NDA broken! Endwar beta video leaked online [update 2]
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jun 18th 2008 at 2:00PM }
Update: We probably didn't make it clear that this leaked Endwar beta video isn't our original work and was actually sent to us as a tip. We just figured we'd pass it along. Never would we intentionally break an NDA agreement, especially one enacted by Ubisoft and their well paid lawyers.
Sit back, watch and marvel at what enjoyment a broken non-disclosure agreement (NDA) can bring with the embedded video above. Yup, it's a ten minute introductory video (off-screen, but we can deal) of what Tom Clancy's Endwar is all about. It's the definitive Endwar beta experience that non-beta participates always wanted! Enough talky, more watchy ...
[Thanks, Derka]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
psychohog @ Jun 18th 2008 2:09PM
Wow, looks pretty impressive.
Jon @ Jun 18th 2008 2:10PM
wow be respectfull xbox 360 fanboy dont post NDA broken material
Zac LaCombe @ Jun 18th 2008 2:11PM
...this is why we can't have nice things...
Jon @ Jun 18th 2008 2:19PM
really hope this kid gets caught, and punished by microsoft and Ubi.
everyone report the video for copyright infringement
JW @ Jun 18th 2008 2:40PM
Wow. You may very well be the largest tool I have ever seen. Congrats on that.
Jon @ Jun 18th 2008 2:43PM
yeah your right im a tool, i hope you never create anything and someone steals the idea from you and makes millions, then you will be saying the same thing.
adium @ Jun 18th 2008 2:50PM
Jon, you have no idea what you're talking about
T-BoNe254 @ Jun 18th 2008 3:18PM
Jon, that has nothing to do with posting a ten minute video of a Games beta. So if you are going to make a comparison; make a valid one otherwise you come off as an idiot. Anyway, can you tell me why you want this video taken down and this person punished? Maybe you that would clarify what you said.
offday @ Jun 18th 2008 3:07PM
If anyone actually believed that the NDA wouldn't be broken, you're an idiot. And who cares. Nothing is going to happen to the guy that broke it, and nothing should. Stop trying to be super NDA upholder man.
Zac LaCombe @ Jun 18th 2008 3:11PM
While he's being a tool about it, Jon's right. No matter what they do about it, this person broke a law and a contract, and they can lawfully sue that person or get them banned. It's not about "thinking it wouldn't get broken". It's the fact that Ubisoft gave this person a first look at the game to give their opinion with one set of rules, and this person found the need to breach a contract.
DjDATZ @ Jun 18th 2008 3:25PM
I would have to agree with Zac completely.
JW @ Jun 18th 2008 3:36PM
So what? Is the world going to end now because someone has breached EndWar's Beta NDA? Will the seven plagues of Revelation devour our souls for having bared witness to such inconceivable acts of debauchery? Shall our society crumble down into shades of malice and remorse for having been subjected to something so flamboyantly evil?
Probably not since its a Beta and when you place such a high priority on a Beta you become very monkey-like. Now, if someone broke an NDA that put people in harm's way, then yes; I would share your concerns. However, this is an NDA for a freakin Beta version of a video game and the only reason the Beta testers are irate is because their exclusivity has been compromised.
Calm down, go outside, and help the world figure out how to ween their dependencies off of oil instead of berating someone for showing a blurry video for a game that doesn't have that much hype behind it to begin with. Seriously, do something constructive.
On that note, back to work.... enjoy your fanboyisms.
DiscoGhost @ Jun 18th 2008 4:36PM
That video totally helped me steal intellectual property and finish off my new game: Start War.
Arnob @ Jun 18th 2008 5:33PM
@JW ok and now you're being the biggest tool, congrats!
JW @ Jun 18th 2008 5:46PM
Arnob... wow, you're original. Way to think that up all by yourself there genius. Any other bright insights for us? I mean, really; I have my notepad out ready to go. Let me be enthralled by the wisdom that is Arnob.
Knight Marquise @ Jun 18th 2008 8:00PM
JW...
Wow, where to even begin with your unintelligent post.
It's obvious you're not a business owner, nor working in an industry where information is money. I have all my clients sign NDA's, and most my contractual negotiations involve NDA's. It's very common, and were someone to break an NDA, yes I would sue them, and would expect no less were I to break one.
Why don't you do something constructive like take a business course and while you're doing that, I'm going to go fill my diesel truck up, and gleefully continue my dependance on oil.
tony @ Jun 18th 2008 2:53PM
what a dumb ass. end war is not an mmo!!! hope you have fun playing in a jail cell. youll be the mmo in prision buddy for recording this like a total dumb shit.
xenocidic @ Jun 18th 2008 6:11PM
if i wasn't under NDA i'd tell you how wrong you are !
kyle.massin @ Jun 18th 2008 2:26PM
who the hell cares its his choice, if yah don't wanna watch it then don't watch.
