In the most daring anti-piracy scheme yet, the makers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky, Deep Silver, shipped the retail version of the game without CD keys. Try pirating that!
The game will be delayed in the U.S. (Europe’s release will still be on time, apparently) to allow for a recall, and this will probably push back the date for download over Steam as well. Clear Sky was scheduled for September 5th.
69 responses so far ↓
1 J3553 // Aug 31, 2008 at 9:12 am
……………..OK?
2 Fleeka // Aug 31, 2008 at 9:15 am
A certain other game comes out on the fifth…Maybe they should have done this in the UK and europe too so that they wouldn’t have to lose to spore.
3 Generic Username // Aug 31, 2008 at 9:38 am
ooooookay then
4 AlphaHawk // Aug 31, 2008 at 10:05 am
Heh…
5 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 10:19 am
Good job.
6 Kazill // Aug 31, 2008 at 10:31 am
Well, I don’t have a PC capable of playing that game so oh well. Still, that’s a bit of a screw up.
I’ll just play my Xbox in the corner away from all you folk enjoying Spore…
7 Madgod's Blessings // Aug 31, 2008 at 10:53 am
I lol’d, and then I went back to playing Oblivion.
8 Cpt. Falcon // Aug 31, 2008 at 11:28 am
i think they should continue to sell it without CD keys or serial codes, like it was in the olden days.
Actually, it wasn’t even the olden days. Gears Of War PC doesn’t use a CD key, looks like Microsoft did something nice for once, and let me be able to share it with my friends.
9 Nonomu198 // Aug 31, 2008 at 11:44 am
“HOW WE MAKE GAME MORE MARKET PROMO!?”
“I HAS A SMART!”
“LET SAY WE SCREWS UP BIG A TIME!”
“GUYS GET MORE LOOK AT PRODUCT!”
“AN WIN!”
….
From the mind of whoever is in charge of the selling (thier janitor?).
10 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 12:10 pm
@ Nonomu198
John Newell, who was Gabe Newells brother, was one day an office talking to executives. He got a voicemall from marketing that said that peepel not liked internet videos. He shut down the door of the bored room and went to the down of the beelding where the gaems were. Elevater went down like speed of sound, but John needed to save the produt, so he went faster…
11 A Person! // Aug 31, 2008 at 12:14 pm
@ramming
Totuley dood i nws waht u meen! :P
12 Agent Napalm // Aug 31, 2008 at 12:14 pm
@ 10
I see what you did there…
13 jimborb // Aug 31, 2008 at 12:47 pm
@Kazil
But spore is coming to the Xbox 360 too!
also people has fail
14 Ledundead // Aug 31, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Excuse me, I don’t speak teh internetz. What does having no cd keys mean?
15 Robert64 // Aug 31, 2008 at 1:03 pm
@10 You should go into fan fiction!
16 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I’m actually thinking of writing a fan fiction of Half-Life: Full Life Consequences. How about this:
Half-Life: Full Life Consequences 3: Episod Won
Think about it….
17 Lack_26 // Aug 31, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I won’t be playing it until some modders fix it, it’s apparently a big step back from S:SoC.
18 someon's writing // Aug 31, 2008 at 1:49 pm
You shudnt ship this
19 Unconcerned Sam // Aug 31, 2008 at 2:05 pm
@14
The cd keys are the most basic protection, basically when you get the game you are asked to put a CD key (a long number) which identifies with the disc and the copy of the game. If you don’t have the CD key (hypothetically) you can’t play the game, even if you have the CD.
@10
Ha!
20 Mr. Brit // Aug 31, 2008 at 2:09 pm
S.P.O.R.E. Clear winner on-time
21 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 2:17 pm
When John Newell got to teh basement of the bulding, he saw a memo on his sell with someon’s writing “You shudnt ship this” (@ 18), and John Newell was about to go back to the bored room, but John loked at all teh boxes with videogaems and said “I have to do what has to be done by me and give videogams to teh world,” so he to walked even faster than three times teh speed of light toward teh boxes and shipedd Clear Sky owt.
Then, as John Newell is about to go home he got a text from his sell that said “John Newell, it is yor brother Gabe, I tok out all teh CD keys in yor gaems so no won can play them! Valve is teh ruler of videogaems and there is nothing you can do! Hahaha!”
John did not no wat to do. “I’ll defeat you, my evil bro!” he shouted at top of lung
To be continued…?
22 a westie // Aug 31, 2008 at 2:49 pm
You know, if I were in charge of a game company and found out a game had a fatal flaw at the last minute, I would do this to buy some time. That way, it makes the boxing and shipping people look incompetent, rather than the programmers, who are the people the publisher and stockholders count on to be skilled.
23 Mike // Aug 31, 2008 at 2:52 pm
It’s already gone gold, fools. They’re not going to repress every single disc and insert them in with the CD keys. ¬_¬
24 Mr Brit // Aug 31, 2008 at 3:17 pm
zombie gaems, leav this plase
25 Aenir // Aug 31, 2008 at 3:20 pm
/clap @ramming
26 jimborb // Aug 31, 2008 at 4:02 pm
rammingspeed, i have never laughed so much in my life, please write more, for the good of mankind!
