*EDIT TO CLARIFY* This is in response to the numerous articles of gaming CEOs crying about piracy. I am not speaking about regular employees just trying to do their job. I also do not believe they are 100% percent responsible, but have played an important role. Comments on terrorism or other forms of witch hunting will not be accepted as intelligent thought in this thread*/EDIT*
Get off it.
I'm so sick of seeing articles of multi millionaires crying their little eyes out over pirates.
-YOU-, gaming CEO, created pirates. You're selfishness and ridiculous sense of fair business have started this.
I currently live in Kenya, but I have been to many other poor countries. We got a PS3 at the house and I wanted to play fallout 3. Soooo I went to like the only game store in Kenya and asked the smelly man at the counter for a copy. I did not ask the price and merrily went on my way to purchase the game. He ran my Visa card and said, "Thank you sir, that will be 10,200 schillings". My jaw dropped to the floor, I began yelling at the man for his supposed idiocy and that no fool in their right mind would pay such a price. (10200 kenyan schilling is like close to 140 bucks)
"Sir, you are mistaken, this is how much it costs everywhere in Africa"
"You're mad, there is no way they think people are that stupid"
"Sir, one thing has nothing to do with another. To recieve these games we are heavily taxed since we do not buy these items in massive bulk, it is not just Kenya, it is the rest of Africa and many many other countries worldwide"
I went back to the house to share my experience. The stinky gentlemen at the counter was correct. Simliar events to took place for my roommates in Thailand, Bratislava, and Bolivia. Upon looking further into it, almost everyone on this program runs into this.
People don't pirate games in poor countries because they are criminals and want to make a quick buck, it's because it's too fucking expensive to do it any other way. It is the ONLY way to sell games in these countries.
Piracy is becoming bigger and bigger because worldwide trade isn't something that only big companies can do. Thanks to places like ebay, the common man in Alaska can do small business with joe schmoe in Mongolia. Now the places that were just trying to keep the gaming industry alive in their country (and make a pitiful amount of money doing it) are spilling over everywhere to places that don't need it.
Seriously, look at EA, talk about causing piracy to sky rocket. They put a system on their games that pretty much drives people to piracy. Who in their right mind would choose the latter in this scenario
"Why hello sir, would you like to buy a game?"
"Why sure, I love games"
"Ok which plan would you like: A game that just works when you install it, ooooooooooooooooooooor, or new improved version that only lets you install 3 times and then you'll have to buy it again, oh but wait THERE'S MORE, we'll just give you an extra free key code if you call our special hotline number. Keep in mind there is a huge wait and we'll be charging you 2 dollars and 50 cents a minute!"
Aneurism causing stupidity.
Not to mention they basically dared people to pirate this game, that is just kind of asking for it. I'm sorry I just don't feel bad for them. I don't support illegal activities, but I sure as hell do not support poor business ethics. These business should be estatic that so many people want to play their game! Who cares how they got it? Turn all these people who purchased it illegally into hardcore fans by putting out a quality program that is worth the money. I wouldn't dare ever purchase an illegal copy of Starcraft 2 or Diablo 3 because they are both epic franchises that really care about their fanbase. EA does not have one leg to stand on.
Piracy is here to stay, deal with it. You made your bed, now sleep in it.
Get off it.
I'm so sick of seeing articles of multi millionaires crying their little eyes out over pirates.
-YOU-, gaming CEO, created pirates. You're selfishness and ridiculous sense of fair business have started this.
I currently live in Kenya, but I have been to many other poor countries. We got a PS3 at the house and I wanted to play fallout 3. Soooo I went to like the only game store in Kenya and asked the smelly man at the counter for a copy. I did not ask the price and merrily went on my way to purchase the game. He ran my Visa card and said, "Thank you sir, that will be 10,200 schillings". My jaw dropped to the floor, I began yelling at the man for his supposed idiocy and that no fool in their right mind would pay such a price. (10200 kenyan schilling is like close to 140 bucks)
"Sir, you are mistaken, this is how much it costs everywhere in Africa"
"You're mad, there is no way they think people are that stupid"
"Sir, one thing has nothing to do with another. To recieve these games we are heavily taxed since we do not buy these items in massive bulk, it is not just Kenya, it is the rest of Africa and many many other countries worldwide"
I went back to the house to share my experience. The stinky gentlemen at the counter was correct. Simliar events to took place for my roommates in Thailand, Bratislava, and Bolivia. Upon looking further into it, almost everyone on this program runs into this.
People don't pirate games in poor countries because they are criminals and want to make a quick buck, it's because it's too fucking expensive to do it any other way. It is the ONLY way to sell games in these countries.
Piracy is becoming bigger and bigger because worldwide trade isn't something that only big companies can do. Thanks to places like ebay, the common man in Alaska can do small business with joe schmoe in Mongolia. Now the places that were just trying to keep the gaming industry alive in their country (and make a pitiful amount of money doing it) are spilling over everywhere to places that don't need it.
Seriously, look at EA, talk about causing piracy to sky rocket. They put a system on their games that pretty much drives people to piracy. Who in their right mind would choose the latter in this scenario
"Why hello sir, would you like to buy a game?"
"Why sure, I love games"
"Ok which plan would you like: A game that just works when you install it, ooooooooooooooooooooor, or new improved version that only lets you install 3 times and then you'll have to buy it again, oh but wait THERE'S MORE, we'll just give you an extra free key code if you call our special hotline number. Keep in mind there is a huge wait and we'll be charging you 2 dollars and 50 cents a minute!"
Aneurism causing stupidity.
Not to mention they basically dared people to pirate this game, that is just kind of asking for it. I'm sorry I just don't feel bad for them. I don't support illegal activities, but I sure as hell do not support poor business ethics. These business should be estatic that so many people want to play their game! Who cares how they got it? Turn all these people who purchased it illegally into hardcore fans by putting out a quality program that is worth the money. I wouldn't dare ever purchase an illegal copy of Starcraft 2 or Diablo 3 because they are both epic franchises that really care about their fanbase. EA does not have one leg to stand on.
Piracy is here to stay, deal with it. You made your bed, now sleep in it.
