A group of PC gamers have pledged to buy Crysis Warhead in hopes of convincing Electronic Arts and Crytek to continue marching the bleeding edge first-person shooter series along the path of PC exclusive righteousness. Will their wishes prevail?
A mixture of software piracy and draconian system requirements dealt a solid blow to sales of the original Crysis. In response, Crytek announced plans to move into console development with its other properties. Though the Crysis series is currently slated to remain on the PC for the time being, the developers will be keeping a watchful eye on Warhead sales in planning their next move.
Console gamers may have their fingers secretly crossed; but the potential for Crysis to move to a multiplatform format in the future is a dismal thought for some hardcore PC gaming enthusiasts. In an internet petition containing 1877 digital signatures, concerned PC gamers have pledged to pick up a copy of Crysis Warhead and snub software piracy in order to prevent losing the series’ PC exclusivity. The group also pledges to support Crytek and other future PC developers who stick their necks out in creating quality titles on the platform.
“With the development of Crysis 2 and the Crysis franchise’s PC exclusivity resting on the success of Crysis Warhead, we must insure the future of the franchise and hardcore PC development that innovates and pushes gaming technology to its limits and gives us stunning technical achievements like Crysis, Half-life 2, Far Cry, Doom 3, etc.,” write the petitioners in an open letter to EA and Crytek.
The group expressed disappointment at lackluster Crysis sales, in comparison to other platform exclusive titles. They’re not alone. Crytek president Cevat Yerli believes software piracy is destroying the PC gaming platform and has spurred the developer to move away from offering future PC exclusive titles.
“I still want to have Crysis on the PC; the dominant platform should be PC. And Crysis should be on PC,” said Yerli in a recent IGN interview. “This is a philosophical decision here. We’ll see how it holds up here, and we see if our exclusivity is not rewarded, it will have consequences.”
