Assassin's Creed Shadows needs an online connection to install on PS5

Zacfoldor

Member
Reminds me of when they said, gamers should get comfortable with the idea of not owning their games, similar to how people adapted to not owning CDs or DVDs.
team america vomit GIF

Hope everyone enjoys their next shitty b grade unfinished game.
 
When someone in my family died, I really quit caring about things like game preservation. Live in the moment. Who cares if your kid can’t play some old games they’re going to shit on and turn off in under 10 minutes.

Really puts things in perspective.
 

Saiyan-Rox

Member
Nobody was interested in buying the game cares about this, tbh.
Also, most of the sentiment I’ve seen about the game recently is quite positive. Seems the marketing is picking up.



Ok, one person cares about this.

Can confirm I couldn't care less.

Still hyped as I always am for a mainline assassin's creed.

Just hope it's better than Valhalla.
 

laynelane

Member
They really can't get out of their own way. There's no reason to do this and it just adds an unneeded step for people to play a game they've bought. I don't buy Ubisoft games to begin with, but this would cause me to skip a game from any publisher.
 

Portugeezer

Member
The idea of buying a new game today in 2025, and expecting to install it from disc and then start playing with no patch... I feel like I must be missing something here.
Mainly a game preservation thing (the disc will be useless for future collectors). Also, having your SP game tied to an online check by a dying publisher is wild.
 
Asked Grok a question I didn’t expect a great answer to. But it delivered.

Does Ubisoft upcoming games end up on Steam key websites at a discounted rate before release


Ubisoft’s upcoming games don’t typically appear on Steam key websites at a discounted rate *before* their official release, but there are some nuances to consider based on Ubisoft’s evolving release strategies and market trends.

Historically, Ubisoft has maintained tight control over pre-release pricing, especially for major titles like *Assassin’s Creed*, *Far Cry*, or *Star Wars Outlaws*. These games are usually sold at full price on official platforms—such as the Ubisoft Store, Epic Games Store, or, more recently, Steam—prior to launch. Steam key websites (e.g., CDKeys, Green Man Gaming, or third-party marketplaces like Eneba) rely on acquiring keys either directly from publishers or through secondary sources. Before release, Ubisoft rarely authorizes discounted key distribution, as this could undermine their pre-order strategy, which often includes incentives like bonus content or loyalty discounts (e.g., 20% off via Ubisoft Connect points).

However, starting with *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* on February 14, 2025, Ubisoft has committed to releasing all new titles on Steam day-and-date with other platforms, marking a shift from their previous Epic Games Store exclusivity or delayed Steam releases. This return to Steam could increase the likelihood of pre-release key availability on authorized resellers like Green Man Gaming, which sometimes offer modest pre-order discounts (e.g., 10-15% off) when partnered with publishers. That said, significant discounts—say, 20% or more—on Steam key sites before launch are uncommon for Ubisoft titles, as the company prioritizes full-price sales early on.

Posts on X and discussions on gaming forums suggest Ubisoft games tend to see rapid discounts *after* release—often within 2-3 months—on both official stores and key sites. Pre-release, though? The data leans toward “not really.” Third-party sites might list keys slightly below MSRP if they source them from regions with lower pricing (a gray market practice), but this isn’t guaranteed and carries risks like region-locking or invalid keys. For example, a site like CDKeys might offer a small discount on a pre-order if they’ve secured a batch, but don’t expect 50% off before the game’s even out.

So, to sum it up: Ubisoft’s upcoming games *might* pop up on Steam key websites before release with minor discounts from authorized sellers, but steep cuts aren’t the norm until post-launch. If you’re eyeing a deal, your best bet is waiting a bit—or watching for Ubisoft’s own pre-order promotions.
 
This is not how games are these days, but it is how they are from certain publishers.

Virtually every AAA game made in the last ten years that's come out has a Day 1 patch. And nobody who is spending $70 is going to avoid getting the patch.

It's dumb as hell to suggest otherwise. You're talking about a time that's long gone.
 
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laynelane

Member
Virtually every AAA game made in the last ten years that's come out has a Day 1 patch. And nobody who is spending $70 is going to avoid getting the patch.

