Valve 1, Warez Kiddies 0

[SidewinderX]

That's right, Shacknews is confirming that Valve has deactivated 20,000 steam accounts which had tried to play Half-Life 2 without purchasing it.

Yesterday, Valve disabled approximately 20,000 Steam accounts which had been used to try to access Half-Life 2 without purchasing it. The method used was extremely easy for Valve to trace and confirm, and so there is no question that the accounts disabled were used to try and illegally obtain Half-Life 2.

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And I feel that this needs to be cleared up as well...

First, Valve did not put out any kind of fake key or fake warez or hack instructions to trap people. The hack came from the "community" as do they all. Second, the number of people who actually had bought HL2 and used the CD key cheat was VERY small. VERY small. Most people just tried to rip off the game and not bother buying it.

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Kudos to Valve.

 

[Bio]

Hahahahah, Take That Mother****ers!

 

[Ecthe|ioN]

Yeah, I read this earlier. Go valve. Way to pwn the warez kiddies! :thumbs:

 

[Murray_H]

Now they've got some pirates, how about letting university students play easily.....pleeeeeeaaaasssssssseeeeeeee

 

[Adrien C]

20 K whoa !

 

[Insano]

All of them make another account with another key and they can play for another month, and so on, and so on...

 

[WARLORD]

wait... they try to play a warez game on multiplayer?? are they dumb or something?

 

[Varsity]

All of them make another account with another key and they can play for another month, and so on, and so on...

Except the loophole has been closed.

 

[AshTheIdiot]

wait... they try to play a warez game on multiplayer?? are they dumb or something?

you're still gonna need to go via Steam to even play the single player HL2. so i doubt they were playing online

this is why the via Steam method was put in, now Valve are just gonna hope that these 20,000 (!) cheap ****s buy the game!

 

[WARLORD]

nope, with a crack they dont need steam for single player :/

 

[Ti83Plus]

man warze kids are getting dumb.. can;'t believe they got caught that easily.. cause honestly half life 2 was an easy pirate.. not by me i was dumb enough to shell out 115$ for the collectors edition in the stores.. i also scanned my bill and sent it gabe newell to make sure i get DOD for free considering i paid more than all 3 steam options and got less... i also with 2 of my other friends bought steam silver for my other.. half life 2 doesn't even work on it... if i ever seen newell on the street i'd attack him but i'm afraid he'd think i'm food and eat me. if valve wants to learn how to make a CE version look at blizzard, their WOW CE version is actually worth the 115$.. ugh pisses me off

 

[SubKamran]

Whoo Biatches!

 

[gov_property]

I think comments on this, be they by HL2.net or who ever, should be nothing but neutral. Of course it is a topic about people doing ILLEGAL stuff, yet, Steams DRM Policies are somewhat questionable.

 

[Dipso]

Im not condoning piracy in any way here, but what if they where stupid enough to warez with an account where they had games they actually payed for? did they suddenly loose the right to use them to? That would be kinda like the store raiding my home taking everything i ever bought there because i shoplifted one item...

I have to say, as much as i enjoy the thought of some stupid warezers getting a lesson thought. The idea of valve passing judgment and law instead of the propper authoreties is disturbing, if this is a sign of things to come, its cause for concern.

Imagine the riaa entering your home and formating your harddrive and giving an assrape because you have mp3's (I actually own most of the albums i have ripped to mp3's, having an mp3 player shoulnd make me a criminal... )

I do think the latest trend in stripping the consumer of rights to own their own purchases is scary as hell. At this rate corporations will have more authority over how we live our lives then the government, or even our selves. SCARY

 

[mattgirv]

It is totally legal, they are playing games on a service that is given to them by Valve. If they break the terms of the agreement, then their account is then voided.

Fair play to Valve.

 

[SubKamran]

Yah, read the Terms of Agreement. Whether you like it or not, those warez people read it (or not) and they agreed to it. So Valve has every right to terminate their accounts.

 

[electronic squid]

Valve 1, Warez Kiddies 0

Uhhhh, the warez version doesn't require steam, or a steam account, valve simply baited people with a fake cd key and then disabled the account after a while, kinda pointless if you ask me

EDIT: (dont get all fanboy on me for saying this but i find it really hilarious that people get so defensive and rally around a video game that they didnt even create, or make any money off, take a visit to the steam forums for proof of this, jesus, welcome to planet earth, warez is and allways will be, monopolising the retail market with programs like steam aint going to change anything....most of these antics by valve are probably designed to interest shareholders).

 

[neozero]

It is totally legal, they are playing games on a service that is given to them by Valve. If they break the terms of the agreement, then their account is then voided.

Fair play to Valve.

I most definately agreee.

