Crytek Manages Not To Lose Their Minds Despite Crysis 2 Leak

from the baby-steps,-baby-steps,-baby-steps dept

Tue, Feb 22nd 2011 12:45pm — Timothy Geigner

Leaks happen. They just do. They're unfortunate, they're rarely complete products, and it's understandable that a content producer would be less than thrilled about it. But they happen. Time and time again, we witness examples of content companies losing their minds over these leaks, whether it's Ubisoft murdering their reputation by reacting to leaks with ineffective DRM, or Fox taking a long hard look at how the leaked version of Wolverine did nothing to stymie huge box office returns and therefore decided to get the FBI involved to arrest the leaker. It seems that when these leaks happen, the reaction is emotional rather than cognitive.

Enter Crytek, developer of the immensely anticipated Crysis 2 game. As was seemingly inevitable, Edge was among others that reported the game was leaked. And not just some early build of the game either, but rather both versions (the 3D version and the non-3D version) were made available via torrent sites. The download included the full games (requiring nearly a full blu-ray disk's worth of storage for the 3D version), online capability, and even the DRM signing keys.

So, we all know what the reaction was coming from Crytek execs, right? Piracy killed them, left them bleeding in a gutter, the victim of a violent crime. The sky is falling. The action allowed a wormhole to open up and demons are now killing our women and children. Puppies everywhere keeled over dead. America has fallen to the terrorists/communists/atheists/robots/Satan/etc. Corn farmers everywhere are committing mass ritual suicide, knowing that they'll never earn a livable wage. Right?

Turns out, not so much. Harken back to what Mike suggested about how Fox should have responded to the Wolverine leak:

"Hey Wolverine fans! We know that you're all looking forward to the release of the movie next month. We're excited too! By now you may have heard that an early totally unfinished version has been leaked online. It's missing a whole bunch of stuff -- including some amazing special effects -- and honestly, this version isn't a finished product at all. We think you'll get a much better overall experience by waiting for the full finished product, but we certainly understand that some of you just can't wait (trust us, we feel the same way!). If that's the case, please, feel free to check it out, but please remember that this isn't even close to the final version. If anything, think of this as a "behind-the-scenes" peek of just what a movie looks like before all the real "movie magic" gets put in there. If you do check it out, we hope you'll join us May 1st to check out the finalized version as well on the big screen the way we intended for you to see this awesome movie. It's just a month away!"

In this case, Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli actually did make a similarly reasonable address to the company's fans on the Crysis 2 forums:

"Despite this unfortunate incident, we can assure you that PC gaming is very important to us and will always be important to Crytek in the future. We are all still focused on delivering a great gaming experience to our true and honest fans. I hope you will enjoy Crysis 2 on PC, as we think it is our best PC game yet!"

Huh. You know what, that actually sounds eerily similar to Mike's suggestion. Maybe not quite so optimistic and glowing, but pretty damn close. And I think this message is perfect. Tell the fans that, while you don't approve of what happened, they're still important to you, you're going to create for their PC gaming needs, and even throw in a comment about rewarding their dedication as real, paying fans. Perfect. And judging by the response from the company's fans in the comments section of the forum, his notes are ringing true with them.

So cheers to you, Cevat. You could have gone crazy and reacted emotionally, but you didn't. You made a reasoned statement. While it's sad that such level-headedness is rare enough to deserve note, I salute you nonetheless.

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Filed Under: crysis 2, leaks, piracy, response
Companies: crytek

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The eejit (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 12:40pm

IT's a fantastic game, and when funds permit, I will absolutely buy this game legitimately. I didn't like Crysis, but the reaction alone is worth my money.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:10pm

Sadly, we will never know how much this leak costs them. It is clear that it will take some of the "pre-release hype" out of the equation, because anyone who wants it can have it.

When it sells at a lower rate than the previous one, will there be a bunch of people on Techdirt claiming the economy is bad or that they made a killing on t-shirts?

