Guess Who Forgot to Ship Activation Keys With Their Latest PC Release

Though it recently removed its onerous always-on DRM requirements of PC games, evidently the fact people are still able to play them remains a concern for Ubisoft. That must be why the publisher shipped copies of Rocksmith in Europe without activation codes. On the other hand: Totally secure product!

Yep. The publisher that can't do a damn thing right on PC has done it again. Rocksmith, delayed repeatedly in Europe (probably because of a trademark dispute with a band by the same name) released its PC version there on Thursday (and in North America on Tuesday). Several customers, however, are discovering that their game shipped with no activation code.
They've gone to the Rocksmith forums to ask WTF, and have been told—wait for it—to go to this customer support site, fill out a form, and attach "a clear digital image of your receipt clearly showing the store details and the product."

Evidently, Ubisoft was slow to get codes out to those who had bought the game. They only started arriving today. Ubisoft PC customers are taking it the way Ubisoft PC customers normally do.
"I have no activation Code for Rocksmith. I ordered the game for my PC, I booked my wife a ticket for a week in Spain, took time off work, and filled my fridge with junk food," writes one unhappy customer, in typeface of increasing point size (and varying color.) "I sat down in front of my tv, in my Y fronts, with my beautiful SG in my right hand and... NOTHING. NO ACTIVATION KEY. YOU NEED TO FIX THIS. YOU NEED TO RELEASE A STATEMENT ON WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO ABOUT THIS."

The issue simmered for about a week as some customers who had gotten the game before street date complained about the missing key and speculated on what it could be (a serial number off the back of the box; or some requirement of the cable being plugged into the PC.) It really took off once the general release date passed. At one point, they were looking at having to call a premium customer service number to get help as the matter would be after normal work hours. Evidently Ubisoft sent folks in to work the weekend and clean this up.

"We apologize for the inconvenience caused and will provide any affected consumers with the 'Guitarcade timesaver,' which gives players instant access to all the Rocksmith mini-games," an Ubisoft mod said in the forums. While you're at it, get some free DLC ready for whenever Assassin's Creed III releases on the PC, because everyone knows you're going to screw that up, too.