EasyAntiCheat System Brings Snooping and Blocks Mods in Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 is already showing some serious improvements over the original, especially in terms of the graphics. Of course, Ubisoft is well known for their love of DRM type software features, and when it comes to online multiplayer components, every game company need some kind of anti-cheat system, for better of for worse. Watch Dogs 2 uses EasyAntiCheat, which comes with a few concerning clauses in the TOS. “Client data analysis to identify anomalies in the game process runtime” which is meant to allow them to detect cheaters, but to do so, they basically have to monitor everyone. This means it’ll use a kernel mode and service to monitor operating system files while the game is running. Remember when Street Fighter did this recently? It didn’t end well for Capcom. However, this element runs in online, single player, multiplayer, online… so yeah, not good.

Makes changes to the game files, or anything while playing the game, modding the files, anything, the game will flip out and could result in bans for any that do.

EasyAntiCheat TOS:

1. EasyAntiCheat is not compatible with any anti-cheat programs other than VAC, therefore you must not run EasyAntiCheat if you wish to play with any other anti-cheat at the same time. The user is fully responsible in case his/her game account or cdkey gets banned or refused by the game, EasyAntiCheat or any other anti-cheat.

2. EasyAntiCheat finds game cheats by scanning games’ memory, the system memory and verifying original game files on disk to ensure they have not been modified. Only games’ folders (and subfolders) are verified to contain original game data. EasyAntiCheat may replace or remove permanently any modified or custom game files found in games’ folders (and subfolders). The use of any custom models, textures, sprites or other modified game files may lead to permanent ban if they can be considered to give the player an unfair advantage over other players.

3. EasyAntiCheat will take screenshots of your game screen and upload them on public servers, viewable to everyone, if the server provider wishes so. The author of this software and EasyAntiCheat takes no responsibility of screenshots captured outside the game screen. If any personal or harmful information is captured into a screenshot, the user is fully responsible of the happened incident and any consequences it may result in. (In case this happens to you, please inform your server provider to remove unwanted screenshots from the server.)

4. EasyAntiCheat will scan system registry to detect forbidden modifications, settings or other features enabled to the game or graphic card drivers.

No doubt this is Ubisoft’s way to protect their microtransaction systems, but when the feature is running in offline modes, something seriously wrong. I hate to say it Ubisoft, but you’re gonna get some heat for this from the community and someone will mod it out within a few days too most likely.