see the game. Some time later, Red Alert 3 became available on Steam. I figured, as many people did, that this distribution would not include SecuROM, and would rely on Steam's vastly more acceptable DRM system.

However, it became clear from forum posts (discussed in this earlier post by ThatOneGuy) that was not the case. Even on Steam, Red Alert 3 had SecuROM DRM.

I was very happy to log into Steam today and see that a special update had been released for C&C : RA3. This update removes SecuROM from all C&C : RA3 Steam installs. This is terrific news for gamers, even those who are not interested in this particular game. This means that our complaints about the inclusion of SecuROM were heard.

Here's the link to the Steam news story:
http://store.steampowered.com/news/2258/


In addition, a little off topic, but not much, I'd like to voice my support for the Prince of Persia DLC being made available to PC gamers, too. Come on, Ubisoft, you made a good decision not including DRM in the retail boxed versions for PC, then you deny us a continuation of the story line?

Calling All Gamers (especially console gamers)! Join the Prince of Persia: Epilogue DLC for PC Revolution!

Attention ALL Gamers (especially console gamers!!!)

We need your help. We have seen your support in our frustration at Ubisoft's heinous call to exclude PC Gamers from finding out what happens next with the Prince and Elika. We all know it is unfair to release the game on three platforms, but restrict the release of story-critical content to a portion of those platforms.

We are sending Ubisoft an ultimatum and need your help to make it succeed. We hope it won't come to this.

If Ubisoft will release an announcement before 26 February 2009 stating that Prince of Persia: Epilogue DLC will be available for PC (even if the PC version comes AFTER the consoles' release) then all will be well...

... if not ...

We ask that all gamers boycott Prince of Persia: Epilogue until Ubisoft makes it available for all of the game's platforms.

I know, this will be a difficult task. We all are dying to see what happens next. But please, don't let Ubisoft leave the PC Gamers hanging... help us make a concerted effort to let them know we want Epilogue distributed to all platforms.

We can't make this happen without everyone's commitment and support.

We appreciate all who are doing our best to help make this happen.

Remember, we don't hate the creative talent that brought us such a masterpiece of a game. In fact we applaud it. We thank Ubisoft Montreal developers, level designers and all other creative talent involved. We also thank Ubisoft for making such a bold move as to release Prince of Persia PC DVD with NO DRM!!!

What we don't understand is, why Ubisoft would make such a bold move which gained much favor in the eyes of the dedicated PC Gamer fans of the Prince of Persia series (among other gamers who also expressed their gratitude.) We are displeased by the actions of those in power to make business decisions that affect us with the mere explanation of: "business reasons." Why on Earth would Ubisoft make such a bold move with the no-DRM release; only to turn around and make an equally large move in the opposite direction?

Some of the developers have admitted they don't understand the reasoning behind it, and wish the DLC to go out to all their devoted fans. We don't want to hurt them; in fact, we want to reward them for their efforts. But we want to reward them by purchasing the Epilogue on the gaming platform of our choice.

So, please, Ubisoft, if you're listening... change your minds before we take drastic measures. We'd rather this be settled nicely. But if our hand is forced and we get our support, prepare to see repercussions like unto the EA boycott that led to the games we craved being moved to the Steam platform the way we want them.

Gamers of all platforms... unite to make gaming history and help prevent atrocities like this from ever happening again.

(Please come discuss your feelings about this matter on the Ubisoft forum thread; then pass the word on to your other gaming friends to help rally support for the cause! We can turn this thing around, but only with everyone's help.)

PC Gamers Denied "Prince of Persia Epilogue" Downloadable Content

Two days ago, I expressed my glee to discover Ubisoft is releasing 3 more hours of downloadable content for Prince of Persia on 26 February 2009.

I was ecstatic; but now am an angered. I found out today from several friends (all sending different links to all sorts of gaming sites around the net) that the content WILL NOT be available to PC Gamers. UbiRazz, who also let us know that the PC DVD version would be DRM-Free was the bearer of the bad news, when he said:

"Sort of an unfair poll to prove a point really - if you're on this forum then you're likely a PoP fan, you clearly have a PC and you probably played PoP on PC, so therefore it's very likely you'll want the DLC. Therefore the number of 'no's should be 0.