I mean if you buy the game and pay for it. you get to play. You really have no reason to complain. If it's a steam malfunction, then complain. I live on a colleg campus, and steam verified and decrypted the game in 15 minutes.

If anything this is our fault for pirating the game in the first place. Valve spent over a million dollars per month on this, and they did an excellent job. Of all the game companies out there, they actually deserve my money.

One thing about steam. Steam is something that is created for Valve's interests, but it does have some benifits to the consumer. Games have been downloaded since the original Doom, so it's not a new thing. But steam allows Valve to have complete control over the delivery of its software. So in the process, no publishers!

You want to know why the CE sucks? It's because vivendi was left out of the loop. Valve is trying to move toward getting more sales through steam, and will thus make more revenue. But, considering the kind of company Valve is, that is more Dev money. In other words, Steam helps Valve to produce better and better content. So just have faith.

 

[doom3fanboy]

There are warez version w/o steam out anyway, so it won't hurt any pirates. Some people who bought the retail had problems with cdkeys and tried some key they found online. Now their key is registered to a banned account. I don't think this is exactly legal. For those who said " But you should've read the EULA, terms of service or whatnot".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_license

It is unclear whether EULA licenses are enforceable in the United States

Steam for singleplayer still doesn't make sense. It only hurts the paying customers. I don't care about automatic updates. Most of them fix problems I don't even have . And if I need an update... well I do have Inet... I don't even like CS or DOD or any other MP mod, so why should I bother with steam?
If you don't even read the steamforums and you buy the silver package on a account that already has HL1 and CS:CZ you are screwed, b/c you just lost your second license for those games. It doesn't tell you that you have to create a second account to keep your games.
If you got your retail online you might not even know that you need Steam to activate HL2 : http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...ames/B00006I02Z/tech-data/103-7597339-0307844

And yes, there is such a thing as 500MB download limit "flatrates". Unpluging the network cable is no option.

So maybe it's more like Valve 1, Customer 0

And now prove me wrong you fanboys

 

[Incitatus]

Im not condoning piracy in any way here, but what if they where stupid enough to warez with an account where they had games they actually payed for? did they suddenly loose the right to use them to? That would be kinda like the store raiding my home taking everything i ever bought there because i shoplifted one item...

I have to say, as much as i enjoy the thought of some stupid warezers getting a lesson thought. The idea of valve passing judgment and law instead of the propper authoreties is disturbing, if this is a sign of things to come, its cause for concern.

Imagine the riaa entering your home and formating your harddrive and giving an assrape because you have mp3's (I actually own most of the albums i have ripped to mp3's, having an mp3 player shoulnd make me a criminal... )

I do think the latest trend in stripping the consumer of rights to own their own purchases is scary as hell. At this rate corporations will have more authority over how we live our lives then the government, or even our selves. SCARY

Nice post, :thumbs:

 

[Alec_85]

What happened to those who used the key but bought the game? Are those people banned too?

 

[pblse]

Some confusion here, yes there was a "trick" floating around to play it and apparently Valve closed that, however there is still a whole download of HL2 that do NOT require steam at all (or actually hacked steam client) that does NOT call back to Valve at all.

And yes, I have bought the game, I just keep track of these things ;-)

 

[PlagueX]

What happened to those who used the key but bought the game? Are those people banned too?

Yep and they earned it too. :afro:

 

[Camon_Draconis]

shouldnt it be Valve 2 warez kiddies 0. if i remember right, valve did this same thing about.... 3 or 4 months ago to false credit card users.


in that case the score should read

VALVe 2, Cheaters 0

 

[sHm0zY]

hahahahaa OWEND

 

[sKuNx]

Yay, I love you VALVe. I saw many ppl in german forums posting that their account was disabled and cried.

 

[Zerox]

if valve wants to learn how to make a CE version look at blizzard, their WOW CE version is actually worth the 115$.. ugh pisses me off

What? Vivendi are behind the retail CE's both the HL2 and WOW.

 

[doom3fanboy]

shouldnt it be Valve 2 warez kiddies 0. if i remember right, valve did this same thing about.... 3 or 4 months ago to false credit card users.


in that case the score should read

VALVe 2, Cheaters 0

Credit Card Fraud is something completely different. But if you see it like that: Valve banned 20k accounts. Most of them like 99%? Had no game on there except for the warezed HL2. You think they are going to buy the game now? lol
They might just play another warezed version that doesn't even require steam. Already forgot about those hacked CS:S versions, that even work online? I guess that makes it Valve 2, Warez 2.
Valve will never stop warez. It's just like with cheating. Someone will always have undetected cheats.
Maybe they should just concentrate on making good games, since those always sell. Or at least games that consumers want to buy.

 

[Vinnie_NL]

GG Valve.

