Crytek Studios busted for Piracy?

[Xavier]

just got this link from Jonty in an email - apparently Crytek Studios, a developer contracted to UbiSoft has been busted after a tip-off by an ex-employee for software piracy.

When all the software on their site was audited in the raid around 1M euros of unlicensed apps were found.

Obviously this means that Far Cry will possibly never see light of day which is bad enough and worth a rant on it's own... but I'm just wondering about the wider ramifications. From what I've read on piracy matters such as these in the past, companies are warned they're going to be audited and told to get compliant before a deadline. In this case it just sounds like someone busted down the doors and started sifting though stacks of CDR's. Is such a heavy handed approach the way things will be done in the future? They even raided the home of one of the businesses founders as a part of the investigations.

Knowing first hand just how expensive development apps are, especially in the 3d and audio sectors it's no surprise that new development houses such as Crytek would be using the odd hooky license - if the law are going to come down this on them in this manner what chance does the bedroom coder have of using their talents outside of landing a job for an existing dev house and being forced to churn out endless expansion packs to the sims?

I'm not saying piracy is good, but there's definately a whole chicken/egg problem in such scenarios.

Xav

 

[Wij]

Far Cry looked quite good

 

[dysfunction]

If they are contracted to UBISoft why couldnt they get advanced funding for the project instead of using piracy?

I can understand the software is expensive but I'm sure they could have worked it out the legal way.

 

[itcheh]

Unfortunately I guess the fact that they had pirated software worth a six figure sum rules out the 'odd hooky license' arguement.

But I would guess that most small and even large software development teams aren't licensed for all their software - these guys jost got unlucky.

 

[milou]

Quote: However, both companies addressed the most important issue to gamers--whether or not Far Cry will slip from its March 23 ship date. "The Crytek team has started working again normally as of Wednesday at 2 pm," read the Ubisoft statement. "The game will ship as planned at the end of March." The German developer was similarly soothing; "Crytek would like to assure its fans that completion of Far Cry remains on track."

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/farcry/news_6087423.html

 

[Tom]

They shouldn't be using pirate software, end of story. People complain about the cost of apps, but the apps are normally priced competitively. I don't know the prices, but in my line, a big plastic bouncy castle costs upwards of 50 pence (and thats just the castle, not the turrets). If you can't afford it, then you're obviously not getting enough kids to bounce around, and therefore, you don't deserve to own a bouncy castle.

 

[DaGaffer]

Knowing first hand just how expensive development apps are, especially in the 3d and audio sectors it's no surprise that new development houses such as Crytek would be using the odd hooky license - if the law are going to come down this on them in this manner what chance does the bedroom coder have of using their talents outside of landing a job for an existing dev house and being forced to churn out endless expansion packs to the sims?

I'm not saying piracy is good, but there's definately a whole chicken/egg problem in such scenarios.

Xav

That's just nonsense on so many levels and you know it. Organisations like FAST rarely go for 'the bedroom coder' - they go for companies that are making a profit off the back of someone else's hard work - either they're making extra profit by using ripoff software, or they're too stupid to cost a project properly. NB. I'm not judging Crytek here because I don't know the full facts, but making a profit off someone else's intellectual property is just plain wrong.

 

[leggy]

They shouldn't be using pirate software, end of story. People complain about the cost of apps, but the apps are normally priced competitively. I don't know the prices, but in my line, a camera costs upwards of £35 000 (and thats just the camera, not the lens). If you can't afford it, then you're obviously not doing enough work, and therefore, not good enough.

oh my, I can't see you all the way up there.

 

[Tilda]

[22:18] (^kosh): Today at 9.00 am, there was a raid at Crytek's offices in Coburg, Germany. Due to an alleged claim of a disgruntled ex-intern, Crytek´s office complex was investigated for using more copies of a software brand with the incorrect number of licenses purchased
[22:18] (^kosh): The management of Crytek is grateful for the diligence of the German Police Department concerning protected software and fully cooperated in every way. As a software devloper, Crytek is always interested in properly obtaining and utilizing third party software. Development of the eagerly awaited Far Cry was only delayed for three hours while police cleared the matter with Crytek and it's management staff.
[22:18] (^kosh): Despite false allegations that have appeared in various media and forums, no inventory or personel were affected in any way. Crytek would like to assure its fans that completion of Far Cry remains on track.

Irc quote, don't ask me if its true.

 

[Cdr]

They shouldn't be using pirate software, end of story. People complain about the cost of apps, but the apps are normally priced competitively. I don't know the prices, but in my line, a camera costs upwards of £35 000 (and thats just the camera, not the lens). If you can't afford it, then you're obviously not doing enough work, and therefore, not good enough.

ummm what relevance is the price of a camera to the topic?

 

[dysfunction]

ummm what relevance is the price of a camera to the topic?

He's saying if you want to do a job them you have to pay for the tools to do that job. He was just giving an example. To become a pro photographer you would have to fork out 35000 which is a lot of money.

 

[DaGaffer]

ummm what relevance is the price of a camera to the topic?

If you nicked the camera to do professional work, you'd be making a profit through theft. Same thing.

 

[Deadmanwalking]

In my line of work sitting on your arse is free. And anyone paying to sit on their arse is simply shit. I have been sitting on my arse for many famous occasions.

If you can't hack the sitting down on your arse you are just shit. And i am god.

 

[Cdr]

But he didnt say 'if you stole the camera' he said that if you couldnt afford the camera then you're shit at your job - which has 0 relevance to theft of software.

 

[dysfunction]

But he didnt say 'if you stole the camera' he said that if you couldnt afford the camera then you're shit at your job - which has 0 relevance to theft of software.

What he is saying is that if you cant afford to obtain the correct tools legally then you shouldnt be doing the job in the first place.

100% relevance

 

[Uncle Sick]

just got this link In this case it just sounds like someone busted down the doors and started sifting though stacks of CDR's. Is such a heavy handed approach the way things will be done in the future? They even raided the home of one of the businesses founders as a part of the investigations.

Well, that's the thing with search warrants - the cops don't announce that they have one. Otherwise they could have just flushed all the evidence down the crapper or do a quick format c:.

 

[Tom]

At first glance, I thought it all sounded a bit heavy handed. Then, when you realise the amount of money involved, it actually sounds quite reasonable.

 

[RandomBastard]

To be honest companies dont have an excuse for using pirate software, yes its done in a lot of places but as tom says if they cant afford the tools they need to do the job then they should have got more money, or spend it more wisely, or used less licenses.

 

[~Yuckfou~]

...and they would be the first to bitch when the hacked version of FarCry hits the net.

 

[itcheh]

The irony is that if you asked Crytek what they thought about people pirating their games they'd probably be very scathing. It's all a bit daft really.