Why do people think it's ok to pirate games?

[Gindil]

why not? fuck the big companys its not hurting them.

No, but it's hurting you. Pirates that pirate with that intention cause the game to have DRM protection, and then more people pirate that game because they are pissed off with the DRM. This is what starts the meltdown.

DRM protection? I'm not as clued in as you are... could you explain please?

DRM = Digital Rights Media.

Best way of putting it is the fact that some companies put in defenses to prevent someone from copying a game. However, this can be dubious for some games. With Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed, it would not allow anyone to play the game unless they were always online. It's similar to an MMO for a single player game. It had a cost of killing any hopes for military people that were in crazy places like Iraq. On top of that insult, many people complained that this would not stop the game from being copied or broken in any way.

Suffice to say, DRM is pretty useless. It hurts consumers who just want to play a game as well as forces more people into piracy who just want to see if a game may be worth their time.

Don't believe me? Search for Spore here. That story is great for explaining crappy DRM.

Oh, I didn't know that! Nice!

Welcome. I study too much from Lawrence Lessig who really opened my eyes to copyright. I ever get a chance, I'm going to join the EFF and volunteer after college.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

why not? fuck the big companys its not hurting them.

No, but it's hurting you. Pirates that pirate with that intention cause the game to have DRM protection, and then more people pirate that game because they are pissed off with the DRM. This is what starts the meltdown.

DRM protection? I'm not as clued in as you are... could you explain please?

The companies that make these games with DRM's do so to protect them against piracy. So, isn't DRM pretty much just a form of protection, albeit over-the-top protection?

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

drm is to stop second hand sales. Sheesh... doesn't no one get it? Piracy is just an excuse.

Also NO ONE HERE BUYS A GAME! You buy a license that allows you to play it. Not that anyone listens.

Except if you get your hands on a pirated copy, then you own it.

I'd really like to buy more original games then I do.

Me too, unfortunately there hasn't been what I'd like to call a deluge of original work the last few years. Mostly sequels. Slightly out of context to what you said.

I don't think there is a general 1 reason fits all explination as to why pirating can be ok that any and everyone would accept. Some things in this world can't be explained or reasoned away, you just have to accept that they will exist no matter what anyone says or does. If there is a way to get something for cheaper, people will buy it. If companies keep putting strangleholds on their products there will be people who hack and break their grip so the world can enjoy it, ostensibly for free.

 

[shengzingping]

Just something I would like to point out.
Let's say that piracy would kill the game industry.
If piracy killed the game industry then why are we having 7th generation consoles already?
If it weren't for piracy major consoles like the PS2 and DS wouldn't reach their status now.
Lately Xbox360 and Wii are receiving a lot of number since they've been cracked already.
PS3 is on the losing streak because its hard to crack.

You see.
Sometimes you have to choose ECONOMY over QUALITY.
But from the years I've been a gamer here, I've received both.
Economical gains with quality.
That means piracy has already reached a point where they can mimic the quality of the original.
In this case videogames.

Piracy has always been integrated on all media platforms.
PC has it's own share as well.
For all you know the person you're playing with online only used a copy of an original game.
Yet he still benefits from what you people legitimately buy.
Even the OS that most people use here in majority are just copies of the original.
And do you hear my country men complain about it?
Hell no!
They'll gladly spend $5 on a OS rather than spend $70 on it.

Face it.
You can't stop piracy no matter what you do.
Laws are written letters and without strong actions they'll only remain letters.
For first world countries, legitimacy is your cup of tea.
But for third world countries, piracy is the key.

 

[DuX1112]

Well...let me explain from an Arabian country's perspective.

Downloading an original game would cost zero thanks to the unlimited net connection, while buying an original game(100 bucks max) would cost what I used to pay to study one subject(local price) in the national University.

also, that is equal to a month's food costs for a person. So what to do when companies treat you like a golden goose? Pirate the game which you cant afford.

From meeting people in my high school and Uni....about 100% will pirate instead of depriving themselves from food. its either pirate or no game/movie/music. so it only makes sense for them to pirate. the mentality is "why pay for something when you can get it for free"

Practically every gamer I met so far pirates regularly. And yes its very beneficial to have those as friends. You dont feel any guilt...only a big sense of accomplishment.

Agreed.
Third World Countries accept PIRACY because it makes these things accessible to everyone.
The same goes for consoles, PCs and mobile phones mods.
We also have other items here made much affordable but have the same quality as those who pay premium.
We got them all here in the Philippines.
So why should only the rich people deserve to own such commodities then?
They're not any different from the less fortunate ones.

Haha, yes Shengzingping, the joke is definitely on the "rich" people!

---

@All:

Just because first world country citizens ("westerners") own a (pretty much useless) flashy iPad that Apple fooled them into buying for God-knows how much money doesn't make them any more superior, righteous or better situated than a guy in the Philippines / Egypt / Macedonia or wherever.

