Tech / Technology

Several ‘Assassin’s Creed’ games are cutting online services. See the list.

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Ubisoft is shutting down online services for several of its older games, including a bunch of ‘Assassin’s Creed’ titles.
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood multiplayer screenshot

One of the saddest things in gaming has come for a bundle of Ubisoft games.

In an article on its website, Ubisoft announced that it is “decommissioning” online services for several older games in its portfolio. In all, 10 games are losing online functionality on Jan. 24. Here’s the list:

  • Assassin’s Creed II (Xbox 360)

  • Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (Mac)

  • Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (PS3 and Xbox 360)

  • Assassin’s Creed Revelations (PC)

  • Ghost Recon Future Soldier (PC)

  • Heroes of Might and Magic VI (PC)

  • NCSI (PC)

  • Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox 360)

  • R.U.S.E. (PC)

  • Trials Evolution (PC)

SEE ALSO:

‘Alan Wake II’ review: A horror masterpiece

Obviously, online features differ for all of these games, but the main thing to know is that anything that uses the internet will be shut off. That means multiplayer for games that have it, Ubisoft account linking, and in-game online rewards will no longer be accessible after Jan. 24. Ubisoft also keeps a full list of every game it has shut down in this manner on its website.

This is a deeply sad reality of the games industry. Running servers costs money and publishers often don’t want to spend that money after years have gone by and the player-bases for these games naturally decrease over time. However, instead of crying about what’s happening now, let’s celebrate what we used to have.

In particular, the competitive multiplayer in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and Revelations was some of the coolest multiplayer of its era. Several players would play as setting-appropriate characters, each having one target to assassinate. You had to find your target (who was probably hiding in a crowd or on a roof somewhere) while staying hidden in plain sight yourself. It was wonderfully tense, and as far as I can tell, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag might be the only way you can play it now.

Until Ubisoft inevitably shuts that game down, too. Best get in on it while you can.

Tech / Technology

You can’t use ‘unauthorized’ Xbox controllers anymore — so get this one instead

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Xbox has suddenly disallowed support for certain third-party accessories that previously worked just fine.
Xbox controller with Xbox Game Pass in the background

If you recently plugged in a third-party accessory to your Xbox Series X and got a weird error code, you’re not alone.

Xbox fans are a little miffed because their consoles are now warning them to stop using certain third-party controllers, according to The Verge. Specifically, people are receiving error code 0x82d60002, and according to Microsoft’s support website, it’s for connecting an “unauthorized accessory” to the console, regardless of how well the accessory may have worked previously.

SEE ALSO:

‘Alan Wake II’ review: A horror masterpiece

If you get that error, you’ll allegedly have two weeks to keep using the accessory before it gets blocked by the console. After that, you’ll need to get an officially licensed product to replace it.

There are a couple of logical reasons why Microsoft would do this, even if it’s deeply inconvenient for many players. First is that it could be used to target cheating devices, which most people would probably agree is not a bad thing. Second, however, is that it can be an incentive for people to buy official Microsoft devices – or devices licensed by Microsoft. That’s less altruistic.

Brook Gaming, which manufactures adapters for steering wheels and fighting game sticks on Xbox, put out a statement saying its products might be affected by this. It’s just one example of how this new policy might mess with people’s ability to play games the way they want to play them.

Hopefully, Microsoft can expeditiously start authorizing some of these products so people don’t feel like they’ve wasted money on them going forward.

Which Xbox controller should you get instead?

Whether you have a defunct knock off, or you simply want to snag a supported controller, consider getting this Core Wireless Controller from Xbox itself. If you don’t mind splurging, you can also grab this Xbox Elite Series 2 controller.


Xbox Core Wireless Controller – Shock Blue

Credit: Amazon


Xbox Core Wireless Controller – Shock Blue

$54.99