Xbox and Ubisoft have been going through big changes lately, with Xbox in particular coming under fire for the massive series of layoffs that has affected multiple gaming studios. With five different development groups either becoming independent or in the process of being sold at Xbox, their relationship with other large studios like Ubisoft are more scrutinized than ever. As a result, the explosion of Ubisoft games on the larger Xbox library is bound to come with a big catch.
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Ubisoft has released a number of disappointing titles in recent years, as well as some hidden gems among anticipated AAA projects. Recently, the success of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced has put a greater focus on Ubisoft’s library, with some fans asking the studio to remake other popular games from their catalog. That being said, the accessibility of Ubisoft’s games is growing harder for players who want to explore everything the studio has made.
Ubisoft Adds Nearly 80 Different Games To The Xbox Store, But Restricts Purchases To Account Sign-Ups
The latest collaboration between Ubisoft and Xbox has seen a huge step forward for the studio, as they’ve added around 80+ games from their library onto the Xbox Store. Some of these include recent releases like Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced or Star Wars Outlaws, but other titles from the past are also present, such as entries from the Far Cry, Watch Dogs, or The Division series. Players can purchase various Ubisoft games for different prices, although very few are on any sort of sale.
However, plenty of fans have noted that buying these Ubisoft games through the Xbox Store doesn’t actually work the same as most titles on that platform. Instead of buying and owning a game through the Xbox ecosystem, purchasing a Ubisoft title instead unlocks it for Ubisoft’s personal platform — Ubisoft Connect. You can only access Ubisoft games bought at the Xbox Store by making an Ubisoft Connect account, otherwise you’re locked out from playing. There is no cross-save between Xbox and PC platforms either through your purchases, with achievements from both sides also locked without sharing.
These obstacles touch on a larger problem plaguing the gaming industry right now, adding to struggles related to player ownership over the games they buy. Much like how PlayStation plans to remove physical disc production from its titles, these layers of restriction between buying a game and actually playing it are incredibly frustrating. When you consider how Xbox Play Anywhere has allowed players to have shared compatibility across platforms in the past, the sudden introduction of Ubisoft Connect is another aggravating feature to plan around.
Forced PlayStation Network Account Creation Has Region-Locked Various Games Around The World
Ubisoft Connect is another of several studio-specific account logins placed to prevent pirating or modification of certain titles. Other development groups require account logins too, with more infamous examples being tied to single-player experiences, such as a required Bethesda Network sign-in for Doom: Eternal. While harmless to some, the lack of these account systems existing in some regions prevents players from those areas from having access to any games at all.
For example, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls isn’t available in 132 different countries, solely because the game requires a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to be playable. Some regions aren’t connected with PlayStation or Sony to offer a PSN account to players, essentially blocking them from the game entirely. Ubisoft Connect likely prevents some players from accessing certain games as well, even if those titles are offered through Xbox systems that usually don’t create such a barrier.
Accessibility Barriers Between Players & Games Through Third-Party Registration Calls Ownership Into Question
Although Ubisoft Connect mainly exists as a launcher that is far less oppressive than PSN or Bethesda account requirements, it still marks an unhealthy trend growing between studios and players. By shifting players from an Xbox in-store purchase immediately onto a third-party software system, it gives Ubisoft the opportunity to change a game’s status frequently. Instead of players having to only buy a game off Xbox and define their ownership through its consistent ecosystem, they now have to rely on Xbox and Ubisoft’s stability combined.
If Ubisoft and Xbox have a disagreement about licensing a game on both platforms, a player who bought the latest Assassin’s Creed on the Xbox Store might have it taken away. Ownership of games is being lost more and more with the disappearance of physical media, but the constant copyright and publishing issues between companies contributes too. Although having more Ubisoft games on the Xbox Store is convenient for some players, the continued use of Ubisoft Connect encourages other studios to force third-party software sign-ups, limiting what games players actually own.
What do you think about Ubisoft’s integration of its gaming library on Xbox platforms? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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