* While the store page is up, and the game is completed in French, I still got to finish the English translation. It’ll be ready before the release day.
Also my creator page is now into French + English.
What happened?
This announcement is simply an explanation of what was going on since Sunday the 12th.
Both “Hack the Core” and “Red and Blue”, when they were released on Steam, were Free to Play. Anyone could get them. Later, I got mixed reviews for very good reasons, so I improved both stories and priced them at 0.99 USD. Both games got a price at Nov 15th, 2018.
Now, a new “package” or license was created for the paid version and the old (free) license was hidden/masked from the Steam Store. I had no idea that somebody, using external means, could get that free package/license, so imagine my surprise when I saw 90k+ retail downloads for both games. I thought my account was hacked or something.
I won’t go into details about how said manipulation was done, nor blame any external website or software for said incident to occur. It had happened, it’s done, what matter is what’s coming next.
Since those unauthorized downloads were continuing, getting higher than 120k, I had to pull the plug out, so I removed the free package. By doing so, I stopped all the unauthorized DDL, but it also removed the game for everyone’s library. Well, everyone who got it for free before Nov 15th, 2018. The paid users are unaffected by this, since this is another license.
That was done on Sunday the 12th. To avoid, well, getting in hot water, I had given back the keys for both games to anyone who requested them. I had done that since Sunday, but I cannot give keys away forever either.
So today, the 15th, will be the last day I grant keys to replace the lost FREE LICENSE for “Hack the Core” and “Red and Blue”. Thank you and good day to all.
I’m still taking keys requests for both “Hack the Core” and “Red and Blue” if you previously got it for free on Steam.
I Must Stop Them - Free Version Removed And A Huge Apology
I found out the trouble with all those unauthorized downloads for “Hack the Core” and “Red and Blue” come from a glitch with SteamDB and also something to do with ASF.
Anyway, since those downloads keep coming (more them 92k units already !!!) I had to stop them NOW, so I had removed the free version’s access, which means that everyone that got the games for free will lost them from their libraries, including the honest customers who got them where they were FREE on Steam.
I give to everyone my hugest apology. I didn’t want to end this huge issue that way, but it’s done.
If you previously get the game for free legally via Steam and want a key, you may contact me by PM on Steam or at https://www.facebook.com/miabcgames or leave a comment here.
Free/masked commercial packages downloaded in mass.
I find out today somebody (or a group) found out a way to download the old/masked from steam FREE commercial package for both “Hack the Core” and “Red and Blue”. They had both been downloaded a lot today and this is discouraging. Now, I had contacted Steam Support to solve this mess as fast as possible. Oh and I requested those same commercial packages to get a price ASAP. That should help a bit. Anyway, if you do like those games, please consider buying them.