Paulo Eifel @ Jun 18th 2008 2:31PM
I don`t know what the fuss is about?! It`s a video of a videogame BETA.. Nobodys gonna die if you`re gonna look at it. People these days!
I for one am glad that someone out there had the guts to put this vid online!
Cheers
Grimm @ Jun 18th 2008 2:38PM
I'm gonna tell you guys straight up...this is worth fussing about. This game utilizes some really nice tech and plays like making love to a vegas stripper. Some nice voice recognition software too by the way.
SugarDaddy @ Jun 18th 2008 3:00PM
haha... making love to a vegas stripper? making love? hahaha. making love... that ain't love, buddy.
Vcize @ Jun 18th 2008 3:11PM
But she said I was special.
DarkNightRJ @ Jun 18th 2008 2:38PM
Im not sure why they even have a NDA but I wouldn't be posting videos about the game on youtube.
Trogdor @ Jun 18th 2008 2:42PM
The trouble is that as a beta tester you sign a non-disclosure agreement with Ubisoft that says you will not share anything not already publicly available with any third party. This is a clear violation of this and if the person is caught they could face some severe consequences.
I'm in the beta and I don't even talk to my friends about it. I'm not sure if that would be a violation, but I just want to stay faithful to the spirit of the agreement. Principles and all....
Snapster88 @ Jun 18th 2008 2:50PM
Hear hear!
-Fellow Beta Tester
Jon @ Jun 18th 2008 2:50PM
the NDA is there for protection of intellectual property rights and technology. Since the game is in early stages of development Ubi doesn't want people's impressions compromised when playing a game that is only 50% complete.
As a beta tester im trying to make the game better so when you play it, it plays correctly and you have a good time.
mike shea @ Jun 18th 2008 10:44PM
you guys are BEYOND lame
omg so secrets.
JW @ Jun 18th 2008 2:49PM
Yes, I'm sure someone is going to run right out and create StartWar. Then, I'm sure they'd be able to develop it and get it working within the timeframe that this game will be released.... all without having to deal with a lawsuit from Ubi. Seriously, children like you really need to learn how to think before you talk, er, type.
This type of thing hurts no one except the marketing arm at Ubi. All of this material is copyrighted and if someone were to try and make money off of it, that is a different story and would be subject to legal action. Now, go find yourself a hole and stay there so that the grown ups and can talk. Better yet, go play in the street......
Jcarpio @ Jun 18th 2008 2:54PM
While this is true.. the obvious disregard for the NDA might preclude companies in the future to not have closed betas to the extent ubisoft is doing.
JW @ Jun 18th 2008 3:04PM
Precisely. Closed Betas in any form are pointless because you need a large amount of testers to really understand the impact that a large density of players will have on your system. There is a reason why Halo 3 Beta was pretty much open to everyone.
Now, I'm not saying Halo 3 is a good game. In fact, I did not like it. However, you cannot deny that their online system is the best in class because its been tested to the extreme. Closed Betas provide little in the way of constructive feedback when you consider the size of your potential audience. That is a simple fact and any type of rebuttal is fruitless when you look at the facts alone. Logic dictates that certain parameters are useful and others are not.
Now, Isn't that your ball in the road.....
Neon Jebus @ Jun 18th 2008 3:09PM
Jcarpio, this isn't the first time nor the last time a NDA will be broken for a beta program. Nor will it keep companies from doing them in the future.
Is it a crap move to post the video, sure it is. But my issue is mostly because I didn't get into the beta. For people like me, this lets me see an early for of a game I'm really looking forward to. Well, if I could watch the video right now (I'm at work).
As for Jon's comments...this isn't being tossed out in order to steal some secret sauce. It's to show off and brag they are playing something others aren't. Turn it down a notch.
Trogdor @ Jun 18th 2008 3:21PM
Who are you to presume that this hurts nobody? Are you a property rights lawyer? The fact of the matter is that there is a legal agreement and this guy broke it.
People have no respect for anything anymore. Let me guess, you're one of those people who drive 85 on the freeway and then feels they've been wronged when they get a ticket.
JW @ Jun 18th 2008 3:38PM
Who am I? I am someone that doesn't place all of his emotional dependencies on video games since there are far more important things to worry about in this world than someone breaking EndWar Beta's NDA. I'm someone who very much believes in adhering to rules and regulations since I work in the government sector on wireless communication development. I'm also someone that does not get attached to video games simply because I was in a very exclusive party of people testing a Beta version.
I tend to place my priorities on constructive things, like solving our country's energy problems or finding new ways to support disaster locations with wireless communications, but hey... in comparison to breaking EndWar's Beta, such priorities have no merit in your eyes, do they?
