So I have the game legitly, install it and this is what I get.
Cmon... award the people that actually buy your games!

Mine too, except it says the 23rd at 8:00

check the thread below couple people have the game and been playing it
gota put in a code or something not sure

This is seriously ****. All the Xbros get to play now. Let me activater my damn game.

Even with the internet not connect it wont. It just refues to install with out an internet connection. This is where I have a serious problem. No where on the box does it say I need an internet connection to play the game. So If I didn't have a internet connection, I couldn't play Crysis 2. **** CRYTEK

ADDED:... ok... says I need internet connection to play in fine print... BUT STILL ****!

ea support
ggogoogog call em

Just another way to shaft the audience that made you what you are.

Thanks Crytek. I stayed up for nothing. Assholes.

when does steam activate their games? midnight? and what about some Gamestop stores that are doing midnight releases?

Perhaps the activation servers on the west coast, meanings it's still not 3/22 there. Try again in an hour or two and it might work.

Cant even DL Limited Edition Centent also!!!!!

I have been speaking with them for the past hour over chat and here is my dialog:::

Chat Transcript Frank via Chat 03/21/2011 10:53 PM
Hi, my name is Frank. How may I help you?
2266533321: Why is it that I cant play Crysis 2?
2266533321: I purchased it retail at midnight, which everyone advertises for a midnight release, but I am getting a message that says that I cant play until 10 AM?
2266533321: Please tell me this is'nt so because I usually don't go around giving away my money for free
Frank: I would like to inform you that the servers will be up by 10 AM so i would request you to wait for sometime.
2266533321: I dont need a server to play the campaign
Frank: Its not released till now.
2266533321: And Im sure the Xbox and Ps3 users aren't locked out of their purchases
2266533321: So why is it on sale then?
2266533321: How do I contact a manager?
2266533321: Im sorry I know its not your fault, but If I just walked up to you and took 60 dollars but said hey dont sweat it ill give it back at 10 AM you would not allow it and you would call the police on me
Frank: I would like to inform you that its a preorder.
2266533321: It is not
2266533321: I have a physical copy in my hands with a receipt to prove it
Frank: I would request you to wait for some more time.
2266533321: Let me speak to a manager
2266533321: please
'EA Support' has joined the chat.
EA Support: Hello there, this is Ken. Supervisor on floor. May I have your first name please?
2266533321: Craig
EA Support: Hello Craig, How you doing today?
2266533321: I was doing ok
2266533321: and by today you mean March 22nd right?
2266533321: because today I bought Crysis 2 and cannot play it
EA Support: yes but we still have to wait for the launch of Crysis 2. which is at 10:00 AM CST.
2266533321: Where does it say that anywhere on the box?
2266533321: Ken, I'm gonna ask you the same question I asked Frank
EA Support: Please go ahead Craig.
2266533321: If I walked up to you and took 60 dollars, but said hey Ill give it back in 10 hours what would you do?
2266533321: Because that is exactly what Electronic Arts has done to me
2266533321: Im willing to bet you would either kick my ass or call the police
2266533321: and I wouldn't blame you for either
EA Support: Ok, you have the Preorder and that means you will get In game items but you can only play after the launch of the game. Right?
2266533321: I have a physical copy I purchased from Walmart
EA Support: we still have 13 more hrs for the launch http://www.ea.com/crysis-2
2266533321: I have a DVD ROM and Physical copy in my drive as we speak
2266533321: Would you like a picture right next to my receipt?
EA Support: I appreciate that you bought the copy and try to understand so do I. We just have to wait a couple of more hours.
2266533321: You are not understanding
2266533321: I would understand if you said the Multiplayer Servers needed until 10 AM
2266533321: but I cant play the campaign
2266533321: I can do Nothing with this at all
2266533321: It is useless. I have the time to play it now, but at 10 AM I wont
EA Support: Craig, the game will only after one time activation for which we need to wait till launch time.
2266533321: I have never seen an advertised launch time, I have however seen a launch date of March 22nd 2011
2266533321: Which I believe it is
2266533321: I know its not your fault, or Franks, but I really dont think you know what you are doing here
2266533321: You are taking money for a service that doesnt exist.
EA Support: please visit http://www.ea.com/crysis-2 for the official time of the launch.
2266533321: I dint buy a preorder from walmart
2266533321: What if I bought it on PS3 or Xbox?
2266533321: would I be playing the campaign right now?
EA Support: Craig, its the same thing when we book movie tickets in advance. Don't we wait till the show time?
EA Support: PS3 and X360 will also have to wait till the time.
2266533321: only for multiplayer not the campaign
EA Support: Yes.
2266533321: I want to play the Campaign on PC now just like the PS3 and Xbox owners are
2266533321: I dont want to be penalized for having a 3000 dollar console instead of a 250 dollar one
EA Support: Sorry Craig, we will have to wait till launch time.
2266533321: Then I will have to report a robbery
2266533321: This is seriously ridiculous
2266533321: I understand that cant push the time that they boot the activation servers up, but I want to know why it was sold before 10 AM if I cant use it till then
2266533321: I did not in any way shape of form purchase a preorder
EA Support: Craig, As I said earlier, I'm saying again that we will have to wait till 10:00 AM launch time to play the game. Now is there anything else I can assist you with apart from this.
2266533321: You can give me the phone number of your boss
2266533321: Im not mad at you
2266533321: but this is awful
EA Support: Frank is passing you on the number of phone support.
Frank: If you want to contact us by calling, then you can call 650-628-1001, this service is available between 8AM PST till 5 PM PST.
2266533321: I want a supervisor number
2266533321: not general support
2266533321: Ive already been through two tiers
2266533321: I dont want to have to re explain my frustrations
2266533321: only to be passed around
EA Support: You can straight away ask for supervisor in phone support too.
2266533321: Do you understand why its a terrible idea to sell something people cant use?
2266533321: Last Friday did people buy new Ipads so they could wait 10 hours to turn them on?
2266533321: I know this is all recorded so you cant agree with me, but you know I'm right
2266533321: Id want to keep my job too
EA Support: Craig, Is there anything else I can do for you today? Because we have to wait till 10:00 AM CST for the official launch of the game.
2266533321: Yes one last thing
2266533321: Please be sure to let someone know that next time that EA releases a high profile game, that they should probably be ready for it. I have seen plenty of advertisemants promoting a game that is released on March 22nd 2011, but here I am on March 22nd 2011 talking with you instead of enjoying my purchase.
2266533321: This will not be taken lying down
2266533321: and I will call support and let them know how incredibly disappointed I am as well
2266533321: Like I said, I know its not your fault and Im sorry
2266533321: I have been difficult, but I feel you needed to know how upset I am about the way things have worked out.
EA Support: Totally understandable Craig
2266533321: Thanks
Frank: Thank you for your participation. Have a wonderful day. For future reference, a transcript of this chat can be found within the ‘My Stuff’ above.
2266533321: bye