Usually when these things don't turn out the way they are expected, we don't see them on Techdirt, which is why there is no discussion of Radiohead's new album ($15 or so to download, no freebies!). So I suspect that if this game sells lower than the last time, we won't have Tim back chatting about it either.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:13pm

Correction:
Killzone 3 leaked with the 3d/non3d --

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/killzone-3-leaked-41-4gb-torrent-appears-on-file-sharing-ne tworks-20110214/

Crysis was a leaked developer build, but it had the signing keys

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2011/02/12/crysis-2-leaked/1
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Jay (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:14pm

Re:
And you miss the exact point that Crytek seems to have realized.

1) Those that will pirate the game, will pirate it

2) The ones that want to support this game will do so, despite the leak.

3) The options of stopping the leak or accepting it and moving on will change the public view of the company involved.

4) Maybe, just maybe, Crytek has found something else they can ADD to the game to make the ones that want to support them value the paid version even more? Just sayin...
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:15pm

Re:
:eyeroll:
Yeah, because sequels always sell for as much or more than the previous game.

Look, if you'd like to know how much this sort of thing costs a company, just setup a laboratory experiment. Have two companies, one will be the "control" and the other will be the "variable". They can make and release amazingly similar games, except you have the "variable" company's game leak ahead of time.

Whining about what you don't understand isn't a good way to learn anything. You have to ask questions, study, learn, think.

Good first try though.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:18pm

Re: Re:
I actually get the point entirely, and I know why this is a disaster, even as they try to put up a brave face.

1) You are correct, but now the people who might not have pirated it but who really want to play it will do so now. Maybe they will be bored enough of it not to pay for it when it comes out.

2) see #1. The sub-text of course is that a whole extra group of people will learn to pirate rather than buy.

3) They have few options, but that doesn't make it suck less.

4) At a late release point, it is unlikely they will recall physical product and re-burn discs to add in a level or section they didn't consider worthy of the original version.

Basically, they are burned. They are doing what most people tell crime victims to do, "don't struggle, you will only make it worse". But it doesn't make the overall situation better.
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Chris Rhodes (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:19pm

Re:
Sadly, we will never know how much this leak costs them

Or profits them.

We all know that if they go on to make a hojillion dollars with Crysis 2, the shills will be back with "But, but, but they certainly would have made two hojillion dollars had it not been leaked first!"

Funny how "we'll never know" only comes up on the side of the debate interested in tallying "losses", isn't it?
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TDR, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:21pm

Re: Re: Re:
All of your points are suppositions or maybes. There is not one single empirical fact in anything you say. What everyone else has said, however, and what in your IP-loving world you refuse to admit, is true both empirically and logically.
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:24pm

Re: Re: Re:
I see you do not understand the words "development version."

The finished game is still not out. The leaked version is incomplete--if people want the full version they'll have to wait and pirate that, or just buy it.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:26pm

Re: Re: Re:
"Basically, they are burned. They are doing what most people tell crime victims to do, "don't struggle, you will only make it worse". But it doesn't make the overall situation better."

I don't see a single thing beyond supposition in your entire post. Wolverine did massive numbers. Why weren't they you're violent crime victim that you described above, DESPITE all of their "struggling"?
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:31pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
I don't see a single thing beyond supposition in your entire post. Wolverine did massive numbers.

You call me out on that, yet you are willing to except Mike's upsupport supposition that "piracy helps sales", with absolutely no proof beyond his opinion and a collection of studies that cannot link the two directly.

Oh yeah, Lobo, it is a "development version" with everything, including the 3D version. What is the due date again?
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weneedhelp (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:31pm

Doesn't matter
Yeah I got it. All it did is make me want to pre-order. Crytek need not worry, it is a good game, and series. I will gladly shell out 50 bucks.

