Poll: Your feelings of game pirating.
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Aside from one or two very rare occasions, I do not pirate games at all. Piracy is wrong, pure and simple. Piracy is the reason DRMs keep getting more and more restrictive, and it is a partial reason for the decline in game quality and length. Developers stop caring when they feel people won't buy their product.
It really is as simple as that.
As for really old games, I don't see a problem as long as they are considered abandonware i.e. no developer or publisher claims the rights to the title, and it is old enough that nobody recieves a profit off of its sale. The only trouble with abandonware is that most of the good titles are so old that they have trouble running on a modern OS.
It really is as simple as that.
As for really old games, I don't see a problem as long as they are considered abandonware i.e. no developer or publisher claims the rights to the title, and it is old enough that nobody recieves a profit off of its sale. The only trouble with abandonware is that most of the good titles are so old that they have trouble running on a modern OS.
yes, I pirate. Music, movies, and games, but my reasons are similar to what the OP said. I spend a lot of money on games (not music though, sue me) and honestly if pirating were no longer possible to me I wouldn't spend more money on games. I pirate mostly games that are too old and are just downright impossible to acquire, except on ebay for a crazy price and in questionable condition. Another reason would be if the games has no demo, or if I don't know how it will run on my system, or if I think the demo is misleading (brutal legend and dante's inferno, anyone?). I did this for crysis, found out it worked, and bought it in the next couple days. I'll also do it, and I know this is much more difficult to justify, if I disagree with what the devs did in this game, namely DRM. I know, by torrenting the said game i'm just justifying the DRM, but honestly, if a game has heavy DRM, the pirates are probably getting the better version, since they don't need to worry about limited activations or connecting to a server every time they play.
I'm not gonna pretend I'm justified in doing this, but honestly, it's the devs fault. The DRMs they make only punish those who actually bought the game. Pirates aren't affected by these AT ALL. The publishers just don't seem to comprehend this, and it just makes a big cycle of them losing money.
I'm not gonna pretend I'm justified in doing this, but honestly, it's the devs fault. The DRMs they make only punish those who actually bought the game. Pirates aren't affected by these AT ALL. The publishers just don't seem to comprehend this, and it just makes a big cycle of them losing money.
I don't personally pirate, I just wait until my stepbrother pirates and makes a copy for the rest of us 
But I personally don't have a problem with it. Unless the game is one of those games that the developers deserve money for. And I mean REALLY deserve it.
But I personally don't have a problem with it. Unless the game is one of those games that the developers deserve money for. And I mean REALLY deserve it.
I'll admit I've done it before, but it was with games that were really old that I cannot find (Undying, System Shock 2), and other games that I downloaded to try I later bought (World in Conflict, Jericho, Painkiller series).
I have in the past, back when I was in secondary school. Nearly everyone played at least 1 pirated copy of a game or at least knew someone who they could get it from. I had a couple of pirated movies as well.
But I don't do it anymore. Partly because I don't know how, but mostly because its wrong. It's stealing no matter which way you look at it.
But I don't do it anymore. Partly because I don't know how, but mostly because its wrong. It's stealing no matter which way you look at it.
I think it's a unfair on all the people who've worked hard to make that game, but whatever, if you can bear that, then it's up to you.
normaly i woud say no, but since so many old and/or good games srent supported anymore im going with 2. Steam is fine though
Personally, I have "pirated" in the past but it was just downloads of stuff that wasn't otherwise available (NES games, TG16 games, SNES games that were never released in NA, etc.) If you can buy a new copy of something there really is no excuse for pirating it.
I can see the PC game pirated as demo issue, though I can't really condone it. I would imagine that for everyone that says they are just downloading something to try it out or see if it runs, there are probably 3 more who do it and then play the game through and never buy it. Does that mean the game would have been worth a purchase? Not necessarily but you did still pirate the game and play it, regardless of whether or not it was intended as a "test."
DRM scheme got you down but you want to play the game anyway? Too bad, just don't play it. Overly obtrusive DRM schemes are garbage, yes, but gaming is a form of entertainment, it's not like eating, breathing or drinking water. If there is something you don't like about a game then don't play it. All a game company sees when they look at their stats and see 1 million retail sales and 3 million pirated copies is 4 million people they can sell their next game to. They are not getting the message that pirates are supposedly trying to send by whining and yelling about horrible DRM and then playing the games anyway.
