Ubisoft Connect

Ubisoft Connect serves as a combination of a free reward system (formerly Ubisoft Club) and online profile system for players of Ubisoft games. While playing Ubisoft games, players can complete in-game achievements which earn points towards their profile. They can then redeem these points for in-game content across many Ubisoft games, typically as cosmetic items which can otherwise be purchased through microtransactions. Players can also maintain friend lists which will be used in various games to help with matchmaking or tied with certain in-game features.

The Ubisoft Connect client on personal computers also serves as a storefront and digital download management tool. Players can purchase Ubisoft games through its storefront and manage downloads and updates of games. The client also maintains digital rights management (DRM) for Ubisoft games, and is required to be run for any Ubisoft game, even if the game is purchased on a different storefront such as through Steam or the Epic Games Store.

An optional subscription service, Ubisoft+ (formerly Uplay+), allows subscribers to have access to Ubisoft's full library of games as well as immediate access to its newest games and closed beta tests for upcoming games.

File:Uplay Logo.png

The Uplay reward system was first introduced alongside the release of Assassin's Creed II on 17 November 2009.{{cite news |title=Ubisoft Launches First Uplay Services With Assassin's Creed II |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/11/18/ubisoft-launches-first-uplay-services-with-assassins-creed-ii |access-date=22 May 2020 |work=IGN |date=18 Nov 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522202806/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/11/18/ubisoft-launches-first-uplay-services-with-assassins-creed-ii |archive-date=22 May 2020 |language=en}} The Uplay reward system allowed players to connect with other gamers, and to earn rewards based on achievements (called "Actions") in Uplay-enabled games, with Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot stating that "the more you play, the more free goods you will be able to have".{{cite web |url=http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/11/ubisoft-all-our-games-will-do-this-uplay-thing/ |title=Ubisoft: All Our Games Will Do This UPlay Thing |first=Owen |last=Good |publisher=Kotaku |date=14 November 2009 |access-date=26 September 2010 |archive-date=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922144940/http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/11/ubisoft-all-our-games-will-do-this-uplay-thing/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url = https://www.shacknews.com/article/61288/ubisoft-launches-uplay-achievement-and | title = Ubisoft Launches 'Uplay' Achievement and Reward System with Assassin's Creed 2 | first = Chris | last = Faylor | date = 19 November 2009 | access-date = 29 October 2020 | work = Shacknews }}

On personal computers, Ubisoft had offered its Ubisoft Game Launcher to manage the downloads and updating of its games. The Uplay client was introduced on 3 July 2012 to replace the launcher, incorporating its features as well as management of Uplay rewards and a digital storefront for Ubisoft games.{{cite web | url = http://kotaku.com/5935427/ubisoft-launches-their-own-pc-gaming-client-and-is-selling-some-games-for-1-to-get-you-to-try-it | title= Ubisoft Launches Their Own PC Gaming Client, and Is Selling Some Games For $1 to Get You To Try It | first= Kate | last = Cox | date= 16 August 2012 | access-date = 29 October 2020 | work = Kotaku }}

Certain Ubisoft games required an online pass known as a "Uplay Passport" to access online and multiplayer content. In October 2013, Ubisoft announced that it would discontinue its use of online passes on future games, and made the Uplay Passport for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag available at no charge effective immediately.{{cite web |title=Ubisoft Kills Online Pass System, Effective Immediately |url=http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/11/01/ubisoft-kills-online-pass-system-effective-immediately |work=IGN |date=November 2013 |access-date=4 December 2013}}