"We are all still focused on delivering a great gaming experience to our true and honest fans." THAT'S what is important - Make good games.
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Jay (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:32pm

Re: Re: Re:
1) No, those are usually different customers. And what about the people who "try before you buy?" It's those people that may look to see if it's a good game or not to their tastes before making a purchase

2) If EA's spore debacle taught the world anything, it's that if you frustrate the customer enough, they WILL pirate the game in massive numbers. So what if they learn how to pirate it? They get an advanced copy and can make a better informed decision if they want to spend $60+ on the game.

3) I see the positives. Positive rep, people can see that the game looks good and it's not vaporware, and now, after all of the hype, they can decide if they want to purchase.

4) DLC for the added customer, a special USB to those that register, a book that details some added secrets... I can go on...

Look, now I can go on Youtube and watch it without ever paying for the game. I do this with a lot of good games that I just don't have the time for. I doubt it's really hurt them when their situation actually increases the hype around the game.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:37pm

Re:
Thief.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:40pm

The smugness employed by this community towards a company who has been stolen from is truly disgusting. Leaks do happen, this is true. And they shouldn't. And they you will look down on any company that doesn't immediately go "Don't worry about it, it's all good" when their property is stolen and released to entitled brats who feel they have a right to access whatever content they want for free is just offensive. This just in: Sometimes it isn't always about YOU and what YOU want. People worked hard on these products, you are not entitled to access them for free just because you want to. I think Cevat's response was a good one, I also think he has every right to be steaming mad, especially when people like you try to vilify him for it. If you ever get robbed, I wonder if you'll have a similar reaction.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:41pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
"You call me out on that, yet you are willing to except Mike's upsupport supposition that "piracy helps sales""

Who in the world are you talking to? I don't accept Mike's suppositions as fact about much of anything. I've been pretty clear on this site time and time again about several things:

1. There are a lot of unknowns
2. Hard data trumps all
3. I'm not a copyright abolitionist

I'm not sure who you're confusing me with, but you are confused.

"with absolutely no proof beyond his opinion and a collection of studies that cannot link the two directly."

Again, I think I've made my position clear: there isn't definitive proof either way. I certainly believe there are situations where piracy has had a negative effect on total sales. I also firmly believe there have been cases where the opposite has occurred. I even wrote about them on this very site:

http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20110120/06393612743/taking-long-view-app-de veloper-happy-that-piracy-doubled-his-sales.shtml

Cookie cutter answers? Certainly not. But perhaps we can use all the facts and examples in evidence to formulate a more nuanced opinion not only of piracy and its effects in the here and now, but our reactions to it and how that can have a more global effect on our business and reputation.

"Oh yeah, Lobo, it is a "development version" with everything, including the 3D version. What is the due date again?"

What point are you trying to make here? Just as the Wolverine leak was an unfinished version, so was this. Are you truly pretending that there isn't a "whet the appetite" scenario that may well be at play here?
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weneedhelp (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:43pm

Re: Re: Re:
1) You are correct, but now the people who might not have pirated it but who really want to play it will do so now. Maybe they will be bored enough of it not to pay for it when it comes out. - Never played it huh? I AM the die-hard fan of this series, and I HAVE downloaded the leaked version, and WILL, get it as soon as it comes out. IT'S THAT GOOD.

2) see #1. The sub-text of course is that a whole extra group of people will learn to pirate rather than buy. - From the fantasy land of the AC's. Just sounded good in your head, huh?

3) They have few options, but that doesn't make it suck less. - And their response was perfect.

4) At a late release point - They can add a lot that does not need to be on the CD.

"They are doing what most people tell crime victims to do, "don't struggle, you will only make it worse" - Comparing it to rape now I see. See... not acting like whining little bitches does make it better.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:48pm

Re:
"The smugness employed by this community towards a company who has been stolen from is truly disgusting."

What in sweet Mary's vagina are you TALKING ABOUT? Smugness? We're celebrating the damn company....

"Leaks do happen, this is true. And they shouldn't."