Hey, that Ferrari looks sweet but I can't afford it.. guess I'll steal it because there's no way I'm going to go without driving it! Sounds pretty stupid, right? Yes, in many cases games do cost more than they should. Or, to me anyway, they launch in general at reasonable prices but don't decrease in price appropriately as they age/underperform, which is what happens with pretty much any other consumer product on the market. Does that mean they should be pirated? No. As before, just don't play the game. Be more choosy about what you really want to play and realize that *gasp* it's not your god given right to play every single game ever released. Wait until a game goes on sale, borrow it from a friend who has purchased a legitimate copy, maybe just don't play it at all. You won't die if you can't play Super New Game X near release, or maybe not play it ever, really you won't.
I can see the PC game pirated as demo issue, though I can't really condone it. I would imagine that for everyone that says they are just downloading something to try it out or see if it runs, there are probably 3 more who do it and then play the game through and never buy it. Does that mean the game would have been worth a purchase? Not necessarily but you did still pirate the game and play it, regardless of whether or not it was intended as a "test."
DRM scheme got you down but you want to play the game anyway? Too bad, just don't play it. Overly obtrusive DRM schemes are garbage, yes, but gaming is a form of entertainment, it's not like eating, breathing or drinking water. If there is something you don't like about a game then don't play it. All a game company sees when they look at their stats and see 1 million retail sales and 3 million pirated copies is 4 million people they can sell their next game to. They are not getting the message that pirates are supposedly trying to send by whining and yelling about horrible DRM and then playing the games anyway.
Hey, that Ferrari looks sweet but I can't afford it.. guess I'll steal it because there's no way I'm going to go without driving it! Sounds pretty stupid, right? Yes, in many cases games do cost more than they should. Or, to me anyway, they launch in general at reasonable prices but don't decrease in price appropriately as they age/underperform, which is what happens with pretty much any other consumer product on the market. Does that mean they should be pirated? No. As before, just don't play the game. Be more choosy about what you really want to play and realize that *gasp* it's not your god given right to play every single game ever released. Wait until a game goes on sale, borrow it from a friend who has purchased a legitimate copy, maybe just don't play it at all. You won't die if you can't play Super New Game X near release, or maybe not play it ever, really you won't.
In a perfect world I would say it's a bad thing.
But this world is far from perfect.
Games come out that are quite shitty and they press a massive price tag on it.
Hundreds of games that are worth playing come out a year.
Not everyone could have been gaming since 1987 and even if you search for those games to buy them, teh company that made them usually aren't making a dime(it comes used and such) No excuse if it's on their PSN, XBLA, or Nintendo's thing, but not all of them are on it and you still can't take it on the go with you. But a laptop you can take anywhere and play that Kid Icarus.
Oh and DRM makes pirating hte better deal than buying.
But this world is far from perfect.
Games come out that are quite shitty and they press a massive price tag on it.
Hundreds of games that are worth playing come out a year.
Not everyone could have been gaming since 1987 and even if you search for those games to buy them, teh company that made them usually aren't making a dime(it comes used and such) No excuse if it's on their PSN, XBLA, or Nintendo's thing, but not all of them are on it and you still can't take it on the go with you. But a laptop you can take anywhere and play that Kid Icarus.
Oh and DRM makes pirating hte better deal than buying.
I not only don't pirate, but I also don't trade games in because that's how much I support the gaming industry. (I have nothing against people who trade games in by the way, I just don't) I love video games with a passion, and too many of them don't get made as it is. I am of the opinion that if a great game is made, the people who made it deserve to get paid.
I actually find it kind of ridiculous the way people are with money. I'm very analytical about this shit. We'll spend anywhere from $1 to $3 on a beverage that will last us all of thirty minutes at best, but we won't spend $60 on a game that gives us 20 plus hours of pleasure? Really? Not only that, but I am likely going to enjoy that game much more than I'll enjoy that tasty beverage.
The last time I went to a movie, it cost me $9 fucking dollars. $9 dollars for two hours. Now I enjoyed the movie, but I wouldn't have gone except a certain friend of mine goes to the movies every weekend, and he asked me along. And he wants to borrow Heavy Rain from me when I am done because he's trying to save money. But he'll still see some craptastic movie this weekend and take his fiance with him, and they will likely go out to eat first. Easily $50 will be spent. One weekend at home with his honey and a rental, and this guy could just about buy that game if he wanted to. Actually, he could buy it now, but he wants to spend 10k on the perfect honeymoon. For the love of.... sigh.
I get it. I understand people have priorities and spend their money accordingly. Fine. But don't tell me you steal because shit is expensive. I'd like a Lexus too. My Subaru could use a friend in my garage, and I think a lexus would really make my driving experience much more posh. But I'm not going to steal one just because I don't have the money to buy it.
And that stupid cyclical argument of I steal because of DRM, doesn't sway me either. Jerk:"I'm going to kick you in the ass!" Some guy:"Why?" Jerk:"Because you'll be pissed off in 30 Seconds." Some Guy:"That's because you'll have kicked me in the ass!" Jerk:"And that's why I'm going to kick you in the ass."
