CD Projekt Allegedly Suing The Witcher 2 Pirates

Updated:05:36 PM CET Dec,10

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Gameguru Mania News - Dec,13 2011 -

CD Projekt Allegedly Suing The Witcher 2 Pirates - briefly
(hx) 06:40 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 - Post a comment / read (25)
CD Projekt has been hard at work sending thousand of emails to gamers who downloaded hit RPG The Witcher 2, demanding as much as $1,200 and threatening legal action against those who don't pay. After digging up some personal info on the pirates with the help of a torrent monitoring company, the emails began to fly. Although this initially sounded quite reasonable, away from the spotlight the company followed in the footsteps of so-called copyright trolls, by signing up for a so-called “pay-up-or-else” scheme. CD Projekt hired a law firm and torrent monitoring company to track those who illegally downloaded and shared the game, and has been sending them hefty cash settlement proposals.

The price CD Projekt is asking through their lawyers is slightly higher than what gamers have to pay in stores, to say the least. Over the past several months thousands of alleged BitTorrent users in Germany were asked to cough up 911,80 euros ($1230) to pay off their apparent debt to the company.

As is often the case, these mass settlement schemes do not exist without collateral damage. Aside from targeting many people who indeed downloaded and shared the game without paying, CD Projekt’s lawyers are also wrongfully accusing people who have never even heard of the game.

After all, an IP-address doesn’t identify a person, and Wi-Fi piggybacking is not unusual. But CD Projekt, who don’t want to bug legitimate consumers with DRM, apparently take this collateral damage for granted.

last 10 comments:

Sabot	(06:51 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 )
Sod the legal crap. Send round the heavies to break a few arms, then watch them try to play the game. One thing is for sure, they wont grass who did it. Police:"why did someone break your arms?" Dickhead:"Cause i've got a PC full of illegal $hit..." Don't think so. :lol:

MBGeekDon

(07:31 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 )

If you go to the link you've got hundreds of people complaining how it's not right for them to be going after people. REALLY?!?!?!? They give us a great game WITHOUT DRM, released the game in a playable state, quickly fixed what bugs they could, released FREE DLC and they shouldn't go after their money?

Sorry torrent users, you don't have a leg to stand on. One of my favs is that they should just be going after the going price for the game...um...NO...that was the price if you properly bought it, not after they had to track you down, contact you and possible have to sue you. If companies were only entitled to the price of the software then EVERYONE would just pirate it and play the odds that no one will know and then just pay for it IF you got caught... :roll:

Gimme a break...LOL

Csimbi

(07:43 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 )

I think what they are doing is right. Also, I think that the 1200 is a lot more reasonable than the numbers that other companies throw at people.
But, the way they go on about it does not seem right because an IP address or a host name does not constitute a identity. It can be shared, it can be dynamic, etc. I read somewhere that torrent is popular in universities. So, who exactly do you bill in a school? Or, other organizations?
Threats don't work. So, I agree with Stumpus. Break a leg or break an arm. That'll work. People torrenting a non-DRM game deserve that anyway (on top of the fees).

beqerel	(08:45 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 )
i dont think they will earn more money by that action. someone who doesnt have money to buy game will not do it anyway.

Koogle

(10:14 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 )

$1200 is reasonable? for monitoring IPs and hiring dishonest scum law firm? :D

lol these scum buckets who play this legal degenerate game are on way street to hell. They too fucking dumb to realize they are getting fucked by the same scum system they support and think will protect them.

I'm not surprised we have such moronic shit heads who think threats and violence actually solve anything. Csmini, MBGeekDon Stumpus, your tiny little scum stained brian cells must be working overtime on rationalizing such actions.

Get fucked you scumbags. I do not support any companies that do that shit, they may just be players in a bad game, but they've decided to go with legal degeneracy.. it will be good to watch them dissolve like all corrupt salaried scum that work for those false doctrine ideologies.

