One of the worst things about playing Ubisoft’s otherwise excellent PC games is that they’re saddled with that blasted uPlay nonsense. It’s especially egregious when the digital versions of those games are purchased through Steam – causing both bits of DRM to hog up memory. South Park: The Stick of Truth abandoned uPlay on the PC, and rumour suggests Watch Dogs may do the same, by using Steam.
UK Videogame retailer GAME, in their terms and conditions for buying the game fails to list uPlay as a requirement. (via Reddit)
“You will need access to Xbox LIVE (Xbox 360 and Xbox One Customers), PlayStation Network (PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 Customers), STEAM (PC), Nintendo eShop (Wii U). Please ensure that the email address in Your Account is valid before preordering. Your bonus item will be emailed to you on the release of Watch_Dogs. This offer is only valid against mint boxed copy of the game and not the download or preowned version. Bulk or Business preorders (orders in excess of 10 copies of the same game) will only receive 1x bonus code per order not per copy of the game.”
It suggests that the PC version of the game will use Steam in place of uPlay, though it doesn’t explicitly say that uPlay won;t be used at all. I’m hoping, with all my finger and toes crossed, that Ubisoft saw the reception South Park’s uPlay omission received, and have spent the Watch Dogs delay removing any and all traces of that garbage from the game.
Unfortunately, I just don’t see this happening. Whereas Stick of Truth was developed by Obsidian and published by Ubisoft, for most of its life it was set to be published by the now defunct THQ. Watch Dogs is entirely in-house, and has probably had uPlay nonsense baked in from the start.
Still, there’s hope, right?
We’ve contacted Ubisoft and asked for clarification, and will let you know if we hear anything.
Last Updated: March 28, 2014
Sk3tz0
March 28, 2014 at 14:03
Its silly that every developer and game maker need their own DRM… Pick one and then every body just use it..
Kensei Seraph
March 28, 2014 at 15:12
It’ll make the pirates much happier.
Mark Treloar
March 28, 2014 at 14:03
Best news ever
Admiral Chief of Auraxis
March 28, 2014 at 14:17
Aye, most bestest awesomenessness this is
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 28, 2014 at 14:13
Hope so, it’s a pointless nuisance at best.
Macethy
March 28, 2014 at 14:15
BEST NEWS ALL WEEK!
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 28, 2014 at 14:16
I hope everyone catches the significance of that header. That was really well thought out.
Well played man. Well played
VampyreSquirrel
March 28, 2014 at 15:11
Please note the “Subject of restraining order”… much lolz
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
March 28, 2014 at 15:16
It just gets better and better lol
Kromas
March 28, 2014 at 14:21
Uplay … but not today!
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
March 28, 2014 at 14:27
I prefer Steam over all else. Very few issues with it if ever… Also a nice place to keep my digital copy.
Kromas
March 28, 2014 at 14:28
Uhm … did we just lose an article?
Tom Bombadil
March 28, 2014 at 14:29
Been thinking about purchasing a new computer? Dont waste your money on something because it has a logo on the front of the box, buy a custom built computer, they will give you better performance for a cheaper price, check this out http://www.TheWizardPC.com
BacchusZA
March 28, 2014 at 14:45
Oh please G_d, please, please, PLEASE make this be true.
I think back on the days when I used to say Origin was the worst steaming pile of turd of a useless, unwarranted, & painful enforced “you must use our shop to play our game” interface on the planet.
Then I encountered uPlay.
Oh how I laugh and laugh and laugh (and cry) when I think back to my naieivity and ignorant innocence of that time……..
Hammersteyn
March 28, 2014 at 14:47
LOL look at the master race go!
Willem Swanepoel
March 28, 2014 at 15:33
Only reason why I was not going to buy it is because of UPlay kak. I guess I have no other reason not buying it 😉
Eric
March 28, 2014 at 16:03
I can swear end of last year you guys posted an article about Ubisoft dropping the uplay launcher.
Every time I read “Watch Dogs” is see “Watch dogs”
http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2600000/These-Dogs-Look-Alot-Like-my-Yellow-Lab-on-my-game-nintendogs-2633097-1024-768.jpg
Ryanza
March 28, 2014 at 16:11
meh. Only once I can buy a game and have no internet involved to play the game, only then will I show interest in buying the game. The Witcher 3 has my interest.
No Steam, No Uplay, No Origin, No DRM
Do not support DRM.
Athrods
April 22, 2014 at 22:44
Im wondering about something, i pre order watch dogs on steam. In case Uplay is required will i get a code? Or will i have to buy a code? 🙁
Alien Emperor Trevor
April 22, 2014 at 23:26
It should register automatically with Uplay when you run the game from Steam, because it loads the Uplay client before the game. Otherwise Steam does give you the serial number & you can redeem it on Uplay if that doesn’t work for some reason.
Athrods
April 25, 2014 at 11:54
Thanks so they will give it anyway thx 🙂
andre frank
June 1, 2014 at 22:54
FOR everybody that is having a hard time with logging on uplay and playing online i will tell you how to do it and you will be on line the severs are working i did it a few times all ready allow uplay to use a proxy connection box should be checked .first after u install all 3 cds log on to your account nothing else then open up my computer click on the main cd rom where your game is and run the game from there when you click on it it will load up then in the upper right you will see the you are now online with uplay and watch dogz and you can add friends and shop and check your stats 🙂 i will post this around the web also
awesome
August 11, 2014 at 17:26
bought the game on steam en installed uplay but when it starts i cant see watch dogs on uplay……
Malachi Norvell
July 22, 2019 at 17:56
How is there no comments? Did you not get any response from them? Anyways I love playing games offline especially when they are single player What I don’t like is having to be online to start a game when it is already fully installed on my computer. I don’t care about achievements I am a gamer not a perfectionist. What purpose is there to be online and be tracked or share your achievements other than for bragging and competition…It’s repulsive.
I buy a game I want to play that game without installing a bunch of other crap.
HvR
July 22, 2019 at 21:41
Reason is simple to drag you in earn pointless awards earn uplay points which can realistically only used to buy a discount thus they make more money