We'd rather get ourselves a beast of a PC for 600 EUR tops (the stations can't cost much more, sincerely, and can beat the crap out of a Mac or whatever overpriced garbage some companies pump out), along with an array of (cheap or mostly free) games to play (including even the newest, best titles there are), than sell our cars for an iMac and trade our education/food for a 20-hour gameplay in Assassin's Creed 2 or whatever.

Sure, you can call us thieves and whatever you like, but how would you feel like if games in your country cost like, $300-$500 a piece? Are you still gonna buy your games then?

 

[shengzingping]

Well...let me explain from an Arabian country's perspective.

Downloading an original game would cost zero thanks to the unlimited net connection, while buying an original game(100 bucks max) would cost what I used to pay to study one subject(local price) in the national University.

also, that is equal to a month's food costs for a person. So what to do when companies treat you like a golden goose? Pirate the game which you cant afford.

From meeting people in my high school and Uni....about 100% will pirate instead of depriving themselves from food. its either pirate or no game/movie/music. so it only makes sense for them to pirate. the mentality is "why pay for something when you can get it for free"

Practically every gamer I met so far pirates regularly. And yes its very beneficial to have those as friends. You dont feel any guilt...only a big sense of accomplishment.

Agreed.
Third World Countries accept PIRACY because it makes these things accessible to everyone.
The same goes for consoles, PCs and mobile phones mods.
We also have other items here made much affordable but have the same quality as those who pay premium.
We got them all here in the Philippines.
So why should only the rich people deserve to own such commodities then?
They're not any different from the less fortunate ones.

Haha, yes Shengzingping, the joke is definitely on the "rich" people!

---

@All:

Just because first world country citizens ("westerners") own a (pretty much useless) flashy iPad that Apple fooled them into buying for God-knows how much money doesn't make them any more superior, righteous or better situated than a guy in the Philippines / Egypt / Macedonia or wherever.

We'd rather get ourselves a beast of a PC for 600 EUR tops (the stations can't cost much more, sincerely, and can beat the crap out of a Mac or whatever overpriced garbage some companies pump out), along with an array of (cheap or mostly free) games to play (including even the newest, best titles there are), than sell our cars for an iMac and trade our education/food for a 20-hour gameplay in Assassin's Creed 2 or whatever.

Sure, you can call us thieves and whatever you like, but how would you feel like if games in your country cost like, $300-$500 a piece? Are you still gonna buy your games then?

Yup.
$300 would make up a whole month's supply of groceries, not to mention being able to pay the water and electrical bills.
Philippine laborers,like other Third World Countries, are underpaid people.
The average laborer who works his/her ass for 12 hours here earns less than Php200 a day (not per hour mind you people) which if converted to US dollars would only amount to $5 a day!
No other benefits whatsoever.

 

[DuX1112]

Well...let me explain from an Arabian country's perspective.

Downloading an original game would cost zero thanks to the unlimited net connection, while buying an original game(100 bucks max) would cost what I used to pay to study one subject(local price) in the national University.

also, that is equal to a month's food costs for a person. So what to do when companies treat you like a golden goose? Pirate the game which you cant afford.

From meeting people in my high school and Uni....about 100% will pirate instead of depriving themselves from food. its either pirate or no game/movie/music. so it only makes sense for them to pirate. the mentality is "why pay for something when you can get it for free"

Practically every gamer I met so far pirates regularly. And yes its very beneficial to have those as friends. You dont feel any guilt...only a big sense of accomplishment.

Agreed.
Third World Countries accept PIRACY because it makes these things accessible to everyone.
The same goes for consoles, PCs and mobile phones mods.
We also have other items here made much affordable but have the same quality as those who pay premium.
We got them all here in the Philippines.
So why should only the rich people deserve to own such commodities then?
They're not any different from the less fortunate ones.

Haha, yes Shengzingping, the joke is definitely on the "rich" people!

---

@All:

Just because first world country citizens ("westerners") own a (pretty much useless) flashy iPad that Apple fooled them into buying for God-knows how much money doesn't make them any more superior, righteous or better situated than a guy in the Philippines / Egypt / Macedonia or wherever.

We'd rather get ourselves a beast of a PC for 600 EUR tops (the stations can't cost much more, sincerely, and can beat the crap out of a Mac or whatever overpriced garbage some companies pump out), along with an array of (cheap or mostly free) games to play (including even the newest, best titles there are), than sell our cars for an iMac and trade our education/food for a 20-hour gameplay in Assassin's Creed 2 or whatever.

Sure, you can call us thieves and whatever you like, but how would you feel like if games in your country cost like, $300-$500 a piece? Are you still gonna buy your games then?

Yup.
$300 would make up a whole month's supply of groceries, not to mention being able to pay the water and electrical bills.
Philippine laborers,like other Third World Countries, are underpaid people.
The average laborer who works his/her ass for 12 hours here earns less than Php200 a day (not per hour mind you people) which if converted to US dollars would only amount to $5 a day!
No other benefits whatsoever.

Same thing here in Macedonia!

That's all I wanted to say.