Ubisoft says Ghost Recon Online represents a shift in thinking in its strategy to combat piracy on PC after its use of DRM was roundly criticised.
The publisher's upcoming Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, due next March, will only be released on consoles. Ghost Recon Online, a free-to-play shooter that is currently in closed beta, will be exclusive to PC.
Speaking to PC Gamer, Ghost Recon Online producer Sébastien Arnoult said: "We are giving away most of the content for free because there's no barrier to entry. To the users that are traditionally playing the game by getting it through Pirate Bay, we said: 'Okay, go ahead guys. This is what you're asking for. We've listened to you - we're giving you this experience. It's easy to download, there's no DRM that will pollute your experience.'
"When we started Ghost Recon Online we were thinking aboutFuture Soldier; having something ported in the classical way without any deep development, because we know that 95 per cent of our consumers will pirate the game. So we said, okay, we have to change our mind.
"We have to adapt, we have to embrace this instead of pushing it away. That's the main reflection behind Ghost Recon Online and the choice we've made to go in this direction."
It's refreshing stuff coming from Ubisoft, which has spent most of the year angering PC gamers with its use of always-on DRM. Earlier this week I Am Alive creative director Stanislas Mettra said the game was unlikely to see a PC release because of the ubiquity of piracy on the platform.

http://www.next-gen.biz/news/ubisoft...rm-alternative