Thousands of players pinging the server every 10 seconds to save their game? It would have much the same effect as a DDoS against most public servers.

If you're Ubisoft, you've got expected sales numbers, which makes projecting load levels trivial and easy to plan for. So, the options are:

a) Ubisoft MASSIVELY underestimated the number of sales they'd get (not likely, given AC1's success and Ubisoft's experience)

b) Someone MASSIVELY screwed up the load calculations and wasn't cross-checked (not likely, given what's riding on those servers)

c) They're being DDOSed (very likely, given how easy it is to get ahold of a botnet these days)

Except, every single MMO that has ever come out has had problems in it's early days, despite having pre-orders, betas, and other stepping stones, and the knowledge that every single MMO that has ever come out has had these same problems.

Ubisoft screwed up.

Even if it is a DDOS, they've still screwed up by implementing the system they implemented, which amounts to a single player local game requiring a 'Net connection to play. I was considering buying AC2, especially since I live here in Montreal and would love to support the home team, but I won't. I don't want to buy a game that can't be played, and thats what they are selling. A "Loading" Game.

You called it.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ubisoft-drm-was-attacked-a...

"Servers were attacked and while the servers did not go down, service was limited from 2.30pm to 9pm Paris time [1.30pm - 8pm GMT].

"95 per cent of players were not affected, but a small group of players attempting to open a game session did receive denial of service errors.

"All players with an open session during the attack were not affected.