Uplay+, a monthly subscription service giving the subscriber full access to over 100 games in the Ubisoft catalog including immediate access to new games and closed beta tests, was introduced during E3 2019.{{Citation | title = Ubisoft Announces Uplay+ Subscription Service for PC - E3 2019 - IGN | date = 10 June 2019 | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/10/ubisoft-announces-uplay-subscription-service-for-pc-e3-2019 | language = en | access-date = 2019-08-29}} Uplay+ launched on September 3, 2019 in beta form, with full expansion in early 2020. The service was offered both through the Uplay store, as will be an option for Stadia users.{{cite web | url = https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2019-uplay-is-ubisoft-subscription-with-new-rel/1100-6467606/ | title = E3 2019: Uplay+ Is Ubisoft Subscription, With New Releases Like Ghost Recon Breakpoint And Watch Dogs Legion | first = Steve | last = Watts | date = June 13, 2019 | access-date = June 14, 2019 | work = GameSpot}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/07/16/ubisoft-announce-their-uplay-subscription-lineup/ | title = Ubisoft announce their Uplay+ subscription lineup | first = Dominic | last = Tarason | date = July 16, 2019 | access-date = July 16, 2019 | website = Rock Paper Shotgun}}{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamer.com/uplay-plus-launches-today-with-access-to-more-than-100-games/ | title = Uplay Plus launches today with access to more than 100 games | first = Ian | last = Boudreau | date = September 3, 2019 | access-date = September 3, 2019 | work = PC Gamer}}

In October 2020, Uplay and the Ubisoft Club were merged into Ubisoft Connect, which would offer the same features but also enable current and future Ubisoft games to support cross-saves and cross-play between platforms, and support for cloud gaming platforms including Stadia and Amazon Luna. However, Ubisoft said that several of the older games in the UPlay library will not be transitioned to support Ubisoft Connect's features, and thus they unlocked all the Uplay rewards associated with these games for all users.{{cite web | url = https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/ubisoft-connect-announced-as-a-refreshed-replacement-for-uplay-and-ubisoft-club | title = Ubisoft Connect announced as a 'refreshed' replacement for Uplay and Ubisoft Club | first= Alissa | last = McAloon | date = 21 October 2020 | access-date = 29 October 2020 | work = Gamasutra }} As part of Ubisoft's transition from Uplay to Ubisoft Connect, the Uplay+ service was rebranded as Ubisoft+ in October 2020, with its offering expanded to include the Amazon Luna cloud gaming platform.{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/27/21535105/ubisoft-plus-uplay-subscription-service-google-stadia-amazon-luna-pc-gaming | title = UPlay Plus subscription service rebrands as Ubisoft Plus, expands to Stadia and Luna | first = Chaim | last =Gartenberg |date = October 27, 2020 | access-date = October 27, 2020 | work = The Verge }}

In July 2023, it was reported that Ubisoft had started to permanently delete accounts it deemed "inactive", including purchased games. The company said that this was incorrect and that only accounts without purchases were deleted to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/your-ubisoft-account-can-be-suspended-and-subsequently-permanently-deleted-for-inactivity-taking-your-games-library-with-it/ |title=Your Ubisoft account can be permanently deleted for 'inactivity,' but Ubisoft says that won't happen if there are purchases attached to it (Updated) |first=Ted |last=Litchfield |date=22 July 2023 |website=PC Gamer |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-is-suspending-inactive-accounts-disabling-access-to-game-libraries |title=Ubisoft is suspending "inactive accounts" |first=Vikki |last=Blake |date=23 July 2023 |website=Eurogamer |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ubisoft-clarifies-that-it-wont-delete-game-libraries-due-to-game-inactivity-after-fan-panic |title=Ubisoft Clarifies That It Won't Delete Game Libraries Due to Game Inactivity After Fan Panic |first=Rebekah |last=Valentine |date=24 July 2023 |website=IGN |access-date=22 January 2024}}

Early reception of Uplay with reviewers and the public had been largely negative, primarily related to the use of DRM. Early games that incorporated Uplay required players to maintain a constant connection to the internet, and if the connection was lost during gameplay, the game would halt, sending users back to their last checkpoint or save depending on the specific game.