I like it because I want that Valve can develop HL3 and because I've paid my hardearned money to play this game, and it would be unfair if someone else can play for free. I have too admit I download some wharez too but that's because I'm not sure I really like the game, and if I don't like it I will uninstall it (MOHAA Pacific Assault) and if I like it I will buy it (RollerCoaster Tycoon 3). But why don't try the demo if you want to try the game may some of you think, that's because demo's don't always show enough of the game too make a right decision, a good example of this is the RCT3 demo, where you can only have 45 min to build your park after the game quits, and a lot of attractions were unavailable to build. So I didn't see much of the game and I found the controls and interface weird so I didn't want too buy it. But when I say it on a bittorrent site I decided too give it a try and now I was able too see the real beauty of the game so I'm motivated to try to get better with the controls. And that's why I've bought the game which I wouldn't have done when I didn't dl-ed it first.

But with a game like HL2 it's very clear, you like it or you don't like it (is that even possible?). With it's very high scores in all the reviews there's no doubt that you will like it too even if you don't really like that type of games. With average games like Tribes Vengeance and SW Battlefront you really have to like that style of gameplay and/or be a fan of the material it's based on. And to find that out some demo's are sufficient, others aren't. But unfortunally there are people who dl a lot of games which they enjoy but don't buy it. But that isn't going to happen as much with HL2 as with other games because of the wonderfull program named after hot vaporised water.

 

[LAYP]

If they cracked the game, and never connected to the internet again. How could valve block their account?

 

[The Mullinator]

By the reasoning that alot of people have when it comes to Steam Valve should just give up on all forms of anti-piracy and only concentrate on making a game.

"Steam sucks because of anti-piracy. They should just concentrate on making good games."

Ya thats a good idea, just give up on piracy and allow absolutely everyone to simply go about copying the game to their hearts content. :upstare:

Steam won't stop piracy but I am 99% certain that it is limiting it. For its popularity HL2 is probably going to be one of the least pirated PC games out there thanks to steam.

 

[Maxi]

If they cracked the game, and never connected to the internet again. How could valve block their account?

They only blocked those who used the warez versions that had to connect to steam to work.

 

[SidewinderX]

Ok, well, I agree that Valve won't stop piracy. I never said they would.

But right now 20,000 accounts have been banned, the vast majority of them were people who were trying/ did pirate the game.

I don't think this is exactly legal. For those who said " But you should've read the EULA, terms of service or whatnot".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_license
Quote:
It is unclear whether EULA licenses are enforceable in the United States

Valve is not arresting you or charging you with any violation of the law. They are simply no longer providing you with thier service. If EULAs aren't enforcible by law, Valve isn't forced to provide you with the service in the first place. You don't have a legal "right" to have a steam account.

Anyway, no it won't stop piracy, but killing 20K accounts annoyed many of the pirates, and that's worth it.

 

[kingomar]

Except the loophole has been closed.

I bet the majority of people who are in offline mode with the crack are getting away with it...they will be able to continually play until they remove the username and password...

btw Im happy to see that steps are taken to crack down on these warez fools... :bounce:

 

[PeaceOfficer]

For its popularity HL2 is probably going to be one of the least pirated PC games out there thanks to steam.

Now that IS funny. Steam changes nothing.

 

[kernkraft]

I can't say how much I am in debt to Valve. If they can actually bring down the level of piracy in video games, it'd be a huge help to game developers (I am headed straight into that industry after university). If only 10% of the people who play games haven't paid for it instead of 50% (I don't know the real stats), it means better games for the players as well as more incentive for the developers to continue making them.

Might not happen but at least they're trying hard. And they should after what happened witht the source code...

 

[The Mullinator]

Now that IS funny. Steam changes nothing.

Really? Last I checked we don't have ANY statistics. Steam has and will continue to change things whether you see it or not is another story.

Like I stated Steam won't stop piracy but it certainly will limit it.

 

[oldagerocker]

Now they've made Half-life 2 secure, why dont they role out this VAC 2 and make CS:S a proper online game? CS:S is nothing without VAC 2.

It's good they stoped the warez, atleast with hl2.. thats one game i actually bought anyway

 

[A True Canadian]

I still don't see why many are getting upset over this.

If you don't do anything illegal, you won't be affected. Simple as that.

Sure you can't catch every theif out there, but if things like Steam become the norm, it will be discouraging for the pirates out there.


...32 more days 'till I get to play Half-Life 2!!

 

[NateRdz1145]

ok stupid question here....my brother bought half life 2 over steam....but he bought it through my comp because he hadnt purchased a vid card yet.....so we began playing on my comp......come to find out it worked on his comp with his current vid card......we have four comps in our house..all networked together....so if hes playing hl2 on his comp and i do the same thing at the same time... is that considered screwing valve over....since this post showed up i have stopped playing half life on my comp so his steam account wont be suspended...