The Watcher ;)

tride

(10:39 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 )

Are you kidding me ? I downloaded this game and its still on my PC..... I havent played past first level AND i must pay those 1200 ?
They can milk my cock, nothing else! LOL
Dumb ass idiots, i hope they fail in this!
And ill definitely pirate their next product!
Thats just not the way!
They made A LOT of money with this game because of its quality! Why the hell they go after people for more ?
They wont beat piracy, thats for sure!

darknothing	(10:42 PM CET - Dec,13 2011 )
all you idiots that use torrents are nubs, learn to use IRC, easy to block ur ip.

Csimbi	(12:23 AM CET - Dec,14 2011 )
Well Koogle, it certainly is more reasonable than 10000+. I agree that we disagree on our stances regarding pirating DRMless games.

Koogle

(02:37 AM CET - Dec,14 2011 )

$1200 threat is reasonable for $60 game

What fucking planet you come from? Its another extortionate legal racket that wants to disguise itself morally righteous, when its actually just scumbaggery that does even more wrong. Because they wants to make out their is compensation owed to a dead corporate fiction and the rest of parasites that have attached themselves to the cause for their benefit.

It doesn't change the fact that if the game wasn't copied or played by anyone who didn't pay for the privilege of what I'd called a pretty mediocre game that isn't for everyone. You cannot quantify this, but rest assured legal scum will lie to the cows get killed that its hurting their client.. I tell you who hurts them even more, legal scum because they protect a corrupt dishonest and manipulative crony system in the first place.

	(03:07 AM CET - Dec,14 2011 )
Piracy is a problem, but this is not the answer! How MUCH easier would it be for devs to just release a bloody DEMO so people do not have to resort to torrents to check if the game is worth the money.

Genoism	(03:40 AM CET - Dec,14 2011 )
most people upload while downloading a torrent, 1200 stems from the fact that u stole the game and gave stolen goods to others. 1200 is a fair number, enough to sting you bad enough to teach you a lesson. I'm guessing koogle is one of the pirates that was dumb enough to steal a game thinking it was his right to do so and got burned badly. Also, heretic i completely agree 100% with you.

Koogle

(05:16 AM CET - Dec,14 2011 )

You guess fucking wrong you geriatric scumfuck...'steal a game'.. hahah lol fucking retard.

And $1200 stems from greed and sadistic nature of human legal degeneracy.. that shit heads like you actually think makes things better, the only thing it does it hurt those who don't have the money anyway.. those who do have the money to pay it aren't effected by it.

I pitty scum stains like you, because really you're not providing a solution, you're coward delinquent that will help perpetuate a bad system that you think won't fuck you while try to stay on its good side of being legal abiding sheep for stupid man made acts to protect greediness, ego and status at the expensive of screwing others and making scapegoat to deceive those who don't fucking pay attention to what the REAL FUCKING PROBLEMS ARE you moronic shit head.

I won't even get into the hypocrisy of you dipshits while you turn a blind to stinking turd of corruption that is about to pushed down the hill over you.. this crap won't fly for many more years.

Csimbi

(08:39 AM CET - Dec,14 2011 )

Well, in the eye of the law a pirate could even face jail time.
1200 is a good deal to avoid that and I guess when you get there, you would even pay 10000+.

BTW, what are you so unhappy about Koogle?
Is there any way to please you?
If there's DRM, that's a problem. If there's no DRM, that's a problem too.

IMHO, CD Project has shown a sign of trust to the gamers who have been complaining about DRM, providing a decent title without any form of DRM. I, for one, enjoy DRM free games and since I want the trend to continue, I gladly pay the price for the titles I like. You don't like the title? That does not give you any rights to pirate it.
I see everyone pirating a DRMless game as a scum. Why? Because you are ripping me off as well (of future DRMless games).

-=WolverinE=-

(09:28 AM CET - Dec,14 2011 )

Csimbi>
BTW, what are you so unhappy about Koogle?

I can only guess that it would be the world order that it's in effect now. Not that it's going to improve in the near future, but anyway... Every aspect of our already controlled lives seems to piss him off to the point he explodes in detailed posts about all the vices of our society that have been digging deeper ever since people started worshiping Mammon. It's sad, because I'm sure Koogle would be a nice guy to chat with if there wasn't anything to irritate him.

devilhood

(12:10 PM CET - Dec,14 2011 )

heretic> Piracy is a problem, but this is not the answer!