And yet they do. People might wish they wouldn't because they "shouldn't", but poop in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first....

"And they you will look down on any company that doesn't immediately go "Don't worry about it, it's all good" when their property is stolen and released to entitled brats who feel they have a right to access whatever content they want for free is just offensive."

Entitled brats? Did you even LOOK at the link I provided to the community's response on their forums? They were head over heels in LOVE with Crytek because of this response. They were pledging to buy the game all over the place. The company endeared itself to the true fans and we're celebrating them for it. At least I am, because I absolutely adore how they responded....

"I think Cevat's response was a good one, I also think he has every right to be steaming mad"

Uh, I said as much in my opening paragraph....

"especially when people like you try to vilify him for it."

I have to ask, and I mean this with the utmost sincerity: have you ever played football? The reports coming out about chronic encepholopathy and its effect on cognitive ability may well explain how you read a post where I spent the entire piece CELEBRATING Cevat and you came away thinking I somehow vilified him.

Seriously, get help. Get it now....
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Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:50pm

I read about this before
Right after it was leaked, I was reading about it. I read a few hundred comments from several different sites and the overall decision seems to be not to download it, but to buy a completed retail version. The vast majority of people don't want to spoil the game with an incomplete version (Crysis has a fanbase?). The next most people (A distant second) would never pirate anything. The third most are assholes like AC up there who say if you download it, you're killing babies. The last most said they may download it, but they would definitely be buying it. Out of all the people I read, only the assholes like AC wouldn't buy it (who woulda thunk it).

I can tell you that I won't be buying it. I also won't be downloading it. I don't care about it at all. Though I would kinda like to see if my 2 year old laptop could play it. Probably not, it only has 1G of VRAM.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:51pm

Another one 'doing it right'
Lady GaGa could have totally gone all draconian on this 10 year old girl....

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2011/02/21/sbt.lady.gaga.sensation.hln?hpt=C2

Instead, she embraced it.

MPAA and RIAA have a lot to learn here.
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weneedhelp (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:51pm

Re:
"The smugness employed by this community towards a company who has been stolen from is truly disgusting."

Then go away. Nobody makes you come here. If you keep coming back, then you must work on you own personality flaws, because you have issues we cannot resolve here.
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lrn2postnubs, 22 Feb 2011 @ 1:55pm

FOX was just mad because they knew that the Wolverine movie sucked even with the special effects. Seriously, polished or not, a turd is a turd. I waited until it came on ON Demand and was pissed that I spent $5 on it, one of the worst movies ever.
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Qritiqal (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:07pm

Re: Re:
Coward.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:09pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
I think you need to look at the reports Mike posts. Recorded music sales are through the floor. It doesn't take much though to see the impacts of piracy on the music industry. The usual answer is "but look at live music sales", but that usually falls down when people point out that concert ticket prices have skyrockets, and are now dropping due to lack of buyers.

The "app developer" story is good, but proves only that he didn't have enough publicity going on about his product. Any publicity is better than no publicity, he had little to lose. It would be interesting though to follow up 90 days later to see the true overall effects.

There are no cookie cutter answers, but there is plenty of indications of what piracy has done to recorded music. It is hard to ignore (unless you swallow the alternate theories).

As for the "whet the appetite" idea, the same could be accomplished by the company deciding to release a single level demo. It's something that should be in the hands of the people who are writing and selling the game, not some dufus with a torrent site. That guy should consider himself lucky that he isn't getting a legal reaming about now. Sadly, this will likely encourage him to do it again the next time, which is the start of the slippery slope.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:13pm

Ya, I downloaded it, I treated it as nothing more then what it was, a beta/evaluation copy or a demo. I plan on buying it retail when it releases. to many bugs and unfinished pieces to truly be enjoyed. However the storyline, characters and graphics all look to be lots of fun
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:19pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Oh good, you've failed basic statistics.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:21pm

Re:
The smugness employed by someone who cannot read is truly hilarious.
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Joe Gamer, 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:23pm

Thinker.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:26pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
"I think you need to look at the reports Mike posts. Recorded music sales are through the floor. It doesn't take much though to see the impacts of piracy on the music industry. The usual answer is "but look at live music sales", but that usually falls down when people point out that concert ticket prices have skyrockets, and are now dropping due to lack of buyers."