assholes

that is just insane man
never heard of this happening

Ya i bought it too at wally world tonight just got done installing it and same thing
after i type in the serial key it says not available till 9AM march 22............

o_O .... stayed up for this...... sigh..... o well waited this long i guess another
8 hours wont kill me but still really disappointing

Stupid morons are going to alienate people who actually give a crap about stuff like this. How do you release a product, then say "oh wait you can't play until I say"

Dude, seriously...... get bent...... it's probably because they're finishing up some last minute patches to insure that the game doesn't cause any serious stability problems if you try and start it up as is, so they want to make sure your computer doesn't have any serious issues when you try running the game, and they need the servers to be up before the PCs and consoles can download the product, so they can send it your way.

XBox and PS3 players don't get to play early, either. It is also very possible this is an anti-piracy thing, which we have YOU PC gamers to thank, given the ridiculous amount of piracy that made the first Crysis a financial flop (hence why the game is being released on consoles now instead of a PC exclusive). Or maybe some of the content needed to run the campaign is somehow dependent on an online update of sorts to download part of the install files (plenty of programs do this, too, and require an internet connection for installation). The game is HUGE, so I would understand if they chose to use online downloads for part of the installation instead of using multiple discs to cut down on mass-production costs. They can't make that happen out of thin air, so they need their servers to be up first before they can do ANYTHING, which won't be until morning. So please, PC gamers, quit yer bichin'.

It's to your benefit. Stop whining about having to wait a few hours to play. The fact that you seemingly have nothing better to do between midnight and 10am than to play videogames speaks miles...... Stop accusing the company of stealing when you don't know why they're doing it; it's to your benefit, so stop it. Just.... stop. You're the one sounding greedy because you want what you want and don't seem to understand why the company is doing what it's doing.

If it's a last-minute fix to accommodate some serious stability issue that was discovered while distribution was underway, then it's to your benefit to just wait a few hours.....

Just go to bed, get some rest and by morning everything'll be fine. You all seem like you need naps, anyway........ Jesus Christ.......

Nobody's being stupid morons on EA/Crytek's side of things. You just need to calm yourselves and maybe you'll see why there's a delay come morning.

First off, you have no idea what's going on. Second off, I resent that fact that you implied that basically all PC gamers are to blame for this. There is a lot of piracy, and I get that. Assigning blame in a blanket statement scores you no points here.