{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/02/ubisoft-details-drm/ |title=Official explanation of controversial Assassin's Creed 2 DRM |publisher=ARS Technica |date=18 February 2010 |author=Ben Kuchera |access-date=17 June 2013}} The scheme quickly came under fire after a denial-of-service attack on Ubisoft's DRM servers in early March 2010 rendered Silent Hunter 5 and Assassin's Creed II unplayable for several days.{{cite web | url = http://kotaku.com/5487918/ubisofts-new-drm-system-falls-down-locks-out-paying-customers | title = Ubisoft's New DRM System Falls Down, Locks Out Paying Customers | publisher = Kotaku | date = 8 March 2010 | access-date = 17 June 2013 }} The always-on requirement was quietly lifted for existing Uplay games towards the end of 2010, being changed to a single validation on game launch.{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/12/31/constant-net-connection-no-longer-required-for-ubisoft-games/ |title=Constant net connection no longer required for Ubisoft games |publisher=PC Gamer |date=31 December 2010 |access-date=17 June 2013}} However, the always-on requirement made a return in 2011 with the releases of Driver: San Francisco{{cite web |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/07/27/ubisofts-driver-sanfran-has-always-on-drm/ |title=Ubisoft's Driver: SanFran Has Always-On DRM |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=27 July 2011 |access-date=17 June 2013}} and From Dust, the latter having been explicitly stated by Ubisoft prior to release to only require a one-time online activation on install.{{cite web | url = http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/18/from-dust-does-need-online-badly-ported/#more-69963 | title = From Dust DOES Need Online, Badly Ported | website = Rock Paper Shotgun | date = 18 August 2011 | access-date = 17 June 2013 }} From Dust was later patched to remove the always-on requirement.{{cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/psa-from-dust-patch-now-available-on-pc-removes-ubi-drm/ |title=PSA: From Dust patch now available on PC, removes Ubi DRM |publisher=Joystiq |author=Ben Gilbert |date=9 September 2011 |access-date=17 June 2013}} In September 2012 Ubisoft employees confirmed in an interview that no further Ubisoft games would be using the always-on requirement, instead opting for a one-time activation of the game on install. However The Crew, released in 2014, required the player to be always online in order to play.{{cite web |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09/05/ubisoft-drm-piracy-interview/ |title=Interview: Ubisoft On DRM, Piracy And PC Games |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=5 September 2012 |access-date=17 June 2013}}

John Walker, writing for Rock, Paper, Shotgun, called it a "technical mess" and saying that "it desperately needs to just go away" in the wake of a server collapse around the release of Far Cry 3 that temporarily made the game unplayable.{{cite web |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/11/30/far-cry-3-servers-down-already-ubi-this-is-a-mess/ |title=Far Cry 3 Servers Down Already: Ubi, This Is A Mess |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |author=John Walker |date=30 November 2012 |access-date=3 September 2015}} Ars Technica's Kyle Orland says that "Uplay has not exactly endeared itself to the PC gaming community", describing a history of technical errors and problems related to its DRM.{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/11/ubisoft-pulls-upcoming-holiday-titles-off-steam/ |title=Ubisoft pulls upcoming holiday titles off Steam |publisher=Ars Technica |author=Kyle Orland |date=7 November 2014 |access-date=3 September 2015}} Geoffrey Tim, writing for lazygamer.net, called it the "worst thing" about Ubisoft's "otherwise excellent" games, and particularly criticized it for running alongside Steam when Ubisoft games are purchased on that platform.{{cite web |url=http://www.lazygamer.net/general-news/watch-dogs-on-pc-skipping-uplay/ |title=Watch Dogs on PC skipping uPlay? |publisher=lazygamer.net |author=Geoffrey Tim |date=28 March 2014 |access-date=3 September 2015}} Patrick Klepek, writing for Giant Bomb, criticized the same point, saying that Ubisoft's desire to run its own distribution service offered no real benefit to consumers, and describing the tactics they used to try to get people to use it as irritating and unappealing.{{cite web |url=http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/ubisoft-s-tactics-are-making-uplay-less-attractive/1100-5080/ |title=Ubisoft's Tactics Are Making uPlay Less Attractive Than Ever |publisher=Giant Bomb |author=Patrick Klepek |date=18 November 2014 |access-date=3 September 2015}} Writing a comparison for GadgetReview in which he compared the three major distribution platforms—Uplay, Valve's Steam and Electronic Arts' Origin—Shawn Sanders criticized it for using large amounts of memory while offering fewer features than its competitors.{{cite web |url=http://www.gadgetreview.com/2013/11/steam-vs-origin-vs-uplay-comparison |title=Steam Vs. Origin Vs. Uplay (comparison) |publisher=gadgetreview.com |author=Shawn Sanders |work=Gadget Review |date=6 November 2013 |access-date=3 September 2015}} Summarizing popular opinion on the service, VG247's Brenna Hillier said that "Uplay is one of the less popular PC DRM systems, but all your fervent wishing that it would die has not been successful."{{cite web |url=https://www.vg247.com/2014/07/02/not-even-a-lawsuit-could-kill-uplay/ |title=Not even a lawsuit could kill Uplay |publisher=VG247 |author=Brenna Hillier |date=2 July 2014 |access-date=3 September 2015}} Joshua Wolens of PC Gamer said that "Have you ever launched a game from Steam, only to watch Origin or UPlay spark to life, and thought "Ah, yes, how pleased I am to see you"? Of course you haven't, unless you own EA or Ubisoft stock. These things don't exist to make games better, they exist to give business liches and C-suite types a little warm glow."{{cite web |last1=Wolens |first1=Joshua |title=2022 saw launcher bloat turn from a minor annoyance into a genuine problem |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/2022-saw-launcher-bloat-turn-from-a-minor-annoyance-into-a-genuine-problem/ |website=PC Gamer |publisher=Future plc |access-date=20 February 2023 |date=13 December 2022}}