How MUCH easier would it be for devs to just release a bloody DEMO so people do not have to resort to torrents to check if the game is worth the money.

No point in releasing a demo when you can make money off suing pirates :lol:

You're right though. Demo's would only ever help companies to get more exposure for the game, but I think probably 80-90% of pirates wouldn't care if there was a demo or not. A lot of the problem with piracy is that it's easy, compulsive, and it's the case that only careless or noisy pirates feel the brunt of legal action.

DRM 'can' be a bitch, and often causes more harm to honest buyers. That's what annoys me the most. It also pisses people off to a point where it can encourages them to pirate games they never wanted to in the first place, or forces them to use a crack to always avoid this shit.

Most of my friends jumped off the torrents bandwagon a long time ago because it's becoming less and less secure. A few of them either go the more involved route, or switch to private forums where there is an abundance of fast daily filemirrors.

th4t1guy	(03:57 PM CET - Dec,14 2011 )
Funny how you guys defend this sort of thing if it's a European dev, but when it's Valve or someone else, it's suddenly evil. Hypocrite much?

Sabot

(04:45 PM CET - Dec,14 2011 )

heretic> Piracy is a problem, but this is not the answer!

How MUCH easier would it be for devs to just release a bloody DEMO so people do not have to resort to torrents to check if the game is worth the money.

Totaly agree. just like the good ol' days, where you got shareware -Duke Nuken 3D,Doom, anyone? There's far too much bull spouted by dev's; "We can't make a demo....blah,blah" It's like utter patronising nonsence. You can demo anything and put invisible sector walls in/barriers to stop the player falling out.

The obvious reason why they DON'T release demos in the majority of cases is because the game is crappola. If you buy into PC gaming then you can't return it to the shop and you're left with a 1980's laser-disc coaster!
Just because a game is $hit isn't a valid reason for a refund lol.
One of the major reasons that i have a console is just that. I can RENT any title, if i enjoy it, i have a gamesave on the HDD and i just buy a new copy and continue where i left off.
PC dev's rely on the website HYPE, to attract a mass buying frenzy, if they release a demo it considerably ruins the mystique and puts the gamer in a position of choice; "I can put this off now and buy....blah, until it gets cheaper"

desiredfx	(05:24 PM CET - Dec,14 2011 )
And this is why I don't use torrents, Never have and never will

Csimbi

(07:50 PM CET - Dec,14 2011 )

th4t1guy> Funny how you guys defend this sort of thing if it's a European dev, but when it's Valve or someone else, it's suddenly evil.

Hypocrite much?
No, I don't think so. This is the first decent game without DRM.
I want my games without DRM, so I support their cause.
I could not care less about titles released with DRM that cripple a game.

Mind you, in some cases, I got recommendation from official support (!) to use executable from torrent/warez sites (to overcome certain compatibility issues/BSODs/hangs). And guess what - it did work as indicated by the developers; solved all my problems. So, you do the math on that.

Genoism	(02:23 AM CET - Dec,15 2011 )
koogle why don't you tell me where you live, leave the door open. When you come home to a few of your things missing, just remember that I'm only borrowing them for an extended period of time, only because I can't afford them. You know those nasty evil retail stores want money for their products and i figured why pay for them when koogle is such a nice guy and letting me borrow them.

gx-x

(02:26 AM CET - Dec,15 2011 )

I have stolen a poster for sensation black. It costs 10.000e to design, and 100.000e to print 2 milion of them. I guess I owe them at least 10.000 euros. But for ones and zeroes that I downloaded for no cost and no damage to companies (I wouldn't go print out my own sensation black poster, and I did steal something physical at least) because they did not pay for my bandwidth or my computer or Razor1911 crack, I don't see how I owe them anything. I just used internet connection and electricity that I legaly pay for anyway.

Ergo, I am more guilty for stealing a poster then for downloading bunch of ones and zeroes that I used to get bored with.

