An interesting question in regards to Piracy

[TheRealCJ]

Here's the deal: A long time ago, I purchased a couple of Android games, namely, Plants Vs. Zombies and Peggle. They ran beautifully on my old Android device, but now that I have a more modern one, with a much higher screen resolution, I can't install the games via official channels ("Not available on your device" says the Google Play Store).

If I were to download (i.e: Pirate) the .apks for the games I bought legitimately, would this be considered morally wrong? There is literally no other way to play the games I bought, save for buying another, less powerful device.

I'd love to see some discussion on this, after all, it's very murky waters we're swimming, in regards to whether a digital copy should be included or allowed if a product has already been paid for (Such as torrents of movies that you own on DVD/BluRay/etc.).

 

[DoPo]

If I were to download (i.e: Pirate) the .apks for the games I bought legitimately, would this be considered morally wrong?

Nobody else is you, so nobody can tell you.

I'd love to see some discussion on this, after all, it's very murky waters we're swimming, in regards to whether a digital copy should be included or allowed if a product has already been paid for (Such as torrents of movies that you own on DVD/BluRay/etc.).

I'd rather not be involved in this discussion. Staff here doesn't tolerate talks about piracy much.

 

[Your Fearless Captain]

I'll bite. If you pirate the Android games that you already own I would say that you're in the right to do so. As for torrenting the movie you own on say DVD it would be fine if you pirated a DVD quality version but not if you pirated a BlueRay quality version.

 

[Vuliev]

No. You paid for the apps--backwards-incompatible code should never prevent you from playing them.

 

[Thomiroth]

Yeah, I'll be agreeing with the folks who are saying 'You already bought it, you should be fine to play it' though I'll add a caveat to that, 'as long as you only download the version you owned, so no paid DLC on it. Free stuff that comes with the game should also be fine.'

As to the morality of it, I doubt the companies would see it like we do, so it will still be illegal, so I can't really condone you doing it, I'm just saying I think it should be legal to do so. Hell, I'd support any company that kept an updated version of their old games on their site so you always could play it, patches and all, on your current tech. You'll lose it if it goes under, but given that it's more risk free than actual piracy, it's a tactic I'd be in favour of.

 

[barbzilla]

downloading them illegally is... well... illegal. It may not be morally wrong (though morals are specific to a person so you have to answer that), but it is still in a legally grey area. I would try to transfer the install file from your old phone and use that.

 

[phreakdb]

I would say that it is dependent upon a few factors. Does the device with the install problem have any form of Plants vs Zombies released for it? If so, even though you bought the game, you bought the rights to use it for that particular device or platform. In essence, with some smaller companies, you are not only paying for the finished product, but are paying the wages of the team that put it together, even if they are now a part of a Monolithic Entity that is hated by internet culture.

Just my two cents. However, I may be biased, as I am a programmer of games myself.

 

[Valdrrak Draconis]

dude, Im sure if the store says it incompatible then even if you managed to find the apk somewhere else prop still wouldn't work, Have you tried moving the apk from your old phone to you new one? not piracy then.

 

[Spitfire]

I'd love to see some discussion on this, after all, it's very murky waters we're swimming, in regards to whether a digital copy should be included or allowed if a product has already been paid for (Such as torrents of movies that you own on DVD/BluRay/etc.).

I'd rather not be involved in this discussion. Staff here doesn't tolerate talks about piracy much.

This.

For better or for worse, The Escapist is not the place to debate piracy in.

 

[Fiad]

Legally you would be breaking the law, law only covers you if you make a copy of the version you originally owned. Not a copy someone else owned.

 

[Atmos Duality]

I've seen this topic before. It isn't murky at all, nor is it new or original, and by "discussion" I assume you want the usual tit-for-tat semantic shitstorm to bolster the post count so you can nab some Hot Topic badges.

...Whatever. Got nothing better to do for 40 minutes.

Here's my discussion:

-Moral Argument: Morals are relative to what you value. If you feel like you have "paid your dues", then whether you feel morally satisfied or not is up to you.
-Legal Argument: It's illegal in countries that enforce most Copyright Law. Period.