I can't speak for others on this site, but I've seen some of those same reports. And? Recorded music as a viable medium of sale is becoming obsolete. Further, I certainly won't point solely to concert ticket sales, although are a good metric for money still being spent on concerts (prices going up and people are still going? Sweet!). Rather, I'd more point to a combination of the downturn of the global ecnomoy coupled with competing interests for people's time as the likely culprit for your record sales losses....

"The "app developer" story is good, but proves only that he didn't have enough publicity going on about his product. Any publicity is better than no publicity, he had little to lose. It would be interesting though to follow up 90 days later to see the true overall effects."

That's a fair point and I'd be interested in seeing a follow up sales report as well. I'll see if I can dig anything up. By the way, your conclusion isn't the ONLY thing it proves. It also proves that in at least some scenarios over some periods of time, "piracy" can likely have a net benefit. That's important, since it keeps us from falling into false dichotomy arguments.

"There are no cookie cutter answers, but there is plenty of indications of what piracy has done to recorded music. It is hard to ignore (unless you swallow the alternate theories)."

No, I swallow nothing, not the alternate theories, nor yours, nor the industries, nor the so called piracy supporters. I weigh evidence as it comes in. Everything I've seen, in my estimation at least, indicates that globally piracy is probably closer to a net wash than anything else. In which case, in general, chances are you're better off not even worrying about it....

"As for the "whet the appetite" idea, the same could be accomplished by the company deciding to release a single level demo."

Sure, but that has costs. Perhaps this was unintentionally better?

"It's something that should be in the hands of the people who are writing and selling the game, not some dufus with a torrent site."

Ha! I happen to agree with you! In a perfect world, people should respect the creator's wishes. It's an area where me and some others in the Techdirt community are probably at odds. However, since we already agreed that wishing in one hand doesn't produce anything....
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Jay (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:28pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
"Are you truly pretending that there isn't a "whet the appetite" scenario that may well be at play here?"

Well I've seen the leak and all but there's a problem...

It needs more bbq sauce.
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MisterHux (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:35pm

Re:
Actually, there is a precedent that they will be quite successful. WAAAAAAY back in 2003 Half-Life 2 was leaked to the internet. At first the dev's were worried that they were done, but in the end they ended up selling 12 million copies.
I bring this up cause there was a recent article about the whole issue in eurogamer.
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CommonSense (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:40pm

This one's for you...
Anyone else read that last paragraph in a deep voice with some music in the background, trying to figure out a way to squeeze "This 'beer' is for you Mr. Non-overreacting-gaming-company-CEO, we salute you" ???

'beer' is because I'm not sure if I can actually use Bud Light here... I don't want to get sued...
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:40pm

Re: Re:
I have to ask, and I mean this with the utmost sincerity: have you ever played football?

I don't think that you should mention playing football. Football is a gang activity (two groups of people in different colors trying to encroach on someone else's turf). If you put gangs and pirates in the same thread there's a good chance the fuzz will come find you.
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The Infamous Joe (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:46pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Recorded music sales are through the floor.

Welcome to progress. We, the customers, no longer need a middle man to get the music, created by the artists, to our ears. Those middle men, and a few *rare* super-artists, have a really good run, and made a staggering amount of money, for a few decades. They saw a market and did an amazing job filling the market's needs.

