Question (sorta about piracy)

[Mahha]

Here's a scenario:

You have a few days with nothing better to do and I would really like to play [insert game title]... You're at your relatives in another country and it will take some time before you get back home. You have a decent internet connection and piracy isn't a big deal in the country you're currently at. You bought the collectors edition of the game, but since you don't carry the game collection with me you don't have any means of installing it. The game isn't available on any steam-like thing and even if it were you didn't register the serial number.
So...
Question:

Is it piracy if you download (from piratebay or some other tracker) a game you have already bought?

That is the question.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Is it piracy if you download (from piratebay or some other tracker) a game you have already bought?

You're breaking the letter of the law but following the spirit of it. So is it piracy? Yes, technically. Should you feel bad about it? No, absolutely not.

 

[Steppin Razor]

Technically, yes I suppose it is. Would I let that stop me from downloading a game I already own but am currently unable to play due to the discs not being on me? Fuck no. Download that shit and enjoy the hell out of it.

 

[Shadow Druid]

by law yes it is piracy no matter what way you word it,

but should you feel bad about downloading a game you have already paid for? NO WAY IN HELL!

 

[Thaluikhain]

This thread is likely to end badly, I'd advise people to tread carefully.

 

[hazabaza1]

Actually, I have a similar question.
I bought the new Deus Ex on Onlive because it was cheap. However, it doesn't run as fast as I expected it to. I can tell I'll enjoy it, but my internet just isn't fast enough to run it properly. Would I be justified in downloading it?
To OP, I think you'd be justified. You bought it, so shoot.

 

[Mahha]

What about times when your discs get lost or maimed so they don't work any more? It happened quite a few times that the disk exploded in my drive... What am I to do then? Call the publisher? Weep quietly?

Well I guess that's not so much of a problem nowadays since most games require steam (or similar) login and all that bullshit, but it's still a pain especially if you own a lot of old games.

 

[Tanakh]

What about times when your discs get lost or maimed so they don't work any more? It happened quite a few times that the disk exploded in my drive... What am I to do then? Call the publisher? Weep quietly?

The second, weep quietly. All things you have mentioned are piracy and are illegal in all the countries that I know.

 

[somonels]

You are breaking copyright law. This is not piracy, as there is no financial gain on your part. Industries are just pushing it under the piracy label for dharumatic effect.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

Yes, but most people who download the game don't own the game at all so I would say it could be defended in court.
As for scratching up your game/losing serial. I use the download manager steam and for everything else its real simple. Go out, buy a cheap 1TB hard drive (the RPM matters not so go low so its really cheap.) Rip your entire collection to the external drive making sure you add serial keys in txt files or something. I had a nasty habit of having to rebuy games again because of this. Thats the best way I found to avoid it.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

you don't carry the game collection with me

lets play find the freudian slip.
there.

OT: you could argue its legal as you bought the game.
you'd be right.
and i doubt you'd get a SWAT unit blasting your relatives doors in anyway.

 

[Duskflamer]

I'm pretty sure that it's legal to keep backup copies of games you already own, so pirating a game that you've bought is fine.

 

[Gennadios]

Most of the above posters don't know what they're talking about. If you paid for the game you're already under the EULA and have a license to play the game, regardless of where you got the executables to do it.

Well, for the most part, if the games in question happen to be region locked (mostly steam games) you have to purchase a copy specific to that region...

 

[Baldr]

Here's a scenario:

You have a decent internet connection and piracy isn't a big deal in the country you're currently at.

Any place the has a decent internet connection all have laws as per the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the Berne Convention. It is a big deal, and it is still piracy.

 

[Epona]

Here's a scenario:

You have a decent internet connection and piracy isn't a big deal in the country you're currently at.

Any place the has a decent internet connection all have laws as per the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the Berne Convention. It is a big deal, and it is still piracy.

No it isn't. The game was bought and paid for and if that game had been bought (for the same price or less) on Steam or any other DD service then a download would be offered by the service. I see no difference here.

 

[Something Amyss]

I'm pretty sure that it's legal to keep backup copies of games you already own, so pirating a game that you've bought is fine.

It kind of has to be one you make yourself, and there's still DMCA/WIPO issues, since fair use to a backup has not been determined to trump new laws preventing you from bypassing copy protection.

 

[Davih]

Well it's piracy and therefore illegal, but it is justified. However just because it's justified it doesn't mean it is okay to do.

 

[RicoGrey]

As I understand it, in my area at least, it is not piracy. You are allowed backup copies of products you own, and the EULA's do not negate that, despite what the companies want you to believe.

Actually, I have never heard of a case of someone being prosecuted for actually downloading material, even if they do not already own that material. The only thing I have heard people getting into any kind of trouble for is the "sharing" part. IE uploading.

Playing a copyrighted movie in public is illegal if you do not have consent from the owner, but watching the movie is not illegal.

Buying bootleg DVDs does not make you a pirate, making and selling bootleg DVDs makes you a pirate.

We do not have a one world government, so I guess it would depend on what country you came from, and what country you are going to.

 

[Chalacachaca]

I agree that it's still piracy. Should you feel bad about it? no.