 

[Matt King]

my view is if you own a physical copy of the game, you can pirate a copy for a device for your use, e.g the game is not working or whatever for example if your ds broke it would be alright to emulate those games on the pc as long as you had the physical copies

 

[Entitled]

Well, I would say that no piracy is morally wrong at all, MAYBE with the exception of complete freeloading where you use piracy to avoid your share of supporting the medium, and I'm not even 100% sure about that.

So no, from my perspective, re-downloading something is most obviously not wrong.

 

[Gennadios]

Not familiar with Plants Vs. Zombies, but I know that Peggle has tons of spinoff titles. Make absolutely sure the Peggle vesion you get is the one you paid for. Peggle: Nights =/= Peggle: Dreams.

Whether it's morally wrong is a question only you can answer, however.

 

[Stavros Dimou]

Do you really need to buy a new phone every year ?
I have an old 5 years old Toshiba and it fulfills my phone needs.
I have an actual digital camera if I want to take pictures,and I really don't need to be connected with the internet 24/7,because when I go out with my friends,I want to spend time with my friends,not on the internet...

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

I'd say it's morally OK, but you make your own morals, so it's truly up to you.

As for discussion.... Wrong forum. A mod here thinks you have even HINTED at admitting to piracy or saying someone should do it and they'll ban your ass. One of the few subjects that's very hard to fully discuss on The Escapist.

 

[Ranylyn]

I would say that it is dependent upon a few factors. Does the device with the install problem have any form of Plants vs Zombies released for it? If so, even though you bought the game, you bought the rights to use it for that particular device or platform. In essence, with some smaller companies, you are not only paying for the finished product, but are paying the wages of the team that put it together, even if they are now a part of a Monolithic Entity that is hated by internet culture.

Just my two cents. However, I may be biased, as I am a programmer of games myself.

I apologize for needing to disagree with you, but please hear my counterargument. I'm sorry for saying so, but honestly, your side to the debate is honestly one of the huge problems plaguing the industry as is.

A carpenter who makes a table and sells it gets no more say in what happens to it after that point. They get no profit from the resale or exchange of that table. It's a one-shot deal, and nothing more. The owner can sell it, modify it within reason (making it kill whoever uses it would be an illegal application, for example) or lend it to a friend who needs another table for whatever reason. The same is said of just about any other business.

The attitude companies have towards games and consoles is the opposite. They blame used game sales for the faltering industry, not the low quality of their games. They want full profit on every purchase the players make. They don't want people to even lend their games, if reports that next gen consoles, namely Microsoft's, are going to implement "anti used-game technology."

But the worst is when you look at how their policies regard the player as nothing more than trash. Sony, for example, declares that all PS3s are just being licenced to the purchaser. That hefty price tag is a one-time RENTAL FEE and they can ask for it back at ANY TIME, WITHOUT a refund on your "deposit." Yes. They literally state that they can basically rob you with impunity and expect to get away with it legally.

Enough is enough and gamers need to take a stand. If you paid for something, don't pay for it again just because you're being "forced to." Using the table example, you could modify it to fit in a smaller room. Why is it sooooooo eeeeeeeeevil to do that in gaming!?

 

[DoPo]

-snip-

Well fucking done. You were that guy now - the one that tries to lump software in the same boat as "physical goods". You know who else tries it? People who claim piracy is stealing. Now, could you all go away and stop using the faulty analogies? Thanks.

 

[Ranylyn]

-snip-

Well fucking done. You were that guy now - the one that tries to lump software in the same boat as "physical goods". You know who else tries it? People who claim piracy is stealing. Now, could you all go away and stop using the faulty analogies? Thanks.

Property is property, regardless of form. Trying to argue that digital goods aren't property is like arguing that the sky is green. Especially since a European court, I forget which, recently declared that digital property is still property and those who purchase it are entitled to the same legal rights as physical property, including options for trade and resale.

 

[Yopaz]

-snip-

Well fucking done. You were that guy now - the one that tries to lump software in the same boat as "physical goods". You know who else tries it? People who claim piracy is stealing. Now, could you all go away and stop using the faulty analogies? Thanks.

You wouldn't download a car, would you?

OT: Morally you're in the clear here, in some countries you're in the clear legally too as long as you can prove ownership of the item you downloaded.

At least here it works that way and I honestly think you have the right to acquire a product you do in fact own.