Killzone 3 and Crysis 2 leaked online
Pirated versions of Sony and EA titles available weeks before release
Both Sony and EA have in recent days suffered leaks of major upcoming titles, weeks ahead of their planned release dates.
A copy of Sony and Guerrilla's PlayStation 3 title Killzone 3 appeared on a number of filesharing sites over the weekend, and is rendered playable by home users due to the recent clutch of copy protection hacks.
The foremost of these was achieved by one George Hotz, who Sony is currently suing. The hacker recently posted a self-performed rap concerning the ongoing legal battle.
The source of 41.4GB Killzone 3 leak has not been identified as yet, but it is known to be the European version of the game. A smaller copy, with the stereoscopic 3D functionality removed, is apparently also available. The game is not due for retail release until Feb 25.
Meanwhile, last Friday saw the news that an early PC build of Crytek title Crysis 2 had been leaked online. The shooter, to be published by EA Partners, is due for release on March 22. The pirated version is believed to be a near-finished copy, playable from start to finish but strewn with error messages and missing elements.
In a joint statement, EA and Crytek claimed to be "deeply disappointed by the news. We encourage fans to support the game and the development team by waiting and purchasing the final, polished game on 22nd March.
"Crysis 2 is still in development and promises to be the ultimate action blockbuster as the series' signature Nanosuit lets you be the weapon as you defend NYC from an alien invasion.
"Piracy continues to damage the PC packaged goods market and the PC development community."
As yet, the game's Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions apparently remain secure.