Ubisoft has confirmed it is closing down multiplayer servers for 15 games from September 1.
The publisher says it must shutter some servers for older games in order to allow the company to "focus [its] resources on delivering great experiences for players who are playing newer or more popular titles".
As you may have guessed from that statement, most of the games on the list are several years old now but do include some classic Ubisoft titles, including Driver San Francisco, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and Assassin's Creed 2.
In most instances, the shutting down of servers won't affect your single-player campaigns, but you may have to play in "offline" mode to get them to work properly. In other instances, you may find yourself unable to pick up any DLC, so if you fancy some additional content but haven't gotten around to buying it yet, be quick; DLC won't be available once the servers go offline. Connection to your Ubisoft account - and any goodies you unlock with it - will also stop, too.
Here's the full list of games:
- Anno 2070
- Assassin’s Creed 2
- Assassin’s Creed 3
- Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
- Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD
- Assassin’s Creed Revelations
- Driver San Francisco
- Far Cry 3
- Ghost Recon Future Soldier
- Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
- Rayman Legends
- Silent Hunter 5
- Space Junkies
- Splinter Cell: Blacklist
- ZombiU
If you're playing the remastered version of Far Cry 3 or Assassin's Creed 2 then don't panic - both of those remain unaffected.
If you're surprised to see Space Junkies on that list, you're not alone; the VR title is only three years old, but Ubisoft says it will become completely unplayable from September as it's a "multiplayer-only title".
"Closing the online services for some older games allows us to focus our resources on delivering great experiences for players who are playing newer or more popular titles," Ubisoft explained via an update on the company's blog. "To help us achieve this, a number of older titles will be added to our list of decommissioned online services."
Ubisoft recently detailed how two of its games hope to spread awareness about the impact of climate change as part of the 2022 Green Game Jam.
In the game's impact statement, Ubisoft said Skull and Bones will use in-game events to challenge the player with environmental issues such as what effect the demand for shark fins is having on the ocean, whilst Riders Republic has themes about the devastation caused by wildfires.
"Much like our own oceans, this world provides many resources to benefit them on their adventure but also opens the possibility of exploitation," Ubisoft writes in its application for Skull and Bones. "Our first activation will address resource exploitation, showing what happens in the game world and the real world when the demand for sharks’ fins results in the overfishing of sharks. Players will have the choice to contribute to marine wildlife protection and comprehend the destructive nature of the shark fin trade."
