An idea to combat the piracy of PC games.

[Irridium]

Piracy is a social problem. As such, it requires a social solution. Your not going to beat them using technology. That's their turf. Instead, I suggest reading over what Shamus Young suggests:

http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1558

There's also 2 more parts to that. The one I linked to was part 2, here's parts 1 and 3, respectively if you want to read.

http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1556
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1559

Like he said, try being nice to people. If it works, you get more sales. If it doesn't, they'll still pirate, which means this method is just as effective as DRM, but this method has the added bonus of costing less.

Piracy is a social issue, not a technical one. No wonder Publishers aren't doing well, they have pretty shit social skills.

 

[beniki]

This happens already doesn't it? Just with normal internet trolls though. Lots of *bleep*holes on the internet passing off virus bombs as games and porn.

So people already have learnt to avoid/check files before download. I guess you could hack the 'trusted' pirate accounts, or mimic them, but people do that for shiggles already.

 

[DeadEy3]

Something like that already happened.

http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2010/09/21/pokemon-patch-pirates-hit-by-hackers/

 

[Ken Sapp]

So, in the aftermath of the whole pool-pah that was the Crysis 2 leak, people have been acting as if this incident was going to destroy the sales of that particular game and malign that gaming platform for some considerable time.
What interests me is that people seem to think that once a game is leaked, you cannot stop people from downloading it.
I've had an idea for some time that I have suggested in threads every now and then, but it seems to have gone ignored. I'd like to know the feasibility of this method, and see if it's being used.

Basically, in the aftermath of a crack/leak, the publisher in question would flood every torrent site with fake copies of the game.
These could contain anything, junk code, the full game with a few crucial errors to stop people from using it, or even a demo to keep people a little satisfied.

People might eventually learn to distinguish between bona-fide copies and the fakes, but in that space of time, the employees uploading the fakes could alter them again.
Anybody trying to download the game would be getting a either a bad torrent of a a bad seed that would make the game unplayable upon completion of the download.
Is there a reason this doesn't happen, or does it happen and not work?

There are already companies set up for the purpose of fouling torrents with bad seeds and posting false torrents as well as harvesting IPs of those who pirate. There are also several methods for countering these methods. As usual as soon as one side comes up with something the other is working on a way to counter it.

Personally I don't think the only appreciable loss companies may see from pirates is when they put out a crap game and people are able to find out it is crap and not buy it. Loss of sales on crap titles? No big loss in my opinion. In general I suspect that more people are playing their games than would have bought them anyway. Legit customers are going to buy the game, and the vast majority of those who pirate will either purchase it later or never would have bought it in anyway.

I think the best opponent to piracy would be affordable digital downloads. The biggest problem I see with digital download services is the prices, on average they charge the same price for a digital download as they do for a boxed disc. They could easily drop the prices by a third and still turn a profit since they do not have to pay for stamping, packaging,shipping and storage of physical discs. Add on top of that the fact that the licenses can not be transferred(at least on Steam) and it eliminates losses to the secondhand market.

 

[Asehujiko]

Is there a reason this doesn't happen, or does it happen and not work?

Yes. Pirates are an immense source of word of mouth advertising and what do you think your customers are going to do when all they hear is "don't bother, this is unplayable shit" or perhaps got themselves a "full demo" too and found out themselves on release day?

 

[similar.squirrel]

This is all quite informative. I suppose, then, that the more 'natural' solution is to work with the pirates, in a sense. A symbiosis of sorts.
I really am sceptical about the idea of pirates being play-testers, though. Something that hinges on the human desire not to be a greedy machine is never a sound enterprise. Then again, an analogue to the music industry could develop, where the majority of revenue is made from concert tickets [ie purchases]. The problem there is that the difference between a pirated copy and a legit one is minimal [with the possible exclusion of multiplayer, but not all games have or need that].

More likely is the abandonment of the PC as a viable platform, though. Corporations tend to be extremely myopic, and consoles are safer in terms of profit in the short term.

 

[Treblaine]

PC gamers need to realise that the only way Publishers can stop PC piracy is to simply not release the game on PC and focus mainly on consoles.

So pirates can just fuck right off.

Fortunately we are reaching the point where pirated copies have significantly reduced functionality compared to the real version:
-wider integrated community
-Monthly, often weekly content updates, automatically
-more timely performance patches, automatically
-less restrictive DRM
-cloud save data
-Convenient launch/backup centre (steam)

It's getting to the point where you are just missing out too much with the pirated version and the pirated version offers no advantages (as restrictive DRM did before). The many Steam Deals mean the genuine version also make it far more enticing to buy for real and once you've got some games on Steam you want to add more to that list.

I think the best strategy to save PC gaming is not to try to attack piracy itself, but infuse the genuine version with properties that cannot be copied easily; Services.

Sure you can set up a virtual or clone network but that's not the same, there is a delay to everything and getting it all to work.

I think what will be really kill PC piracy is Per User Patches. That is the publisher provides a SERVICE of analysing your computer's hardware and patching the game for your unique hardware setup for maximum performance. That would be almost impossible to pirate, in fact you could make the game virtually unplayable unless they sign up to generate this custom patch for our unique hardware setup.

But the tech is not yet here.

The final nail will likely be a more to App-Store model, that is:
(1) free "version" like extended demos or cut down game FAR EASIER to get than via piracy
(2) Easy and cheap ($10-20) upgrade to the real version
(3) High Percent (70-80%) of profit directly to developer
(4) reach as wide a market as possible

The thing is technically it is EASY to pirate the App store but it is not a problem due to the economics.

