Ubisoft ships a game without the discs it originally promised (update: resolution)

It's no longer surprising to find a boxed game that ditches discs in favor of a download code. However, it's another matter when a publisher promises those discs and then doesn't follow through -- and unfortunately, some gamers are learning this first-hand. Might & Magic Heroes VII Collector's Edition buyers are complaining that Ubisoft advertised the title shipping with DVDs (including in its official unboxing), but is only giving buyers a download code. They aren't getting the CD soundtrack and digital bonus cards, either. Ubisoft is shooting down at least some refund requests under the claim that its online order page only advertises a download, but this isn't really true. The store explicitly distinguishes between online "PC Download" games and the Collector Edition's "PC" release (in other words, a physical copy).

It's not clear what happened, and we've reached out to Ubisoft to learn what happened and what it's doing. At first glance, though, it looks like Ubisoft planned a disc-based release and backed away from the idea without telling customers. The digital copy means that you're still getting something, but that's not much comfort if you were told you'd get more... especially if you're using a slow or capped internet connection that makes downloading impractical.

Update: Well, that was quick. Ubisoft is apologizing to gamers and offering a mix of refunds and free games to Heroes VII Collector's Edition buyers. To boot, it's also updating its marketing material to reflect what you'll actually get.

Ubisoft is one of the shittiest game studios ever, so this is no surprise.