Posted July 25, 2009
A few months ago, I was looking for this great game to legally download online. Unfortunately, Ubisoft's site didn't sell to international customers, Steam was only selling it in the US at the time and the only place I could find selling it to the UK was Boonty. So I bought it from them.
Unfortunately, Boonty have DRM and so I had to install a Boonty installer and then activate the game.
Then, my computer went wrong and I had to reinstall everything. This time, I had to contact Boonty to MANUALLY activate the game with a code. Then my computer decided to die (going wrong was early signs of dying...), so I had to build this new system. Another MANUAL activation.
Seven or eight months later, I do my usual reformat to speed up my system with a new install. I want to redownload Beyond Good and Evil because it's about the only game I neglected to backup on my old hard drive. Go to my purchase email to click the link they gave me, only it doesn't work...it looks like Beyond Good and Evil and all other Ubisoft games have been removed from their catalogue...!
Have emailed Boonty but being the weekend, of course I won't hear from them til Monday to see what the sitch is - whether I can redownload (having purchased the game, I should still legitimately be able to download and activate it, right?) or whether I'm screwed.
Not only that, but I think Boonty have a draconian system of 3 additional activations, so if I am allowed to redownload and activate from them, it'll be my last according to their policy.
This sucks. If I'd waited a few months, it would have appeared on Steam's UK catalogue. If I'd waited even longer, I would have been able to purchase it from GOG in the best possible way, for the same price.
What gets my goat is that I'm being penalised for buying this game in the only means available to me at the time. Also, that Ubisoft have, via GOG, made the game DRM free but that they haven't applied this to other digital download stores. Because this is well and truly a Ubisoft c**k up, in not universalising their distribution (i.e. available in US but not in UK, at my time of purchase).
I'll end my rant by applauding GOG for their service, which is the ONLY direction for game digital distribution imo. Ultimately, every game under the sun is available free for people who want it for free, so people who choose to pay should be treated a little better. I can't afford to rebuy the game right now, otherwise I would, but I guess it's something I'm going to have to do eventually. What with Boonty and Ubisoft and their 3 activations it's a bloody ticking clock.
/end rant
Unfortunately, Boonty have DRM and so I had to install a Boonty installer and then activate the game.
Then, my computer went wrong and I had to reinstall everything. This time, I had to contact Boonty to MANUALLY activate the game with a code. Then my computer decided to die (going wrong was early signs of dying...), so I had to build this new system. Another MANUAL activation.
Seven or eight months later, I do my usual reformat to speed up my system with a new install. I want to redownload Beyond Good and Evil because it's about the only game I neglected to backup on my old hard drive. Go to my purchase email to click the link they gave me, only it doesn't work...it looks like Beyond Good and Evil and all other Ubisoft games have been removed from their catalogue...!
Have emailed Boonty but being the weekend, of course I won't hear from them til Monday to see what the sitch is - whether I can redownload (having purchased the game, I should still legitimately be able to download and activate it, right?) or whether I'm screwed.
Not only that, but I think Boonty have a draconian system of 3 additional activations, so if I am allowed to redownload and activate from them, it'll be my last according to their policy.
This sucks. If I'd waited a few months, it would have appeared on Steam's UK catalogue. If I'd waited even longer, I would have been able to purchase it from GOG in the best possible way, for the same price.
What gets my goat is that I'm being penalised for buying this game in the only means available to me at the time. Also, that Ubisoft have, via GOG, made the game DRM free but that they haven't applied this to other digital download stores. Because this is well and truly a Ubisoft c**k up, in not universalising their distribution (i.e. available in US but not in UK, at my time of purchase).
I'll end my rant by applauding GOG for their service, which is the ONLY direction for game digital distribution imo. Ultimately, every game under the sun is available free for people who want it for free, so people who choose to pay should be treated a little better. I can't afford to rebuy the game right now, otherwise I would, but I guess it's something I'm going to have to do eventually. What with Boonty and Ubisoft and their 3 activations it's a bloody ticking clock.
/end rant