I think this can be scaled up to big-budget games like Crysis without needing to bring in controlling publishers like EA. Consider Minecrafts premium Alpha and Beta access that is right now being applied to the upcoming Interstellar Marines.

 

[Faladorian]

That actually happened to me with Dead Space. Got a trap torrent, then EA sent me a nasty email. Nothing more than a funny story to tell.

Also, this reminds me of the ENN episode where they discuss the Witcher 2 having tons of DRM and many trap torrents active, "...to which pirates replied, 'Oh.. that's okay. It's the Witcher, we were only going to download it ironically anyway.'"

There's a way to get around ANY DRM. Even Assassin's Creed 2 with its ridiculous requirements (CD Key, Ubisoft Game Launcher platform, constant internet access to Ubisoft servers) it can all be easily remedied by a modified game launcher and a ubisoft server emulator.

I'm not justifying mass-piracy, but DRM really pisses me off; and also it doesn't freaking work.

 

[squid5580]

It could work, but it would only really slow the rate of piracy rather than stop it. Once the pirate realises it's fake they'll just go and download others till they get the right one. They won't stop at inconvenience and think they'll buy it.

It won't beat the determination of piracy, nothing ever will, that's the problem with all anti-piracy ideas.

And considering most torrent sites have comment sections for said torrents it wouldn't take long for people to realize it was bunk and not download that one. The only thing you are going to do is annoy a few people and make them wait a little longer.

 

[Exterminas]

The Punchline is that there is no way to limit piracy.
Never. Ever.
All you are doing with DRM and stuff is to annoy the people who actually payed for your game.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Why not just have a code in the back of the instruction booklet that comes with the game when you buy it that is required for you input into the game, the code would unlock the game and allow itself to be played? so that way if you don't have the code it doesn't unlock the game.

Then what about used games?

 

[KiKiweaky]

The bad ones would just get alot of negative feedback and people would ignore them. Eventually the one decent one would have all the positives and people would only look at that one.

Then what about used games?

You cant return computer games as used, once you install them you can get a crack so the computer thinks the game is in your cd drive. They wont even give you refunds anymore you can only get store credit if you return it (regardless of what story you have).

 

[Smooth Operator]

Why not just have a code in the back of the instruction booklet that comes with the game when you buy it that is required for you input into the game, the code would unlock the game and allow itself to be played? so that way if you don't have the code it doesn't unlock the game.

Ever heard of CD-keys? Ya that is the oldest form of DRM, and no that doesn't work either.

 

[Savagezion]

-snip-
Is there a reason this doesn't happen, or does it happen and not work?

This did happen with the leak of the latest Harry Potter movie. It was also effective in buying them time. It won't stop it but only buy you time. It's basically a deterrent.

There is a lot of problems with the theories of those saying that the torrent comments are in any way related. Torrent comments don't mean shit, and if anything are in FAVOR of the people faking the torrents. It will still get pirated and not stop it. However, it would stop the MANY people who pirate on a whim and basically anyone who doesn't know a shortcut through 320 torrents all claiming to be real.

 

[Atmos Duality]

This has been attempted before, and it worked up to a point.
The music industry was putting fake sound files of their songs up in torrents as a means of deterrence (the files would contain about 5-10 seconds of the original music before turning into loud, obnoxious noise/static sounds).

Sufficed to say, the Torrent people weren't about to be beat at their own game. Ratings, hits, and other means of evaluating "real illicit" material were implemented.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

It could work, but it would only really slow the rate of piracy rather than stop it. Once the pirate realises it's fake they'll just go and download others till they get the right one. They won't stop at inconvenience and think they'll buy it.

It won't beat the determination of piracy, nothing ever will, that's the problem with all anti-piracy ideas.

And considering most torrent sites have comment sections for said torrents it wouldn't take long for people to realize it was bunk and not download that one. The only thing you are going to do is annoy a few people and make them wait a little longer.

Precisely. The only really effective anti-piracy method is an incentive to get the real thing. I know that a lot of people like to have the actual box that the game comes in so by making better box art you might be able to win over some people. By including some concept art or small figures you might be able to increase sales a little, whether you would increase profit or not is a different matter.

As long as anti-piracy methods are code based they won't work for long, incentives might be one way but it isn't the only way. People are going to have to get creative if they want to beat piracy.

 

[Patton662]

If the developer does this they can get sued for distributing malignant software.
If a particular file is corrupted/virus it won't have many seeders and will fade off quickly.

 

[flagship]

Continually add new content every couple weeks after release that has some minor anti-piracy features in it. Nothing pisses pirates off more than having an outdated version of a game.

 

[squid5580]

It could work, but it would only really slow the rate of piracy rather than stop it. Once the pirate realises it's fake they'll just go and download others till they get the right one. They won't stop at inconvenience and think they'll buy it.

It won't beat the determination of piracy, nothing ever will, that's the problem with all anti-piracy ideas.

And considering most torrent sites have comment sections for said torrents it wouldn't take long for people to realize it was bunk and not download that one. The only thing you are going to do is annoy a few people and make them wait a little longer.

Precisely. The only really effective anti-piracy method is an incentive to get the real thing. I know that a lot of people like to have the actual box that the game comes in so by making better box art you might be able to win over some people. By including some concept art or small figures you might be able to increase sales a little, whether you would increase profit or not is a different matter.

As long as anti-piracy methods are code based they won't work for long, incentives might be one way but it isn't the only way. People are going to have to get creative if they want to beat piracy.

You would not believe how many times I have said the exact same thing lol. I love swag. I have bought games I really had not much interest in just because it came with some cool figurine or something.

There is a difference between swag and "project $10" though. That gives me no more or less incentive to buy a game. And just as easily pirated.