Hi,

I'm wondering if it's legal to buy one copy of Crysis 2 to install on three computers at my home to play over LAN with family? I can't afford to buy three copies so I'm hoping it is.

Thanks

You can install it on up to 5 computers at a time. So yes, its totally legal.

You can install it on up to 5 computers at a time. So yes, its totally legal.

he he.
Yep.
Install it.
But will it run at 2 computers at the same time?
I never tried, but predict the answer @serial number allready in use@

download 2 pirate copies. XD

what the other guy said since EA was allows pirates and hackers to roam their servers. Just do that :3

us paying customers will just play SP because that's okay with cryteK

All right, thanks everyone! I'm glad it's legal!

They need to add Dedicated Servers that we can host our self's Internet or LAN and not have to pay for a dedicated server thats just dumb.

There is nothing illegal about doing it with any game. in fact its not even illegal to install it on your friends computer. It only becomes illegal if that one copy is being copied and played on multiple systems. UNLESS it has the ability to already do up to 5 systems as crysis seems to. but i think its 5 installs not 5 different systems.

Your license is actually for a 1:1 thing. You yourself own a license to run it while your friends do not. Your friends need to buy their own copies in order to play any portion of the game.

This kind of abuse is exactly the reason why traditional LAN games have disappeared. One person to one copy, not one copy to five machines. They let you install to five different machines as a convenience to you, the purchaser.

Steam-Presented agreement for Crysis 2 [Retrieved 28MAR2011]
1. Subject of the Agreement This limited license agreement for the use of the computer game CRYSIS (this "Agreement") is entered into between Crytek GmbH ("CRYTEK") and you, the end-user (the "Licensee" or "You"). The Agreement is made effective beginning on the date on which you, the Licensee, first download, install, load or otherwise use CRYSIS.

2. Grant of Limited License Subject to your agreement to, and full compliance with, the terms and provisions of this Agreement, CRYTEK hereby grants to Licensee a limited, personal, non-transferable and non-exclusive right (the "License") during the Term, as defined below, to use CRYSIS in accordance with the instructions provided in the manual or on the packaging of CRYSIS

Thanks for your replies everyone,
Your license is actually for a 1:1 thing. You yourself own a license to run it while your friends do not. Your friends need to buy their own copies in order to play any portion of the game.

Ah, I had a bad feeling that was the case. I understand just fine about the friends part, but it's ridiculous that I can't play it with my own family, in my own house, over LAN. They should allow that, it's not unreasonable.

This kind of abuse is exactly the reason why traditional LAN games have disappeared. One person to one copy, not one copy to five machines. They let you install to five different machines as a convenience to you, the purchaser.

This isn't exactly "abuse". Sharing it to friends, pirating the game, etc., is abuse, but playing over LAN in your own household isn't unreasonable. Should be one copy per household, lol.

If this is the case, then I've got several games I'll have to stop playing with my folks, which svcks.

Reasonable or not, it's VERY common (and in fact standard) in EULAs to tie the license 1:1. The reason for this is much like going to see a movie. You buy a game to play and experience it, therefore a 1:1 license (or performance). Makes sense as it's not so much the physical media that matters, it's the final intellectual property that holds the value.

LAN play has disappeared over time because people tried to use the "household" rule. This is why we have to log in (yet it fails for me because of the stupid gamesas account problems.. woo..), and play only with authenticated servers these days.

I can hardly imagine sales being harshly affected from people (family) playing in the same household. Piracy, and sharing between friends would be much more damaging (95%+). I think it's over the top, to the extent I'll probably stop buying PC games (save maybe for the occasional one). The Mac App Store seems much more appealing now, seeing as the license for any games (IIRC) extends to any and all Macs I own, I should be able to play them at the same time.

I thought the authenticated servers were just for preventing playing the game online with a pirated copy? Although, from what I've read in this thread that doesn't seem to be the case.

IIRC LAN disappeared on SC2 because of hacking. Couldn't it be the same in this case?

I can hardly imagine sales being harshly affected from people (family) playing in the same household. Piracy, and sharing between friends would be much more damaging (95%+). I think it's over the top, to the extent I'll probably stop buying PC games (save maybe for the occasional one). The Mac App Store seems much more appealing now, seeing as the license for any games (IIRC) extends to any and all Macs I own, I should be able to play them at the same time.

It's certainly not as much of an issue as large-scale piracy that comes in the form of Peer2Peer, or commercial piracy. I'd be surprised if the license for the games on the Mac Store also behave any different outside of the One Person : One License scope. (Hell, even Apple's iTunes store says the exact same thing, though they do give you the tools to stream music across your local network...)

I thought the authenticated servers were just for preventing playing the game online with a pirated copy? Although, from what I've read in this thread that doesn't seem to be the case.

IIRC LAN disappeared on SC2 because of hacking. Couldn't it be the same in this case?

Nope, LAN disappeared on Starcraft 2 due to Korea's massive use of illegitimate copies of Starcraft in LAN Centers and LAN parties. This also gave another punch since it required constant authentication of the license, and pushed people to buy their own copies for progression and so on.

In Crysis 2, you do not have access to the multiplayer menu (at all) without being online and authenticated (not counting the TAGES SolidShield DRM).

It's certainly not as much of an issue as large-scale piracy that comes in the form of Peer2Peer, or commercial piracy. I'd be surprised if the license for the games on the Mac Store also behave any different outside of the One Person : One License scope. (Hell, even Apple's iTunes store says the exact same thing, though they do give you the tools to stream music across your local network...)

I think it's like with iOS -- buy one and it's licensed to all your iDevices. It's the same with the Mac App Store, unless games can specify specific restrictions, which I don't think they can. I'll double check this though.

EDIT: I've been looking into this and it seems that third party license agreements apply as well, so it mightn't be the case. Also, it's licensed to all Macs you own, or control, not necessarily those in your household. iOS is probably the same, although I don't know. Gah, that's a shame.
Nope, LAN disappeared on Starcraft 2 due to Korea's massive use of illegitimate copies of Starcraft in LAN Centers and LAN parties. This also gave another punch since it required constant authentication of the license, and pushed people to buy their own copies for progression and so on.

In Crysis 2, you do not have access to the multiplayer menu (at all) without being online and authenticated (not counting the TAGES SolidShield DRM).
Ah ok, well I can understand that from the point of view of LAN centers and parties.