Genoism

(02:31 AM CET - Dec,15 2011 )

gx-x> I have stolen a poster for sensation black. It costs 10.000e to design, and 100.000e to print 2 milion of them. I guess I owe them at least 10.000 euros. But for ones and zeroes that I downloaded for no cost and no damage to companies (I wouldn't go print out my own sensation black poster, and I did steal something physical at least) because they did not pay for my bandwidth or my computer or Razor1911 crack, I don't see how I owe them anything. I just used internet connection and electricity that I legaly pay for anyway.

Ergo, I am more guilty for stealing a poster then for downloading bunch of ones and zeroes that I used to get bored with.

So if I make a game and i want to sell it to other people, i spend money printing it on cds, i spend money to advertise it, etc. You're telling me that if someone puts it on the net, its not stealing cuz i don't lose anything? really?

Csimbi	(04:50 AM CET - Dec,15 2011 )
This is software 101. Software are not physical products and these arguments do not apply; it an entirely different case. Somewhat similar in that sense to intellectual property or specimen of endangered species.

gx-x

(05:57 AM CET - Dec,15 2011 )

Genoism> gx-x> I have stolen a poster for sensation black. It costs 10.000e to design, and 100.000e to print 2 milion of them. I guess I owe them at least 10.000 euros. But for ones and zeroes that I downloaded for no cost and no damage to companies (I wouldn't go print out my own sensation black poster, and I did steal something physical at least) because they did not pay for my bandwidth or my computer or Razor1911 crack, I don't see how I owe them anything. I just used internet connection and electricity that I legaly pay for anyway.

Ergo, I am more guilty for stealing a poster then for downloading bunch of ones and zeroes that I used to get bored with.

So if I make a game and i want to sell it to other people, i spend money printing it on cds, i spend money to advertise it, etc. You're telling me that if someone puts it on the net, its not stealing cuz i don't lose anything? really?

yes. I dont take CD from you or anything of you. Also, I don't give money to a guy that made game crack. Why are you surprised? Piracy exists since the software itself. I used ti order cassette types dor commodore 64 with ~20 games on them for 5$.

Also, stealing digital "copies" is useless without cracks. BUT stealing ideas is illegal for common folk but it's completely legal for apple and Steve Jobs? That guy stole 90% of his business from other people, yet, he is celebrated. Give me a moral break here please.
Most of your banks are stealing your money through interest but no one makes a fuss about it so it is ok?!

get real.

Genoism

(02:35 AM CET - Dec,16 2011 )

gx-x> Genoism> gx-x> I have stolen a poster for sensation black. It costs 10.000e to design, and 100.000e to print 2 milion of them. I guess I owe them at least 10.000 euros. But for ones and zeroes that I downloaded for no cost and no damage to companies (I wouldn't go print out my own sensation black poster, and I did steal something physical at least) because they did not pay for my bandwidth or my computer or Razor1911 crack, I don't see how I owe them anything. I just used internet connection and electricity that I legaly pay for anyway.

Ergo, I am more guilty for stealing a poster then for downloading bunch of ones and zeroes that I used to get bored with.

So if I make a game and i want to sell it to other people, i spend money printing it on cds, i spend money to advertise it, etc. You're telling me that if someone puts it on the net, its not stealing cuz i don't lose anything? really?

yes. I dont take CD from you or anything of you. Also, I don't give money to a guy that made game crack. Why are you surprised? Piracy exists since the software itself. I used ti order cassette types dor commodore 64 with ~20 games on them for 5$.

Also, stealing digital "copies" is useless without cracks. BUT stealing ideas is illegal for common folk but it's completely legal for apple and Steve Jobs? That guy stole 90% of his business from other people, yet, he is celebrated. Give me a moral break here please.
Most of your banks are stealing your money through interest but no one makes a fuss about it so it is ok?!

get real.

so by your logic, since "everyone" is stealing its ok to steal too...did i get that right? Can you tell me where you live and when i rob you blind post on these forums and tell me that you're ok with it cuz everyone does it!

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