Thats who I am.
I will reciprocate and ask you, who are you? Though honestly, I really don't care given the lack of foresight you've expressed thus far. I'd probably have more fun talking to a cage full of monkeys at banana time.
Jcarpio @ Jun 18th 2008 3:40PM
Actually in this closed beta.. we mostly have people that actually want to play the game and report back on what they find and/or their impressions.
I've also run into less d-bags that run around calling every racial slurs.
Dr. Jones @ Jun 18th 2008 2:53PM
This will be down within a few hours. Watch it while you can.
bonzai @ Jun 18th 2008 3:07PM
Way to encourage breaking the NDA Dustin and X3F. Bunch of stand-up guys we got running this site...
kyle.massin @ Jun 18th 2008 3:13PM
They are not encouraging anything they are merly posting a video jesus. People need to settle the fuck down lol.
Neon Jebus @ Jun 18th 2008 3:17PM
So tell me which is more likely to get Ubisofts attention; me sending them an email saying there is a video of game footage out there, or a post on a popular blog site reporting there is footage out there?
I mean, to some people they might think they are actually helping Ubi by making sure they know it's out there in the open. Almost like a good samaritan.
Wet blanket.
bonzai @ Jun 18th 2008 3:20PM
OK Neon Jebus, by your reasoning, I live in a city with a high-rate of murder that isn't being addressed. I should go out and kill as many people as I can to get on the news so that the murder problem is exposed to the masses. That plan sounds great.
Neon Jebus @ Jun 18th 2008 3:26PM
Wow because killing and posting a video of a game are like the same thing aren't they? What next call Dustin a Nazi? Just going a bit over board.
So tell me when all that coverage of those girls beating that other girl was all the rage on TV, was that a terrible thing. Shouldn't the press just contact the police and not report on it?
I have an issue with your logic.
Ubi should have the video removed and remove the person from the beta. Not have him brought up on charges and sent to Guantanamo which is the tone a lot of others are taking on this.
dancingtosirens @ Jun 18th 2008 3:11PM
Im actually really disgusted that X360F would post something that is clearly illegal, such as this NDA broken video.
Way to keep your journalistic integrity guys...
Then again, I just looked at who wrote this article, and it's Dustin, so Im not surprised. He's probably the least professional writer I've ever seen
bonzai @ Jun 18th 2008 3:15PM
Agreed.
When I first heard Dustin I thought they hired a 13 year old boy, but I found out differently after seeing his picture. Anyways, I guess he still acts 13.
Dustin Burg @ Jun 18th 2008 4:00PM
nah, he sounds and acts as if he were at least 16 years old. at least.
ericdrum @ Jun 18th 2008 4:13PM
I heard that it was Dustin who let the dogs out.
ZEBRA NINER @ Jun 18th 2008 4:20PM
I heard Dustin was 7 feet tall and could kill hundreds of men with one strike of his mighty sword. I also heard that he could shoot lightning bolts from his ass.
So, I guess the truth lies somewhere in the middle. He's a 13 year old boy that shoots lighting bolts from his ass.
BerNasty @ Jun 18th 2008 4:55PM
Too funny! When did gamers start getting their panties in a bunch so easily. What happened to enjoying games; and if someone broke a rule every now and then giving him/her some constructive criticism that would let him/her know that what they did was wrong but also letting them know that its ok life goes on. As some poster said earlier, we have much bigger issues in the world.
kyle.massin @ Jun 18th 2008 3:22PM
@ Neon Jebus: This is a site to post news and the leaked footage is news. I see it as the same way It's more likely to get Ubi's attention being posted on a site like this. I still stick with my orginal thought Ubi knew it was gonna get leaked it was just a matter of time.
Sean @ Jun 18th 2008 3:36PM
Since he's broken an NDA, Ubisoft can request information from Youtube to help identify the user if they wish. All they would require is an IP, which they can then use to contact the relevant ISP, and the rest goes from there.
That's if they wish to chase it up, anyway.
blkhwk67t @ Jun 18th 2008 4:01PM
Not only is this a guy a douche bag for leaking video out, he's not even smart enough to figure out what makes this game fun to play. Voice commands. Voice commands add a entirely new element to this, and hopefully other RTS games.
I don't understand why people are trying to justify breaking the NDA. Sure it doesn't hurt anyone but in the end you "signed" a legal agreement w/ Ubi saying that you wouldn't release this material. This guy broke that legal aggrement and should be held accountable.
As far as X3F posting the video, I don't have a problem w/ it because it is news worthy to everyone who isn't in the beta. It's not like someone on X3F staff broke the NDA just so they could be the 1st to show the video on the interwebs.