TestECull said:
Big-box game developer said:
Waaaaahhhhhhhhh piracy is killing us. We can only afford two learjets for each executive this year. How are we supposed to operate under these conditions?! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! WE'RE GONNA PUT OUR GAME ON THE 360 ONLY, DESPITE IT BEING EASY TO PIRATE ON THAT TOO!
Shut the fuck up. Piracy isn't hurting you in the least. Your profits from just this week are more than I'll ever gross in my lifetime and your games are selling in the millions. You have nothing to cry about. Now make something good, you lazy fucks.
You do realize that if you buy a $60 game only a small percentage of that will go to the game developer. And that it is in fact the publishers who make off with the greater majority of the profits to cover for the (on average) 18-28 million dollar advance they gave the developer so they could develop the game in the first place (very few developers can afford development costs out of their own pocket). Retailers, manufacturers and distributors also want their share of the profits. And last in line is the developer, who can get whatever is left of the profits after everyone else got their part. Providing the game was actually profitable, which only about 20% of games do.
And are you aware that the people working at game developers aren't exactly living it up? That they work long, hard hours for significantly lower wages than they could get in other sectors, all while their publisher is laying on the pressure for the game to be ready for a holiday release?
There are some exceptions to this rule, like Blizzard or Valve (who can pretty much do whatever they want), but they are just that: exceptions. This is the reality for the greater majority of game developers. And while the effects of piracy may be overstated, I don't think it is unreasonable for game developers to complain about it, since they are the party most likely to be affected by it.
I suppose I should pst something on topic, so:
"Because it is God's will", "Allah demands it", and numerous other variations.