Unfortunately for business reasons we won't be seeing any PoP DLC appear. Sorry guys!"

I have a few things to say in response to this:
1. How is it an unfair poll? The whole point of it was to show Ubisoft that there is a demand for Epilogue on the PC; we want to spend more time with Elika!!! Otherwise, why would we have made "the choice" at the end of the game?!

2. "Business reasons" - I fear that this comes back to the whole piracy thing again. I wish Ubisoft would release reports of the Prince of Persia sales. I certainly hope they've hit the numbers they were looking for... Heaven knows we've been trying to get the word out that we paying PC gamer customers support Ubi's move with trusting us with no DRM.

I speculate that Ubi fears they would lose all console sales of the downloadable content (DLC) if they released for the PC at the same time the console version was released; due to the same rhetoric I saw on the Ubi forums during the DRM-free discussion.

It seems the attitude is: "If we release for the PC in tandem with the console release, no one will buy the console one, because they'll just go pirate the game (if they haven't already) and then also pirate the downloadable content."

I can understand the thought behind it, but again, judging us as guilty before given a chance to prove our merit. Though I'll concede, if the goal is to milk the console sales first, THEN release to the PC. If that's the game plan, I'll suffer the wait... but if the plan is to NEVER release for the PC, Ubi's going to have a lot of satisfied PC Prince fans blowing a gasket; myself included.

I'll gladly pay for the Epilogue as gladly as (or more than) I was when I purchased the game itself.

Ubisoft, whatever your "business reasons" are, (which, for reasons beyond me, UbiRazz is always so elusive about) please reconsider offering the Epilogue to your devoted PC fan-base.

I shout kudos to Ubisoft on such an excellent game. I haven't been this immersed and engrossed in a single-player video game in a REALLY REALLY long time and I thoroughly enjoyed every second I spent in the jaw-dropping-gorgeous world the Prince of Persia allowed me to escape to.

Needless to say, I can't wait for the next release of the game; but I also don't want to miss storyline if Epilogue is offering more. There is no technological reason you can't offer this to the PC gamers; so please figure out a way to do so... please don't pull an EA and have many of your PC fan base boycott/desert you because of a silly decision like this.

Here's to hoping that in a few days/weeks I'll be able to post again with opposite news.

I'll Have a Super-Sized Combo With a Side of Elika... To Go.

Higher quality (MP4 format; ~6MB)

Prince of Persia allows you to chain attack moves together so you can more quickly eradicate your enemy.

This shows an eight-move combo that involves the following moves:
Elika, Acrobatic, Elika, Elika, Gauntlet, Acrobatic, Elika, Elika.

See a pattern here? Yeah, she kicks trash.

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (The Movie)

IMDB is listing a Prince of Persia: Sands of Time movie slated for release 28 May 2010; and is listed as in post-production.

It lists that Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Pictures; which rocks because they made the Pirates of the Carribean trilogy and National Treasure movies, which I love... I can't wait to see what they do with the Sands of Time.

Jordan Mechner, creator of the Prince of Persia is one of the screenplay writers; so we can bet it will stay true to the Sands of Time we love so well.

I also hope, if this movie is successful, that they'll also make a movie out of the 2008 Prince of Persia game. That storyline is well worth a movie too.

Stay tuned... I know I will be.

Happy Happy Joy Joy Joy! - Prince of Persia Downloadable Content Coming at End of February

Gamespot announced today that Ubisoft will be unleashing more time for me to spend with the Prince and Elika come 26 February 2009; as they offer 3 hours more gameplay with downloadable content.

This news couldn't have come at a better time. I finished Prince of Persia today and was sad to see it end. I was completely immersed in the game and have loved every moment of it. I didn't know if it could beat Sands of Time for me, but it did.

Now I'll have to hurry and finish Mirror's Edge before the 26th so I can get back to more Corruption Cleansing and gathering of the Light Seeds. Out of the 1001 I collected, the last one was the most sweet. I can't wait to see what's in store next.

If you haven't purchased your copy yet, get to your favorite merchant immediately and purchase the boxed PC DVD version, and help support the War on DRM! With the game's stunning visuals, fun game mechanics and witty dialogue, you won't go wrong.