It's dumb as hell to suggest otherwise. You're talking about a time that's long gone.

You have no evidence to back this up, do you? Actually, I already know the answer since I buy physical and "virtually" every game has not had a day one patch. I'm not sure what you're trying to argue here, but factually you are incorrect. If you think it's fine for publishers to have mandatory online checks for games people paid for, then that's your prerogative. I'm not okay with it because I understand this kind of compliance doesn't lead any where good. And speaking of "dumb", that's also my opinion of people who not only accept these practices but also argue for them - like you're doing.
 
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Muffdraul

Member
Mainly a game preservation thing (the disc will be useless for future collectors). Also, having your SP game tied to an online check by a dying publisher is wild.
Definitely not what I'm missing. These issues have been firmly in place for years. Using this particular game as an example is totally arbitrary and random.
 

Portugeezer

Member
Definitely not what I'm missing. These issues have been firmly in place for years. Using this particular game as an example is totally arbitrary and random.
So you'd know then that these kind of discussions have been had many times. Not arbitrary or random.
 


Apparently it's a 1-time online check. Still bothersome and unnecessary, not to say fatal for preservation.

Sorry if there are a million threads already, feel free to close, merge, delete and ban.


Gross. So in 15 years I won't be able to just put the disc in and play is what you're telling me.
 

gpn

Member
This should be simply illegal. If you can play the game offline, you shouldn't be forced to go online with a physical disc. This game is going to bomb anyways...

Sony needs to stop allowing this shit. Not even considering this game until it hits $20, will probably hit that before the end of the year.
 

Fess

Member
If the disc was printed before the delay it’s probably to make sure everybody plays the assumably heavily updated version.

Should’ve reprinted the discs.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Probably need it so they can patch out the latest controversy before people even get to see it.
"What Yasuke gay love interest?"
 

laynelane

Member
Only game I'm aware of that didn't have a Day 1 Patch is FF7 Remake.

Don't confuse theoretically being able to play the game without with no patch with no Day 1 Patch.

So, you have no evidence. As well, day one patches still don't make it okay to require an online connection to launch the game - even if it is one time only.
 
The same people bitching about this are the ones who will happily game on PC and go through DRM checks, allow system level anti cheats, and ignore log in app launchers....but a day 1 patch totally new!

happy american horror story GIF
 

Ozriel

M$FT
THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!

They’ll be sure to label the box appropriately with “online connectivity required”.

The original vision of the Xbox One is coming in game form. All big games will eventually require this, I bet.

You can still buy and sell it used. Hardly the Xbox One vision.

I buy plenty of games that don't do this. I have a physical library full of them. This is not how games are these days, but it is how they are from certain publishers.

Playing v1.0 of massive open world game is pretty much masochism these days. Hundreds of bugs get fixed post release with patches.
 

Gamezone

Gold Member
Right, I should clarify I’m not talking about booting from the disc. I’m saying the system automatically downloading an update when it detects that the game disc is in the tray, because the disc version is outdated already. Which is always the case because the version on the disc is weeks/months old. And games nowadays are constantly updated all the time.

Still. It's being able to play something from the disc without the day one patch VS having a completely useless coaster. Worthless disc shouldn't be allowed by Sony or Microsoft. It's also more common on the Switch due to the small size of the cartridges.
 

Miles708

Member
Gross. So in 15 years I won't be able to just put the disc in and play is what you're telling me.

Or as soon as you wanto to start it when PSN goes randomly down for a weekend.
If you consider games as movie tickets (80$ movie tickets on top of 500$ hardware + your TV and internet, but still) this is not really a problem.

It's just a bad standard to adhere to, and it's good to at least try to fight the constant enshittification of everything around us from time to time.
 
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If you consider games as movie tickets (80$ movie tickets on top of 500$ hardware + your TV and internet, but still) this is not really a problem.
I have over a thousand collected games, I definitely don't think of it that way.
It's just a bad standard to adhere to, and it's good to at least try to fight the constant enshittification of everything around us from time to time.
Yep, completely agree, especially in completely unnecessary cases.
 
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