The beef here is that the game is being sold while the company is fully aware that it isn't "technically" available until a certain time. That certain time was only shown in one place. No TV ads of any kind indicated that there would be a specific time of release as well. While I can't call it complete false advertisemant, it's very close to that.

So we give them time to release patches. Okay, I'm going to assume you are not a software developer, while I have been in the past to various projects. You do not give people the software, the key, and everything else, but tell them they can't install until you say because you have to work out the kinks. That's grossely unprofessional and many software companies would get their you know what handed to them if they did that.

The fact that you're on the defensive about my statement indicates you have zero knowledge of how product releases actually work. You don't launch a product, hype it up, and then restrain your consumers for a period of time because you can, or you have to fix things, or you have to plan a "coordinated" release. If there were problems then they shouldn't have bumped the launch date from the 25th to the 22nd. If they wanted to coordinate the release, they could have easily scripted the midnight launch just as easy as the 9 AM or 10 AM or w/e it is.

I'll add one more thing. There are reports of console users able to play the campaign now yet PC users aren't. If that is true, then EA needs to issue an apology for alienating the PC gamer base that made this game what it is today. Possibly some additional bonuses and such. There is no reason to bump up a launch date like this and then hold everyone to a period of time.

Veranor, I have a console and I can't play the game. Therefore you're full of ****, sorry. I don't know where you get these "reports" but the servers for those particular areas may have come online before yours. Mine hasn't, so I haven't yet received the patch update that some other players have been able

Second of all, I know damn well what's going on. I don't think you do, and that's why you're biching.

Third of all, it's possible that the PC version requires a download because the game is HUGE, and thus the disc you get only comes with the install and setup-related files and a portion of the game due to the space limits on the disc, and the rest is through online download. This is not uncommon with PC games, especially the very, very big ones because making online downloads is less expensive than having to manufacture multiple setup discs. However, you can't download something if the servers aren't set up, so therefore you can't access the game until they get that ready. Which brings me to #4:

Fourth of all, EA/Crytek aren't responsible for getting the servers up. Servers are given by the companies whose platforms are running the game. Sony is having serious financial issues right now due to a legal dispute, and has been having trouble getting good server support for several of its recent titles. It is possible that EA/Crytek was told everything was on schedule and didn't realize until the last minute, and therefore are probably just as pissed as you are. This is also not uncommon when it comes to 3rd-party developers having to put up with the crap of other companies who can't seem to get their **** together. This could've happened as recently as the night before (devs are no stranger to those late-night phonecalls, believe me).

So, NOT EA/Crytek's fault, has absolutely nothing with delaying launch, and they aren't going to do that if the game was already distributed to stores over the weekend with peoples' pre-orders already in.

Honestly, people would be more pissed if their game was delayed the night before than if they just had to wait until 10am.

So kindly quit yer bichin', because you have no idea what's going on, and you're blowing this out of proportion. It's only a few hours.

It's not the end of the world, kid. Just go to bed or something and by morning it'll be fine. No need to bich and whine about this like somebody just punched a kitten. Jesus **** Christ...... :/

Dudes, i must wait 3 more days, so calm down

geez, I bet most of the people moaning about this stuff are not even over the age limit, otherwise just grow up!

Note I said "if" it was true. I guess you didn't read that part. Like I said... I'm not mad about playing Crysis 2 at a certain time. I could care less about the game. My problem is that this is slowly becoming a trend and you fail to realize that if this continues, it could happen on all game releases. If they bumped the launch date back to the 25th because they weren't ready, I can understand and respect that. They didn't, so at midnight, unless otherwise noted, I expect to be able to purchase a game and play it.

Its like getting a gallon of milk. When you buy it, you can drink it, put it in your fridge, or whatever you want with it. With this condition in place, you can buy it, but not drink it, nor put it in your fridge until they tell you. Milk may not be the best example because it can sour; however, its a good example because it can sour. The souring condition is all the people who have to wait.

Again you didn't answer the question: why release 3 days early if you're not ready? If the servers aren't up, then you aren't ready. If the game needs several patches before use, then you aren't ready.

Notice I haven't really flamed or attacked you in the way you are attacking me. Yet you call me a kid. In truth, I have worked in software development, and I know that this is very bad practice to release a product, yet not really release a product. We handle software updates on a routine basis. The customers we have are okay if we have to push a release back due to working out the kinks. But we would be absolutely screwed if we released that with kinks, then shut off their license to prevent installing as mitigation. We've done it in the past (in their infinite wisdom) and have lost customers as a result.

Games are a different beast, but the concept is still the same.

Willertz said he just used his CD key and it worked. But I suppose you already tried that right?

Always though he was full of sh@t.

I just tried it again and it activated for me. Setting up my key bindings now. Happy gaming everyone!!!

I won't get a chance until later this evening, well after the "time."

GL everyone.