Poll: Pirating games. Discuss.

[Everin]

I feel that the title says it all, but maybe I'll expand a little. Do you think it's right for the gamers to download games for free, bypassing the shops and online stores, therefore denying the producers and other creators of the games no money for their art? And why do you think it's right or wrong?
Oh, and I'm not sure if this has been done before but views may change, times may affect views. Don't immediately point out that this thread has been done before if it has, where's the fun in that?

 

[enzilewulf]

Okay I said something about pirating and I got my ass suspended for a week.

Never have pirated a game that I haven't already bought but my stupid self lost it or scratched it or fed it to the dog or angry brother.

Capatcha: the holy grail of pants.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Just a note of warning for all of you who lined up to boast about your vigilante achievements, admitting acts of piracy is not prohibited on this site.

 

[BanicRhys]

I have nothing against piracy (only when the game is nigh unavailable to the person) but I usually purchase games legally because I like having the box or having it show up in my Steam/PSN account. I don't believe in pirating newly released games unless you intend to buy them later.

Of course, being a console gamer primarily and having a terrible laptop to play PC games on, kind of makes it hard to find anything to pirate.

Just a note of warning for all of you who lined up to boast about your vigilante achievements, admitting acts of piracy is not prohibited on this site.

So it's allowed?

 

[Catchy Slogan]

The only thing I ever pirated was a few songs now and then when I was yonger. I didn't quite understand the fact that I was technically stealng, all I knew was 'Hey! Free songs!' I don't do it anymore, though. I always feel bad. And if I'm going to go out of my way to download and listen to music/games, then they obviously deserve my money.

 

[Vault101]

Im totally against it

I mean it is a funny issue though, you talk to one person and they are certian its bad for the industry

but talk to another and they belive it doesnt hurt the industry at all

I will say however that punishing your paying customers is a dick move, but then again it seems to be a vicious circle and no one knows how to break it

 

[Tanis]

What I find REALLY sad is when you have to find a 'crack' (or w/e it's called) for a PC game to play your LEGIT copy because the DRM included with it is so screwed up you can't play said game otherwise.

That's why I buy from Good Old Games.
No, I'm not a bot, but as often as I preach about GOG to my friends and on forums I should be getting paid.

 

[Llil]

I used to do it, but I stopped a couple of years ago, about the time I got to upper secondary school. I didn't see anything wrong with it back then, but at some point I just changed my mind and decided I shouldn't be pirating games.

Movies and tv shows I stopped pirating only about two or three years later, because it felt hypocritical to be ok with that, while being against game piracy at the same time.

 

[Jordi]

I feel that the title says it all, but maybe I'll expand a little. Do you think it's right for the gamers to download games for free, bypassing the shops and online stores, therefore denying the producers and other creators of the games no money for their art? And why do you think it's right or wrong?

Anyone who thinks it's right can't say so here, because it's against forum rules and they'll get banned.

Oh, and I'm not sure if this has been done before but views may change, times may affect views. Don't immediately point out that this thread has been done before if it has, where's the fun in that?

So you didn't even use the search feature? You just figured "I don't care if it's been done even one day ago, what this forum needs is another piracy discussion!"? Right...

Unfortunately 99% of people can't talk intelligently about this subject. Obviously piracy isn't exactly good for the industry, but most people don't understand that pirating a game you weren't going to buy has no effect on anything. You might still think it's immoral (and illegal), but it doesn't actually cause the developer/publisher to lose any money.
Pirating a game to "test-drive" it, might actually help in the sense that those people will make a purchase decision that is more based on the quality of the game then on marketing. (If of course, the pirate is honest and buys the game if he likes it and can run it.)

Anyway, I don't doubt that overall piracy is costing developers money, so it needs to stop. But as long as people keep yelling "PIRACY IS THEFT! PIRACY IS THE DEVIL! KILL IT WITH FIRE! ALL PIRATES SHOULD BURN IN HELL!" I doubt we are going to see a discussion that is productive enough to have a chance of solving the problem.

 

[Prince Regent]

I've occasionally pirated games for my pc, (two times as far as I can remember) but the games that it can run are limited, so 99% of the time I just buy my games for Xbox.

I have watched torrented a lot of tv series thoug, my main justification being that you can't watch Firefly or Game of Thrones on TV where I live.

 

[dududf]

Wanna know what is worse then piraters?

Assholes, who vehemently denounce all those who pirate.

News people, we are all pirates.
Ever watched a song on youtube that the author is trying to sell? You just pirated that song.
Every. Single. Person. Here. Is. A. Pirate.
Picking and choosing who you point your endless nerd rage at, merely because they pirate something you may not makes you a hypocrite while over all you still pirate.
This is copywrited material, by watching the video you are pirating. It is also not a official release of it on youtube.

This annoys me so much more then anything else on this website, worst then the firsters, the flamers, the people who mistake logic with trolling, it's this.


Piracy is not theft, it's piracy. There's a difference, Piracy does not equal lost sale either. At best it's a lost *potential* sale.
[/rant]

Another little thing I'd like to point out, in the past I pirated a game. No demo was available. I then proceeded to buy 3 copies of the game to give to friends and myself. I was still screamed at on this forum for pirating.

 

[Jtar]

I admit that sometimes I download a ripped game. I tend to play for about 30min before I decide whether I like it or not. Games I enjoy I buy, games I don't enjoy get removed.

I don't agree with pirating but spending ?50-?60 on a game you don't even know if you like is a bit pointless to me. I've bought several games for full price over the years and most of them I thought weren't all that good.

So, pirating for testing, yay. Pirating for keeping, nay.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

If its a game that you just cant get anymore, eg a really old NES/SNES game, then by all means pirate away, in any other circumstance then its just wrong (most of the time)

 

[GrimHeaper]

-snip-
[/rant]

/thread

You win this.

 

[ion496]

Some times, I think these sorts of threads are bantraps for those who DO pirate. Personally, my opinion is if someone pirates a game, they probably won't buy it anyway. It's still wrong, but how many of you here can honestly say they have never pirated a game.