Unfortunately for them, the needs of the market are changing. This is not up for debate, it is a fact. Technology has progressed to the point where making money solely from selling recordings is impossible. People used to pay for people to bring ice to their houses to keep their food cold. It was a lucrative business, once you paid for all the equipment, as it was just solid water you were selling. Obviously, the equipment needed to do this was not affordable to the average person. Luckily, technology progressed and the equipment needed to freeze water became very cheap and very compact, and these ice delivery men found themselves in a position where their function was no longer needed. If it had happened today, I have a feeling that we would suddenly have laws outlawing making ice at home, or some other such nonsense.

The usual answer is "but look at live music sales", but that usually falls down when people point out that concert ticket prices have skyrockets, and are now dropping due to lack of buyers.

So, you're complaining that people will stop buying something if the price exceeds what they're willing to pay for it? With all respect, I *really* hope you're not in any position of power over anything doing with business, because you clearly have forgotten how it all works.

The most probable outcome is going to be that the era of the superstar will pass and the ability to buy planes and mansions and gold-plated shark tanks from making music will become a thing we'll tell our grandkids about. (They probably won't believe us, either. Darn kids!)
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The Infamous Joe (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:51pm

Re: Re:
It doesn't drive you mad to see it called theft? I really can't stand it.
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J.J. (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:51pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Recorded music sales are through the floor. It doesn't take much though to see the impacts of piracy on the music industry.

Oooor, it could be ... you know ... real simple.
If you're trying to sell Model T Fords in a world where the customers want to buy Prius, your buisness will tank.

Digital music sales without DRM do real good, what doesn't sell is CD's because the customer no longer wants them.

Record companies refuse to adapt to the reality they exist in and they're dying because of it.
It's no longer a sustainable model to sell two good tracks and the rest 'filler' on an album, since with digital sales the customer will simply just buy the good tracks and ignore the filler.
Piracy is not the music industrys problem : stupidity is.
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The Infamous Joe (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 2:54pm

Re: This one's for you...
I do now.
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Anonymous, 22 Feb 2011 @ 3:09pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Translation: "At the moment I know I can rip stuff off no problem, but I wet my pants at the suggestion that law enforcement is cracking down."
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ltlw0lf (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 3:20pm

Re: Re:
Jay, I think you missed one additional point...

5) People out there who didn't know about this game and wouldn't have bought it have come across the leak, and would buy it because they realize it is worth the money. (And I didn't come across the leak, but have heard people here say it was better than Crysis, which some of us bought and didn't like, and we'll buy the new one because others say it is better than the one we did buy and didn't like.)

I don't like the DRM, but I may buy it now that others have seen it and thought it was better than Crysis (a game I bought and didn't like much.)
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coldbrew, 22 Feb 2011 @ 3:22pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
"I know I just wet my pants laughing at some some guy that is claiming he can win "the drug war" or "the war on terror", but he still takes himself seriously"

FTFY
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 3:25pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
I can't agree. People still enjoy the music, they still value it, they still want it. In fact, they want more and more of it, people have huge music collections that would have been unthinkable even 10 years ago.

Oh yeah, they don't want to pay for it, because they know they can pirate it.

Your model-t argument would be valid if they weren't pirating label stuff, and instead were going wild for something else. But really, they want the model-t, they want it so bad they are willing to break the law to get it.

BTW, how do you explain Radiohead selling their new album (8 songs, I think) online for about $15, with no free downloads? Are they suddenly doing it wrong?
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 3:27pm

Re: I read about this before
he third most are assholes like AC up there who say if you download it, you're killing babies.

I missed that. Who discussed killing babies?
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El Ejcovero, 22 Feb 2011 @ 3:39pm

I am still convinced EA leaked this on purpose, for publicity and to have the PC community feel sorry and buy the game... And the problem is, as a PC gamer, I do feel sorry, and probably will go buy this game! >( It will be good! :P
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Lord Flasheart (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 3:41pm

Hey all, long time reader, first time poster.

