Hackers Swipe Unreleased Game From Ubisoft

hypnosec writes with news that a group of Russian hackers has compromised the security of Ubisoft's digital distribution platform, uPlay, finding a way for users of the service to download any of its games for free. What makes this particularly notable is that the hackers found a copy of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, an unreleased spin-off of Far Cry 3 that hasn't even been officially announced (except as part of an April Fool's joke). The hackers posted a half-hour of gameplay footage to YouTube, and Ubisoft took uPlay down to fix the security vulnerability. They say no user information was compromised.

Comments

Marketing stunt?

[InsaneLampshade]

Is it all just one big marketing stunt?

Re:Marketing stunt?

[InsaneLampshade]

Maybe they're trying some weird new reverse psychology. "Leak" it to the internet, get a load of press coverage, then a week or so later release it in a "pay what you want" model after telling the press they're no longer developing it because of those dirty pirates. Internet feels sorry for them, it ends up being a roaring profit filled success that they can then use to ram DLC up our rears for the next 12 months.

Not only that if they're not found out then they can use the entire affair to continue to justify massive DRM on all their main titles.

Re:"oops"

[LordLucless]

Or why their "always on" DRM doesn't give them enough control nip this in the bud. Unless, of course, they don't add the DRM until just before it goes to market, because it makes it too much of a PITA to develop/test with (but not enough of a PITA that consumers can't be expected to put up with it, naturally)

Unreleased game, footage of it being played??

[swilde23]

Either the hackers are also great bug fixers, or the game was more ready for prime-time then some of the crap that is marked "gold".

I wish someone would hack my computer, and fix all my bugs :(