27 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Before I’m continued, do you guys think its actually funny? I went with a bad joke and ran. But if you think it is ACTUALLY funny, then sure, I’ll write the climatic seekwel.
28 Nate // Aug 31, 2008 at 4:51 pm
rammingspeed, brilliant.
29 Nate // Aug 31, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Oh, yeah, I seriously did laugh really hard. Best part:
“so he to walked even faster than three times teh speed of light toward teh boxes and shipedd Clear Sky owt.”
30 Mr Brit // Aug 31, 2008 at 5:03 pm
L.I.F
Living in fanfiction
@27 Go for it
31 Alex // Aug 31, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Why would it delay the Steam release? There are no lost CD keys to deal with for it, so the only conceivable reason is that they want people to only be able to get the game via piracy for a few more days.
32 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 5:08 pm
I hate to waste space on Chris’ blog. I’ll think about it though, trust me.
33 Unconcerned Sam // Aug 31, 2008 at 6:09 pm
@rammingspeed42
Just make a blog and post the link here when you’re done.
34 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I’m actually considering that. I’ve been working on making a blog of my own for a while, and this might just be the segue that works into that scheme.
MY PLAN IS PERFECT.
35 Ledundead // Aug 31, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Here’s my non-canon addition to the story:
The basement was nice the games were singing and the forklifts and the boxes was almost down from the top of the ceiling. John Newell looked around the basement and said “It’s a good day to do what has to be done by me to help my company to defeat the competition.” A engineer was hiding nearby and when John Newell walked by, he wanted to take the confirmation form from John Newell. Here John Newell saw the first worker because he was disgruntled and didn’t have dental. “I can’t give you my form worker.” John Newell said. “Why not?” said the disgruntled engineer to John Newell. “BECAUSE YOU ARE LOWER ON CORPORATE LADDER.” Then he spat on the workers head and ran off thinking “My shipment is in trouble there.” and went faster.
36 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Hmmm…. that might just become canon….
It has. I’m adding more to the story, making a few adjustments to the story, so that it has some originality of its own, despite its being a parody. Do you mind if I use that, Ledundead?
C’mon guys, who else has a good idea? It has a title now: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky: A Dark Cloud in teh Clear Sky (Parts 1 and 2).
37 Unconcerned Sam // Aug 31, 2008 at 6:34 pm
@Ledundead
The spelling is perfect! That’s no fanfiction.
38 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I’ll jumble the spelling.
39 Ledundead // Aug 31, 2008 at 7:12 pm
@rammingspeed
Sure. I wrote it for the lols. Ask if you want more, I’ve got nothing better to do.
40 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I’ve modded it a leetle bit for teh final, just to make things interesting. Give it the old squirrelking feel.
41 Ledundead // Aug 31, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Oh, joy! Where will this go up?
42 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I’m trying to set up a personal blog. I have to get a hosting service for it still, but everything else should work pretty fine.
43 SlowShootinPete // Aug 31, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Stalker: Clear Sky is now these hands.
44 Nate // Aug 31, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Here’s a tip, don’t write every “the” as “teh”. It makes it sound like you’re trying too hard. ;)
45 rammingspeed42 // Aug 31, 2008 at 8:53 pm
That’s the leet in me, sorry…
46 Dan // Aug 31, 2008 at 8:55 pm
How would this stop pirates? It would only stop legitimate users. Pirates would just write/use cracks like they always do.
It’s very probable now the first cracked versions of the game will be on the internet before the legitimate copies re-ship. If they aren’t already.
47 Joe Snuffy // Aug 31, 2008 at 11:49 pm
46, I hope you were paying attention as he was obviously being sarcastic. It doesn’t make a lick of difference except for keygens would be useless since they have no code to work with.
Rather amusing to see a company stumble flat in it’s face, it’s most certainly a great way to gain attention and publicity, the cunning little sods.
48 Gothic // Sep 1, 2008 at 1:22 am
John Newell walkd at the speed of light back to his fokrlift and left behind the worker behind him. John Newell had to ride the forklift really fast back to the elevater but John Newells gas ran out. John Newell jumped out of his forklift and landed on unreleased games CD keys.
“Gabe Newell is now these keys… I must rlease the CD keys and make Clear Sky!”
John Newell picked up laser gun and aimed it at shelfs to see if he could. John Newell shot and shelf fell over. John Newell seen games fall out of the shelf and he put them back home safe.
“These games don’t have to see Gabe Newell yet. its not time.”
49 Erased.. // Sep 1, 2008 at 1:48 am
When i saw the words ‘S.T.A.L.K.E.R’ and ‘Delayed’ tears of fury welled up in my eyes.
Not really. But its such a shame, i was looking foward to buying it this week
50 Deadly_Dragon // Sep 1, 2008 at 4:04 am
Meh, I don’t play the first game that much. I might have got into it a little more if TF2 hadn’t spoiled for other games. Damn you VALVe!