Now... if you need a video game to live, like let's say you have some rare disease wherein your body disintegrates if you aren't constantly playing fresh off the vine video games, then fine. I can deal with your theft. That's life or death right there. And I feel sorry for you because you are going to have to play a lot of crap to survive. If you are getting a game where the only person who gets paid is some shlub on Ebay because the game is nineteen years old and no one even knows who made it anymore then that is filed under 'Not a problem'. But otherwise you are just a plain ol theif. You aren't a cool 'hardy har har' pirate, you are a thief. You're no different than any other theif. They all have their excuses too.
I actually find it kind of ridiculous the way people are with money. I'm very analytical about this shit. We'll spend anywhere from $1 to $3 on a beverage that will last us all of thirty minutes at best, but we won't spend $60 on a game that gives us 20 plus hours of pleasure? Really? Not only that, but I am likely going to enjoy that game much more than I'll enjoy that tasty beverage.
The last time I went to a movie, it cost me $9 fucking dollars. $9 dollars for two hours. Now I enjoyed the movie, but I wouldn't have gone except a certain friend of mine goes to the movies every weekend, and he asked me along. And he wants to borrow Heavy Rain from me when I am done because he's trying to save money. But he'll still see some craptastic movie this weekend and take his fiance with him, and they will likely go out to eat first. Easily $50 will be spent. One weekend at home with his honey and a rental, and this guy could just about buy that game if he wanted to. Actually, he could buy it now, but he wants to spend 10k on the perfect honeymoon. For the love of.... sigh.
I get it. I understand people have priorities and spend their money accordingly. Fine. But don't tell me you steal because shit is expensive. I'd like a Lexus too. My Subaru could use a friend in my garage, and I think a lexus would really make my driving experience much more posh. But I'm not going to steal one just because I don't have the money to buy it.
And that stupid cyclical argument of I steal because of DRM, doesn't sway me either. Jerk:"I'm going to kick you in the ass!" Some guy:"Why?" Jerk:"Because you'll be pissed off in 30 Seconds." Some Guy:"That's because you'll have kicked me in the ass!" Jerk:"And that's why I'm going to kick you in the ass."
Now... if you need a video game to live, like let's say you have some rare disease wherein your body disintegrates if you aren't constantly playing fresh off the vine video games, then fine. I can deal with your theft. That's life or death right there. And I feel sorry for you because you are going to have to play a lot of crap to survive. If you are getting a game where the only person who gets paid is some shlub on Ebay because the game is nineteen years old and no one even knows who made it anymore then that is filed under 'Not a problem'. But otherwise you are just a plain ol theif. You aren't a cool 'hardy har har' pirate, you are a thief. You're no different than any other theif. They all have their excuses too.
I hardly pirate, out of convenience. The <1000 euros a year I spent on games aren't that big of a burden on my budget to the point were it would make a big difference if I start pirating, and getting the legal copy is less of a hassle to me.
But, I must say, a lot of gamers have far too much sympathy for the publishers of these videogames. If I were to pirate videogames I wouldn't feel so bad.
If I see some of the stuff these companies try to pull? Maybe not all of them, but certainly the vast majority of them? Some of the games they put out and try to sell us at full price? Some of the ways they try to trick us? The profit rates they have? Most of these companies are into pretty shameful stuff.
But, I must say, a lot of gamers have far too much sympathy for the publishers of these videogames. If I were to pirate videogames I wouldn't feel so bad.
If I see some of the stuff these companies try to pull? Maybe not all of them, but certainly the vast majority of them? Some of the games they put out and try to sell us at full price? Some of the ways they try to trick us? The profit rates they have? Most of these companies are into pretty shameful stuff.
I do it with games when I want to try them out, if I think its a really good game I go out and buy it, or with old games you cannot buy anymore. I pirate all my music and a couple of movies because there hard to find/stupid expensive on amazon. I still buy music and movies but only when there cheap because I'm a poor college student.
Hmm, I wonder who's fault it is that those of us who buy games legally must endure 300 different types of DRM...
Oh yeah, PIRATES. That goes for those people who just like to "try before they buy" as well.
So no, never.
If you can't afford it, you don't get it. If you can afford it, and you do want it, buy it.
Simple.
Oh yeah, PIRATES. That goes for those people who just like to "try before they buy" as well.
So no, never.
If you can't afford it, you don't get it. If you can afford it, and you do want it, buy it.
Simple.
Ah. It figures someone would do the car analogy right before I finished mine. Damn my slow mind! Damn it all to hell!StriderShinryu said:
Well said. Of course I highly agree. Some of these things I did not point out in my post, but they are highly relevant to the argument against pirating.