Crytek won't be doing anymore PC exclusive titles

[EvilComputer92]

Crysis sold a million copies even with the piraters. I certainly wouldn't call that poor in any sense.

I'll say it again, Crysis did not sell badly.

I also find it interesting that the topic is going in a different direction in the PC gaming forum. Much more negative sentiment there but that's understandable.

This person also summed up my thoughts on piracy

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
It's just annoying that a lot of publishers and devs seem to think that one pirated copy = one lost sale. That's not even close to true, especially for games that have no demo available. I know Crysis did have a demo, but a lot of the people who pirated Crysis probably wouldn't have bought it in any situation.

Most people who pirate would never actually buy the game in the first place.

 

[Queasy]

Link

November's Crysis sold 1 million copies worldwide as of February this year, but Crytek is nevertheless struck by how many illegitimate copies are circulating.

Crytek engine business manager Harald Seeley said that he could not reveal specific internal figures pertaining to piracy of Crysis, but he added, "I can say the level of piracy was the highest of any I?ve experienced on a project."

Originally posted by: EvilComputer92
Most people who pirate would never actually buy the game in the first place.

That doesn't matter. It is still theft. Even if you say "most", that still potentially leaves a significant number of sales that never happened.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Very ironic Crytek uses piracy as an excuse when Crytek was busted for using pirated software back in 2004.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: EvilComputer92

This person also summed up my thoughts on piracy

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
It's just annoying that a lot of publishers and devs seem to think that one pirated copy = one lost sale. That's not even close to true, especially for games that have no demo available. I know Crysis did have a demo, but a lot of the people who pirated Crysis probably wouldn't have bought it in any situation.

Most people who pirate would never actually buy the game in the first place.

I would say that is true for many people, but conversely I would say that for just as many if the possibility of piracy were removed they would rather pay than not play. I think the numbers I posted above indicate that. Unless you have a better explanation for why the 360 version of CoD4 sold 8 times as many copies as the PC version last year.

 

[ZzZGuy]

Sins of a solar empire has shown that piracy is not what is killing gaming today. Sins has no copy protection what-so-ever. My friend with a dial up connection wanted to play the game but couldn't download it (~1 gig) so i burned off the game onto a CD, sent it to him and he registered the game with his serial number he bought and installed the patches from the update manager. He could have just not payed for it but he loved it so much and there is so much ongoing support from the devs with the patches (4 in the first month and it shipped with hardly any bugs).

Sins was made for a niche market, and the budget reflected this. They focused on gameplay over graphics and delivered want said niche market wanted. I believe they where making money after 100k copies where sold.

Piracy is indeed a problem but they didn't make a game a lot of people would like, they made a game that those who will buy it will like and GUESS WHAT, it worked. Oh and sins was made with a total of 9 people.


I say good riddance to failed companies that do not have the smarts to make half decent games, the market will still be there and leave room for small companies with new and fresh ideas to spring up.

-edit- oh and to those that will call me a my friend a pirate, you can download the game with Stardock Central once you register the serial number that you buy. With the digital download option you do not get a CD, you don't need a CD anyway as the game will work without ever seeing one.
My friend wanted the game shortly after it was released but there was a major shortage of the game as it sold out instantly in most stores (the fact most stores only ordered 1/3 coppies didn't help), so he bought the serial number online, I sent him the game CD and he updated it, SD/IC don't care where you got the game from as long as you bought a serial number. You can even back up the game onto a CD.

 

[Modeps]

I brought this up in the PC gaming forum, but I figured I'd post it here too. Crytek got raided early in their existence for piracy. Schadenfroh was kind enough to find the link to the story:
http://www.geek.com/software-p...far-cry-makers-raided/

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
Sins of a solar empire has shown that piracy is not what is killing gaming today. Sins has no copy protection what-so-ever. My friend with a dial up connection wanted to play the game but couldn't download it (~1 gig) so i burned off the game onto a CD, sent it to him and he registered the game with his serial number he bought and installed the patches from the update manager. He could have just not payed for it but he loved it so much and there is so much ongoing support from the devs with the patches (4 in the first month and it shipped with hardly any bugs).

Sins was made for a niche market, and the budget reflected this. They focused on gameplay over graphics and delivered want said niche market wanted. I believe they where making money after 100k copies where sold.

I don't believe that actually proves anything, other than maybe that DRM on PC games is essentially worthless. While I appreciate the fact that Stardock didn't implement draconian DRM, the fact they made the game so cheaply is likely why they could withstand the impact of the piracy. Bigger budget games need bigger sales to profit.