With such a strong pedigree in the PC community, those who chose to invest in Crysis 2 - not just download a pirated copy - only to find that the multiplayer component made it to retail with a fair number of bugs were likely both surprised and disappointed.

The PC platform is obviously no stranger to creative and unsportsmanlike hackers, but to see the phenomenon in this age of super-sensitive DRM and companies happy to ban players is a bit shocking.

Hacks are still far too prevalent, with Infinity Ward still struggling with Modern Warfare 2, and Crysis 2 now added to the list of games susceptible to commonplace cheats. Crytek isn’t taking it lying down though, having recently released their newest security update to help close up the loopholes being exploited.

Rather than attempting to ignore the problem and bury the security upgrades into a larger patch, the developer’s post on the MyCrisis forums makes it abundantly clear who they’re aiming at:

Crytek is also making sure they keep the general population of the online community from falling into a sea of accusations, as there are still plenty of reasons for players to be given an advantage without outright hacks. While they wouldn’t give any details on exactly what punishment awaits those using hacks, Crytek’s post on the Crysis 2 blog made it clear that hackers won’t be getting away with their activities:

If there’s one way to make sure that fans of your game become nothing but frustrated with their online experience, it’s dragging your feet in addressing any hacks or vulnerable code. To be clear, we’re not talking about slight boosts or locked aim, we’re talking about Crysis 2 cheats that turn the online experience into a completely broken joke.

Have a look if you think we’re kidding (but be sure to turn down your volume):

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK7RE_TxzM4

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdf2aqnzbP4

It’s one thing for Black Ops fans to boost their stats against dummy opponents, but how a player can have an enjoyable time playing with hacks that turn the game into a farce is beyond us. Seriously, what’s the point? If these hackers have no desire to actually play the game, or truly enter the online arena, then just allow those who do to do so in peace.

Hacks and poor sports are a given in the modern gaming age, but to see a game as highly-anticipated and founded in the PC field be this open to cheats is an unfortunate surprise. While the PC crowd may have already broken Crysis 2 wide open - for now - we have to wonder if the PS3 version of the game is next. With a troubled PS3 demo for Crysis 2 and a system that’s been completely hacked, let’s all hope this won’t turn into a repeat of history. For everyone’s sake.

Crysis 2 looks to receive a fair share of security updates in the coming weeks, and is available now for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

Source: MyCrisis, EA