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Syndicate Dev Asks Pirates To Reconsider

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by Phil Kollar on February 28, 2012 at 09:25 PM
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Software piracy remains a huge problem in games, especially in the realm of PC gaming. Some developers counter it by implementing strict copy protection schemes. Some require that you register a code and always stay online to play. Others, like Syndicate developer Starbreeze, come up with some slightly more unique ways to approach pirates.

A poster on Reddit legitimately downloaded Syndicate from Origin but looked in the game's folders to discover an .nfo file. For those law-abiding gamers who may not have heard of it before, an .nfo file is essentially just an extra file usually thrown into pirated copies of a game so that you can know who cracked the game. This one was different though. Starbreeze put it in themselves.

In addition to tongue-in-cheek game and install notes, the Syndicate .nfo file includes a plea to anyone who actually pirated the game:

"Over a hundred people spent several years of their lives making this game. If you like what you play, please consider purchasing it if you haven't"

The .nfo file also notes that Starbreeze is looking for employees who can do programming, game design, and more, explaining how to contact them if you happen to be a particularly talented hacker who might be interested in switching sides, so to speak. You can read the full contents of the Syndicate .nfo file here.

Good on Starbreeze for coming up with a clever approach to a difficult situation. Hopefully it will have some morally challenged software pirates second-guessing their life choices.

[via Stick Twiddlers]

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Comments
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  • by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:31 PM
    Honestly they should have put a copy of that .nfo file in Russian

    Edit: Also Portuguese/Spanish
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:31 PM
    good guy starbreeze :) i don't but i hope this will help those heartless monsters who pirate games . (i am aware some people cant afford it but then deal with it :/ or use it as a demo then delete and buy the game if you like it.) good night GI i have school so i will check commetns tomorow :) also while i am up Fun , We are young FTW
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:32 PM
    Here's hoping. I do think Serious Sam 3's anti-piracy measure was much better though.
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:32 PM

    I really like Starbreeze.  They never put out a mind blowing title, they're always solid and rarely terrible (if ever terrible).

    This just heightens my respect for them.

  • Mod
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:36 PM
    Alright you defenders of piracy, will you do as the ask or laugh in their face? I probably already know the true answer.
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:37 PM
    I like the idea of the unkillable scorpion enemy that was put into whatever game you guys posted a video for not too long ago. THAT was fantastic.
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:40 PM
    Wow, I really like this idea. Kudos to them for not pissing off PC gamers *cough Ubisoft and EA cough*
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:42 PM
    Respect is given when due and Starbreeze, it's not due. They will not listen, they must be fought, reason will not work here. Pirates won't second guess, quit, reconsider or anything else. They'll continue to steal and their children should be burned alive in front of them for it. I hope they die with their families in car fires.

    Really though there has yet to be an argument against copy protection that I consider legitimate. You don't want to have to register the game or be online? Really? It's worth not having the games or the same quality of games, PC releases instead of console and dollar app only releases? There is nothing wrong with properly executed copy protection as it protects the games. Anyone that likes the games should realize that. This isn't a movie where 2 idiots get hundreds of millions for acting. Rip them off all you want. Games are a great work of art where millions of programmers get hundreds of dollars for their work (yeah I know it's a loose analogy). We should respect that.. or die in car fires.
  • by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:43 PM
    "Hopefully it will have some morally challenged software pirates second-guessing their life choices." I doubt it. If they felt bad about it, they wouldn't do it in the first place. I think devs will have to stick to the giant scorpion thing.
  • by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:46 PM
    That's...really nice of them to do that.
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:46 PM

    Wow. That's better than when devs try to outsmart the pirates in clever ways. They just see it as a challenge. How classy of them.

  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:49 PM
    I actually pirated that and played it this morning. Decided it was too good and immediately uninstalled. Adding that to my list of future game purchases.
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:49 PM
    Wow, a company being honest. That's special in itself. Of course, I think that people would be a lot more inclined if middlemen such as retailers would stop eating most of the profits of a sold game, rather provide a fairly distribution of wealth based on the actual amount of work done. Nice little graph here to demonstrate. http://www.cheapass.com/sites/default/files/ProfitGraph2.jpg
  • by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:51 PM

    Slick, but it won't help. Maybe try making games actually affordable. That would also cut down on the used game market too.

  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 09:54 PM
    I still liked the Serious Sam 3 approach for dealing with pirates. Personally, I would throw in a large squid demon to come out of my game if someone attempted to pirate it. Still, that is pretty cool.
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 10:00 PM
    Yeah. I can understand certain arguments as far as piracy goes (for example: I think music piracy is fine, though the artist does lose money, it's primarily the record company that makes the money off of that. As a musician, who gives his music up for free download, I can say that I feel much better making money off of playing gigs than through an itunes situation), but when it comes to gaming, where the sales of the game is essentially the only way that developers can make money (unless the whole kickstarter thing takes hold, which I personally kind of hope it does), piracy is unacceptable. In that instance, you are completely robbing developers of their only source of income. Plus, you're not only hurting the developer, but you're also hurting yourself! If you like a game, and you pirate it, and everyone else pirates it to the point where sales are seriously impacted, the developer does not get to continue with that IP. They get a smaller budget, and work on a less critical IP. It's sad, but true. Don't pirate games, please! I'm not trying to say game pirates are bad people either, don't misinterpret this comment-section spat! I'm just saying that everyone wins if you buy the game!
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 10:00 PM
    When it comes to addressing pirates There's no way to win, it's like speaking to a brick wall.
  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 10:01 PM

    Hope it works out for them

  •
    by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 10:02 PM
    Cool move, too bad I don't think it will have much of an effect on piracy.
  • by Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 10:06 PM
    Alright, as cool as this is, it's one of the biggest problems with piracy. You don't ask a criminal to not be a criminal out of the goodness of their heart. That's not how laws work. That's not why laws exist.
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