In July 2012 Tavis Ormandy, an Information Security Engineer at Google, claimed that "Uplay" DRM is a rootkit and poses a serious security risk. The software installs a browser plugin that provides access to the system.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankingsleyhughes/2012/07/30/hacker-claims-ubisoft-uplay-drm-is-a-rootkit-and-poses-security-risk/ |title=Uplay is a rootkit |work=forbes.com |author=Adrian Kingsley Hughes |date=30 September 2012 |access-date=17 June 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/07/30/psa-possible-security-risk-in-some-ubisoft-pc-games/ |title=Warning: Big Security Risk In Some Ubisoft PC Games |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |author=Alec Meer |date=30 July 2012 |access-date=7 December 2016}} Ormandy has written proof-of-concept code for the exploit. The exploit is believed to have been fixed as of version 2.0.4, released on 30 July 2012.{{cite web |last1=F |first1=Sean |title=Ubisoft DRM Contains Rootkit, Update Available To Fix Vulnerability |url=http://www.digital-digest.com/news-63435-Ubisoft-DRM-Contains-Rootkit-Update-AvailableTo-Fix-Vulnerability.html |publisher=Digital Digest|website=digital-digest}}{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Brewster |title=Ubisoft Patches Uplay Vulnerability |url=https://www.silicon.co.uk/workspace/ubisoft-patch-uplay-87911 |website=Silicon |date=31 July 2012 |access-date=5 September 2019}}{{cite web |title=[Uplay PC] Patch 2.0.4 - Security fix |url=https://forums.ubisoft.com/showthread.php/699940-Uplay-PC-Patch-2-0-4-Security-fix |publisher=Ubisoft |website=Ubisoft Forums |access-date=5 September 2019 |archive-date=10 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410224724/https://forums.ubisoft.com/showthread.php/699940-Uplay-PC-Patch-2-0-4-Security-fix |url-status=dead }}

File:Ubisoft Club.svg

The Ubisoft Club (initially known as Uplay Club) was introduced in October 2015, which transitioned most of the reward system facets of Uplay to this program, as well as adding further ways for players to earn points towards rewards by playing Ubisoft games.{{cite web |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=19 October 2015 |title=The Ubisoft Club, Ubi's new online rewards program, opens its doors |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-ubisoft-club-ubis-new-online-rewards-program-opens-its-doors/ |access-date=29 October 2020 |work=PC Gamer}}

In 2020, it merged into Ubisoft Connect.

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