Isn't Crytek in a good position to get back in front of the leak through version control? Can't they add tighter and/or different controls to the official release and then only update those copies? Going further, can't they value-add to the legitimate version to encourage purchase once the illegitimate version becomes obselete? The fact that people will pay 10, 20, 100% more for limited editions of games with extra guns or plastic figurines would suggest that offering a kick-a$$ online map not available to Crisis 2 version 1.0 users would be a successful strategy to get the downloaders onside.

That's assuming of course the company hasn't flown off the handle and called them too many names - which is great to see hasn't happened yet.

Of course, perhaps none of that is possible; I don't know the details of what was 'released'.
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Jay (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 4:05pm

Re:
So far, there's a youtube "demo" with the first 25 minutes of the leak on it.

It's by no means done, but it is pretty good to watch. Obviously, it makes them work a lot harder to appease their fans, but I think that should be the end result, not a cry about piracy.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 4:17pm

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Yeah Black Ops was leaked and totally tanked because of it.

Ohh, hold on, didn't it gross over a billion in less than a month.

Wow, just imagine how much it would have made without piracy.
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coldbrew, 22 Feb 2011 @ 4:19pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
You know what's cooler than a billion dollars?
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Lord Flasheart (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 4:26pm

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A billion dollars with Natalie Portman sitting on top of it?
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monkyyy, 22 Feb 2011 @ 4:28pm

Re: Re:
idiot
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monkyyy, 22 Feb 2011 @ 4:39pm

Re: Re:
i think variable, as pirating correlates to helping the small unknown players, and can anyone think of a common cause?
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AW, 22 Feb 2011 @ 4:54pm

Seriously enough of the stupid piracy is killing music...
Listen you copyright elitists who blame "piracy" for recording industries failing, it has nothing to do with spreading of music. Music existed BEFORE business. It is part of culture, musicians will exist after they stop getting paid for it. Stop using logical fallacies that piracy has anything to do with whether or not you can make money off of something. Justin Beiber's doing fine and he started off on Youtube for free...ohhhhh noes free turned into money? Heaven forbid. Yes, not everyone is going to get rich, not every game is going to sell well and guess what photographers are having a harder time making money.

It's called supply and demand, there is more good music, more good art which lowers costs overall. It's happened over and over throughout history. Before printing presses books were prohibitive, before plastics items would cost more than 10 pennies to produce. Did you miss the whole advertising lifestyles to create values aspect of advertising?

Monopolies, which is what copyright and patents are, are created specifically to deprive people of a natural instinct and RIGHT to copy and create. Stop calling monopolies that lose control theft.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 5:20pm

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"BTW, how do you explain Radiohead selling their new album (8 songs, I think) online for about $15, with no free downloads? Are they suddenly doing it wrong?"

Gosh, I didn't realise the whole philosophy was do what Radiohead do, so if Radiohead do something contrary then the philosophy is bust.

Radiohead can like everyone else do what they like, if they do smart stuff, they will get praised for doing so. If they do really dumb stuff, they will get criticised.
If they do meh, nothing special, probably no one will say anything.

In fact, what Radiohead are doing :

The album is available in two formats, the digital $9 MP3 version or a deluxe edition the band calls a �newspaper album� that will be shipped to customers on May 9 and comes with two vinyl records, a CD and artwork, at a cost of $48.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 5:22pm

Re:
The album is available in two formats, the digital $9 MP3 version or a deluxe edition the band calls a �newspaper album� that will be shipped to customers on May 9 and comes with two vinyl records, a CD and artwork, at a cost of $48.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Feb 2011 @ 5:24pm

Re: Re:
http://www.thekingoflimbs.com/DIGBP.htm

In UK, prices are �6 for album in mp3, �9 in wav
In US, prices are $9 for album in mp3, $14 in wav
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Jeremy2020 (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 6:48pm

..and I'll be buying Crysis 2 even though I'm not a huge fan of shooters. Good move, Crytek
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Me, 22 Feb 2011 @ 7:57pm

Speaking for myself...
I was going to buy this game and I still will. I usually wait until the GotY version comes out since they normally have any DLC included and they also have most of the bugs fixed. However, I'll get this one the day it is released since CryTek isn't reacting with the usual hystronics. Moreover, I'll be buying another vidcard so I can run a SLI set-up with this game.
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Dave, 22 Feb 2011 @ 8:25pm

As for me...
I wasn't planning on buying this game, and didn't even realize it was coming out. But, after hearing this story and their response, I'm now planning to buy it.

