Anno 2070 is currently 75p off on Steam and possibly includes TAGES (it is uncertain if it was patched out or still is in there).

This means, if you buy the game:
You get Anno 2070 with all DLC, including the big addon for 12.49€
Additionally you might get TAGES which allows you to install the game on three machines. Since I get a new power supply unit soon, that means I'd probably have to either wait for around 2 weeks to actually play it or already use 2 of the 3 activations. Graphic cards don't count towards the limit, which implies everything else does. After you used up your activations you need to crack the game or buy it again. Cracking it in this case (to make a legally bought software work like it is intended) is at least legal in Germany. However, this gets you still into danger to have your accounts banned if something goes wrong, which can lead to an expensive lawsuit until you finally have it reinstated if the U.S. right doesn't see it otherwise (in which case they still might sue you for the lulz).

If you pirate the game:
You get Anno 2070 with I have no clue how many DLC for free.
You can install it on how many machines you want, freely upgrade your PCs, etc.


Honestly, Ubisoft: Why don't you do anything against pirates and rather do things against people who buy your games? And don't start with the "shareholders required us to put DRM in" thing! You already have UPlay AND Steam, why on Earth do you also need TAGES?

According to Ubisoft Support the TAGES SolidShield DRM is still present and "If you ever need an increase, we can take care of it for you".

"Can" or "will"?

Its still a crappy drm system , they should at least have a revoke tool as a bare minimum

It has less need of a revoke system than you might think. Tagès revokes one activation every thirty days, and it's a system that worked much better than anyone would have expected it to.

Then the op has misleading info ? stating once all 3 are up then have to contact support or crack it ?

If you use all three within 30 days, then yeah, you'll have to contact Ubisoft. You shouldn't have to do this often though unless you have serious installation problems or like to reinstall Windows three times a month.

The Tagès DRM is the least of your problems with Anno 2070. Ubisoft had the fundamentally stupid idea of walling off critical parts of the game in offline mode such as the Ark (which means you cannot carry over upgrades) and career upgrades.

reinstall os 3 times in one month :O the last i reinstalled my os was lets see , oh it came years ago with the laptop. so the drm is not a issue then.
the game needs a price drop at such issues

Are you sure about this?

Yes it is. See Section 108b of the German Copyright Act. How "persönlich verbunden" (personally affiliated) should be interpreted is probably something for the courts, but it makes it pretty clear that circumvention of copy protection or DRM for private use is not punishable under the law.

(1) Wer
1. in der Absicht, sich oder einem Dritten den Zugang zu einem nach diesem Gesetz geschützten Werk oder einem anderen nach diesem Gesetz geschützten Schutzgegenstand oder deren Nutzung zu ermöglichen, eine wirksame technische Maßnahme ohne Zustimmung des Rechtsinhabers umgeht oder
2. wissentlich unbefugt
a) eine von Rechtsinhabern stammende Information für die Rechtewahrnehmung entfernt oder verändert, wenn irgendeine der betreffenden Informationen an einem Vervielfältigungsstück eines Werkes oder eines sonstigen Schutzgegenstandes angebracht ist oder im Zusammenhang mit der öffentlichen Wiedergabe eines solchen Werkes oder Schutzgegenstandes erscheint, oder
b) ein Werk oder einen sonstigen Schutzgegenstand, bei dem eine Information für die Rechtewahrnehmung unbefugt entfernt oder geändert wurde, verbreitet, zur Verbreitung einführt, sendet, öffentlich wiedergibt oder öffentlich zugänglich macht
und dadurch wenigstens leichtfertig die Verletzung von Urheberrechten oder verwandten Schutzrechten veranlasst, ermöglicht, erleichtert oder verschleiert,

wird, wenn die Tat nicht ausschließlich zum eigenen privaten Gebrauch des Täters oder mit dem Täter persönlich verbundener Personen erfolgt oder sich auf einen derartigen Gebrauch bezieht, mit Freiheitsstrafe bis zu einem Jahr oder mit Geldstrafe bestraft.

(2) Ebenso wird bestraft, wer entgegen § 95a Abs. 3 eine Vorrichtung, ein Erzeugnis oder einen Bestandteil zu gewerblichen Zwecken herstellt, einführt, verbreitet, verkauft oder vermietet.

(3) Handelt der Täter in den Fällen des Absatzes 1 gewerbsmäßig, so ist die Strafe Freiheitsstrafe bis zu drei Jahren oder Geldstrafe.

Well, both, up to some limit determined by company policy. The inclusion of Uplay might provide more leniency (since the game needs to also pass its checks) although that then raises the question of why Uplay isn't sufficient. Most developers are just using Steam DRM these days and it's not like that's particularly resilient.

New power supply will not affect your limit. Only new mobo and possibly as well as new OS.
Which doesn't mean that the system is OK. Piece of body waste.

http://www.drmdatabase.net/database/tages-games

Was surprised to see The Witcher EE also had this awful protection.

Okay, thank you. Will probably buy then.

Only retail and Steam. And mainly because Namco ( which was the publisher back then ).