Ubisoft Connect merges Uplay, Ubisoft Club with cross-play features
Although gamers still set up camps divided along platform lines, there has never before been a bigger push to build bridges between these competing platforms. Cross-platform saves and cross-play have become selling points for many recent games that try to appeal to as many gamers as possible across multiple devices. Assassin's Creed Unity lead developer, Alexander Subrahmanyam noted that "the Uplay will bring a level of connectivity that a very limited storefront can't match".
And finally, there's the Ubisoft Clubs. Disclosing its reliance on the Uplay system, the Ubisoft Club website warns users that user data on the Club will be sent to the Uplay application. In order to prevent your data being shared between multiple devices hosted in separate neighborhoods, the selection is limited to your personal info only. Later in the same presentation, Ubisoft noted that the Club will include two operating systems to allow for richer feature options to deliver more choices throughout the Club. Uplay appears to be limited here as well; games will only be hosted on the Uplay areas in Club settings. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One suggest full versions for Uplay/PC where cross-platform play, saves, as well as third party YouTube management tools are represented.
Where do we go from here?
Both of these services have had wildly varying predictions for how many games may be hosted in their respective lobbies. The big question on everyone's mind is how long these technologies will continue to serve as an appropriate and functional cross-platform approach to multiplayer gaming. Ubisoft also made clear it expects to post developer options wherein developers can opt out of cross-play altogether for each territory the live games are hosted and consequently will see game play be more tailored to the DRM company would like you to use or not. If developers want to retain their contracts regardless of which platforms their games are powered on, these techniques are likely to remain a crucial element of the industry for the foreseeable future.
Uplay users will be unable to transfer their own gameplay to other devices
Uplay allows "non-owners of compatible computer systems", depending if it is a PlayStation 3 or 4, to join clubs that are available across other hardware. There's also primitives to get all games on a network up and running and browsing the content in a given club without installing an additional app is an essential portion of the Switch's VR marketing campaign. And assuming power users play any way they possibly can, this approach is a viable freebie at this point. And when you see laws in certain states making Uplay illegal, the looming worry for many big publishers and developers is continued restrictions on crowd-sourced transfers.
Console-based games have the same problems with licensing deals or other forms of exclusive content as PC games do with exclusive content. Microsoft and Sony are acting on the belief
Although gamers still set up camps divided along platform lines, there has never before been a bigger push to build bridges between these competing platforms. Cross-platform saves and cross-play have become selling points for many recent games that try to appeal to as many gamers as possible across multiple devices. Assassin's Creed Unity lead developer, Alexander Subrahmanyam noted that "the Uplay will bring a level of connectivity that a very limited storefront can't match".
And finally, there's the Ubisoft Clubs. Disclosing its reliance on the Uplay system, the Ubisoft Club website warns users that user data on the Club will be sent to the Uplay application. In order to prevent your data being shared between multiple devices hosted in separate neighborhoods, the selection is limited to your personal info only. Later in the same presentation, Ubisoft noted that the Club will include two operating systems to allow for richer feature options to deliver more choices throughout the Club. Uplay appears to be limited here as well; games will only be hosted on the Uplay areas in Club settings. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One suggest full versions for Uplay/PC where cross-platform play, saves, as well as third party YouTube management tools are represented.
Where do we go from here?
Both of these services have had wildly varying predictions for how many games may be hosted in their respective lobbies. The big question on everyone's mind is how long these technologies will continue to serve as an appropriate and functional cross-platform approach to multiplayer gaming. Ubisoft also made clear it expects to post developer options wherein developers can opt out of cross-play altogether for each territory the live games are hosted and consequently will see game play be more tailored to the DRM company would like you to use or not. If developers want to retain their contracts regardless of which platforms their games are powered on, these techniques are likely to remain a crucial element of the industry for the foreseeable future.
Uplay users will be unable to transfer their own gameplay to other devices
Uplay allows "non-owners of compatible computer systems", depending if it is a PlayStation 3 or 4, to join clubs that are available across other hardware. There's also primitives to get all games on a network up and running and browsing the content in a given club without installing an additional app is an essential portion of the Switch's VR marketing campaign. And assuming power users play any way they possibly can, this approach is a viable freebie at this point. And when you see laws in certain states making Uplay illegal, the looming worry for many big publishers and developers is continued restrictions on crowd-sourced transfers.
Console-based games have the same problems with licensing deals or other forms of exclusive content as PC games do with exclusive content. Microsoft and Sony are acting on the belief
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