This is what happens when you treat the customers like people rather than purchasing automatons. You gain their support, and even their loyalty.
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Tom Landry (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 11:02pm

I had pre ordered the game for the 360 but I'll fess up and admit that I downloaded the leaked version. To slightly disagree with Tim, it not and OLD build per-se but it is significantly buggy and unpolished (its a beta build from January). After playing most of it I can assure you no one is going to drop their pre orders because of it. Theres also the multiplayer which isnt functional. The MP demo was a lot of fun and I beleive many are going to buy it simply to enjoy the online experience which has aspects of Call of Duty unlocks and Halo style gameplay. I won't spoil the single player for anyone but I will say that if you never owned a PS3 and never got a chance to play the most excellent "Resistance", you'll soon get a similar experience coming your way for the 360 and PC.
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Ilfar, 22 Feb 2011 @ 11:13pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: (/stutter)
I think a threaded conversation that doesn't have posts in columns three words wide is pretty cool...
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RST101 (profile), 22 Feb 2011 @ 11:17pm

Re:
But they could have been "robbed" and left with more than they had, no?
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just about there, 23 Feb 2011 @ 3:00am

Re:
as was pointed with or without new content game will be, sooner or later leaked to torrent world and other p2p networks. as a leach people got a taste of it, as a part of news industry they got a lot of free buzz and publicity for it... a lot of developers now a days use closed beta tests for their games that drive lots of publicity too besides free testing in real world of the product. just change DRM keys on a forced update on product after install and they should be OK at least on multiplayer platform... and consider this leak as an open beta test event ... and even set up a forum for bug reports and so to make-it a win win situation for them too..
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martyburns (profile), 23 Feb 2011 @ 4:42am

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People still enjoy the music, they still value it, they still want it. In fact, they want more and more of it, people have huge music collections that would have been unthinkable even 10 years ago.

You hit the nail on the head - it is the people that put the value on music. Not the greedy shysters in their corporate lairs.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Feb 2011 @ 8:48am

It's finally catching up to them...
I purchased a 45 record that had 2 of my fav songs on it, and I purchased the full record album, then I had to purchase the cassette, then I had to purchase the CD, then had to purchase it on iTunes.

The time for using the vacuum on my wallet is over.

Get over it. Adapt or die.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Feb 2011 @ 12:07pm

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The point was the last time, Radiohead did a "pay what you want" and everyone was "wow, future model great" and Radiohead apparently made a pile of money.

Yet, they make their next record (short of songs, only 8, and it took a long time) and boom, everything has a price. (the $9 is the compressed mp3 version, the wav file version is $14).

What you have is pretty simple: They made money last time, but probably figured out they left a ton of money on the table.

As poster children for "new business models" they are sort of backing away from it. Not only are they not doing "pay what you want", they have also signed an up front distribution deal because they know that they make a ton of money selling shiny plastic discs all over the world.

Basically, they went back to the same models record labels have used for years. Are you surprised?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Feb 2011 @ 5:01pm

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But they are selling the mp3s and wavs far in advance of the shiny plastic cd's

If this were the movie business they distributors would be crying because making the digital download versions available first "would interfere with the physical sales"

So they are still experimenting, which is fine and dandy.
Neither Mike nor anyone here has to justify what decisions individuals make about how to market their product.
We will praise people who do something innovative that takes into account the real world situation, castigate people who think that suing or falsely restricting access are sustainable or even functional business models.
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