Damn you to HELL for making such a great game!
I will have to find time for Spore when it comes out.
51 Kowl Slaw // Sep 1, 2008 at 5:26 am
John Newell walked like speed of sound to get there fast because games keys needed him where he was. John Newell looked at signs and saw “Meeting Room” with someons writing under its saying “u shudnt meet here” so John Newell almost turned around but heard sound effects like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. so he went faster again.
(Will he continue his epic quest???? Only time will tell.)
52 Jimborb // Sep 1, 2008 at 5:56 am
You see rammingspeed? it practically writes itself!
53 Gothic // Sep 1, 2008 at 7:01 am
Oh man. Just get that wobsite up already.
54 Kazill // Sep 1, 2008 at 7:39 am
1st of all, the Xbox gets Spore? What kind of madness is this?
2nd of all, bravo on the fanfic
3rd and last of all, when did this trend of CD keys first arise? I remember back in my youth when I would steal my friends games without consequence other than a, “When the hell did you take that?” from said stolen-from friend. Those were good times. That is, until I stole one that asked for a CD key. It made me cry on the inside. Plus, I never can find the finicky buggers anywhere in the case half the time when I buy a game that works on my PC. Next thing you know, they’ll be CD keys on console games. Why? Because they want to see us writhe.
55 Mr. Brit // Sep 1, 2008 at 9:23 am
Spore is released on the PC, Nintendo DS and mobile phones on september 5th. It is definately coming to the xbox and the PS3, with Will Wright interested in adapting it for the Wii. Just waiting on some release dates :(
56 Mr. Brit // Sep 1, 2008 at 9:29 am
Sorry, I got that wrong. They haven’t confirmed a console version. A mac version will be released at the same time as the PC. The iPhone gets one, and Europe gets it on the 5th, all the Americans must wait an extra 2 days!! Mwa ha ha!!
57 Heavy // Sep 1, 2008 at 9:37 am
All these babies crying over CD keys, sandvich! Can CD keys outsmart bullet! MEEEDDDDIIIC!!
58 Nonomu198 // Sep 1, 2008 at 9:57 am
are rammingspeed makeing fun of my gramer awsam spellink end??/
…Seriously I don’t get the joke :(
59 rammingspeed42 // Sep 1, 2008 at 10:48 am
I took the whole mispelling idea and applied to it Half-Life: Full Life Consequences. I wasn’t making fun of you personally.
And I need to get a hosting service for the site still. 1&1 sounds good.
60 Kazill // Sep 1, 2008 at 11:28 am
Ah hah! So I’m not getting Spore! Victory isn’t mine!
61 jimborb // Sep 1, 2008 at 12:02 pm
really? my sources where certain it was coming out on consoles after the pc and other format releases…
…i really should stop listening to that hobo out back…
62 Killa-Ewok // Sep 1, 2008 at 12:08 pm
John Newell had to walked faster and was back at his office work and on a computer. He looked on the internet and found the next pirate .
“I know his weakness now” John Bewell said. And after that he got emails from someone. John Newell opened up the emails and read them.
“Dear John Newell, how are you? I miss you at home come home safe and soon with Gabe Newell for gamesgiving dinner. Love G-Man.” John Newell looked at it and got sad and yelled “I WILL KILL THE PIRATE AND GABE NEWELL WILL BE HAPPY SOUL!” then he turned on off the computer and wet on the Portal again down to his other more faster Bandwagon that had hype in it this time.
63 Robert64 // Sep 1, 2008 at 12:15 pm
@59 1&1 is what I use, it’s incredibly cheap but I don’t think they have much support for mySQL (as in ways to create tables, organize them). But they do have mySQL so you can make a blog. I would just make one on wordpress, its free anyway.
64 Ledundead // Sep 1, 2008 at 2:09 pm
@ Kazill
Hey, have you seen my Pikmin?
Just Kidding.
65 Kazill // Sep 1, 2008 at 3:35 pm
@ Ledundead
I have them growing out back. I have an entire patch of red ones now!
66 Kazill // Sep 1, 2008 at 3:40 pm
(Sorry for double post)
@ Rammingspeed
Why don’t you just make a wordpress blog if you want to make a blog?
67 rammingspeed42 // Sep 1, 2008 at 7:59 pm
I do have a blog, technically, its just hosted on my home’s local network. I don’t want to have a something.wordpress.com domain, I want my own! And I do have a domain, I just need it to get hosted. And to be hoeted, I need monies….
68 Kazill // Sep 1, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Well, I think that if you give some monies you can get your blog without the wordpress in the name like Chris’ and Pentadacts. But I guess the traffic might slow your network down maybe…
69 2000AD // Sep 11, 2008 at 2:04 am
As a guy in the UK playing the game I can say that the delayed release could be a blessing in disguise for you guys.
Right now the game is absolutely choc full of bugs. When it works it’s a damn good game, but I can;t emphasise ‘when it works’ enough.
I’m hoping the US release will galvanise GSC into getting another patch together.