By now, you've probably heard of Ubisoft's terrible digital rights management software. Unless you've been living under a rock, or just don't do PC gaming. So here's a recap:

Ubisoft added new DRM to their new PC games starting early this year. You have to have an Internet connection in order to play your game. Even if it's a single-player game. Your game has to be talking with Ubisoft's servers constantly. If you somehow lose your connection, it used to be that you were booted out of your game entirely without saving. Now (in Assassin's Creed 2, at least), it saves before booting you.

That being said, it seems Ubisoft's servers have had severe downtime, meaning the people with legal copies of their games can't actually play them. The games have been cracked in some way shape or form since the day they've come out, so the DRM is quite worthless. This has often been accomplished by emulating the DRM servers on a user's PC, artificially feeding the DRM beast. While this worked for a lot of people, the emulator wouldn't work with some localized versions.

Now it seems the DRM has finally been completely circumvented. Released by a group named Skid Row (stylized as SKIDROW at times), this cracked version of Assassin's Creed II completely strips out the DRM from the game. In addition, the group claims their cracked files have been protected from reverse engineering in order to keep other release groups from passing off Skid Row's work as their own and to keep Ubisoft from examining their work.

In the .nfo file for the cracked release, Skid Row tells Ubisoft, "Next time, focus on the game and not on the DRM. It was probably horrible for al legit users. We just make their lifes easier."

Paradox Interactive has announced Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West has a firm release date. Launching April 8th, you are able to pre-order this third-person old west shooter directly from Steam now. In addition, by pre-ordering, you can download the team-based multiplayer beta.

Back in the mid 80’s to early 90’s it was time where my afternoons where filled with sports, and my nights and weekends where full of spaceships, monsters, and heroes.  There are many games from this era I still look back on with a longing to play them again.  Sadly most of the games on the list below can no longer be played on PC’s.

It has been announced in the newest issue of GameInformer, that Portal 2 will be out this Christmas.

The PC version of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed II has digital rights management, like most PC games these days. As you may have heard, this DRM scheme requires an internet connection at all times in order to play the game. If the connection is dropped, the game quits. Harsh.

Some people stick with an MMO until the servers close. Some MMOs are still going strong even after several years, like EverQuest I. Many people just leave when it gets dull and others stay for the free trial and then call it quits.

Just wanted to give a quick heads up for anybody that hasn't bought Star Trek Online. Steam currently has a sale going until March 2nd, where Star Trek Online is $49.99, $10 off the retail price of $59.99.

If you've been hesitant to buy the game due to the price, this might be your best chance to get the game a little cheaper for a while.

Clover: A Curious Tale, a side-scrolling platform puzzle game from Binary Tweed has been given a release date. To be released on numerous download services in connection with Blitz 1UP, Clover will be dropping in on March 3rd, 2010

This morning, the newest Civilization game was announced. Civilization is a successful video game series from Firaxis and 2K Games. Civ V will also headline the newest issue of GamePro.