Chaosium’s decision to offer accessible entry points allowed newcomers to download free introductory rulebooks instantly.
During the long gap between the Kickstarter campaign and the delivery of physical books, PDFs of the "Quick-Start Rules" and early manuscript drafts began to circulate. Because physical copies were nonexistent or delayed, the PDF became the only way to play the modern version of the game.
The "viral Call of Cthulhu PDF" is no longer a single file circulating in the dark corners of the internet; it is a concept that changed the industry.
Probably.