Witcher 2 Dev Defends Asking €1000 From Pirates

[Baresark]

I will not understand their arbitrary number for the money they are asking. It defies reason. If there are so many people you definitively know stole the game (a fantasy if you will), how are they within their right to ask for more than a copy of the game. I support the company in regards that I have purchased their titles and I buy from GoG. But I can't support something when they cannot prove that these people are definitively guilty of piracy.

You honestly think legit customers who were willing to pay for the game to support the company will look down on them for going after the douchebags who don't care if the company can't make enough money to make another game? Really?

No offense, but you are projecting a bit. The company has made a profit off of the game so far. And it's still moving last time I checked. It's a bit of a red herring to talk about the companies poor financial state when that is not what is up to debate in this case, and they are not doing badly.

 

[Baresark]

It's a tricky one. On one hand, yes, DRM probably is bad and does often punish the honest buyers.

But when there's no DRM at all on your game, it's inevitably going to be pirated. The DLC and stuff is surely DRM-free as well, so that'll just be pirated in as well.

It seems to me that CD Projekt had this "no-DRM" idea, then when they realised that they were losing literally MILLIONS of dollars, suddenly they need to start threatening people. I'm not saying that DRM is good by any means, but I think this specific approach is a tad short sighted.

I say that immortal, pink machine-gun death-scorpions should be the de-facto copy protection.

I can't agree with your assessment for the simple reason that you are assuming that DRM stops pirates, which it never has. I mean, the immortal scorpion idea is great, but that has been done away with by pirates. That worked because no one expected it. But when it's found out, it's eliminated. No DRM simply doesn't hurt the paying customers. Ask Ubisoft how their DRM is working out for them.

 

[tyriless]

There a numerous reasons why a software company can demand fifty times the value of the game. First, this number is a deterrent to other pirates. Not all pirates, I am sure. The music companies have been going after music pirates for years and it still happens. However, if a software company is actively pursuing those that are stealing their property, it could likely cause someone else to hesitate on the theft, or at least contemplate to why the company is doing so.

Second, one thousand pounds could be what they estimate the loss actually to be. Of course, they have to cover the cost of the game. They also are covering the loss if the pirate is sharing the game with other people. I use uTorrent and I tend to seed way more than I download. If I had done that for Skyrim I am sure, by now, I would of seeded at least twenty copies since 11.11.11. That's one thousand dollars that I just helped take from Bethesda.

Finally, its theft pure and simple. If a pirater was broke, working full time, and going to college he/she gets a pass from this, but everyone else with the three hundred dollar graphics card on a six hundred dollar computer: you stole a game you could afford, you cheap bastard. Yeah, my final point really is me stating that you deserve to be pay twenty times the game value, because you suck. Hey maybe you counterbalance the suckage by being a great humanitarian, but I doubt it.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

First off, it's a scare tactic. Without the monetary issue, to those it reached correctly, CDp is saying 'Gotcha. I know. And other can too. Instead of taking you to court, you can be done with this easily'. I think that's a good compromise.

And to those who think it's a better option to ignore it? Pretend you're mandated to live in a bad section of town. All you have protecting you from the outside world are locks that are busted easily. Everything you create, buy, or bring into the apartment is eventually stolen. are you going to shrug and say 'well, I can't stop them. Might as well ignore them'.

These developers have cost. They need to pay overheads and employees, lawyers and etc. If they aren't recouping their money, why should they just shrug and say they can't do anything about it? You'd fight for your money, don't give companies any grief when they are trying to make it so YOUR games aren't loaded with DRM crap.

 

[kyogen]

They haven't squandered any of my good will. I purchased several legal copies of their games, and I'm behind them on this. Go after pirates; don't punish customers.

You honestly think legit customers who were willing to pay for the game to support the company will look down on them for going after the douchebags who don't care if the company can't make enough money to make another game? Really?

Look man, it's fine that you disagree with me, but that second quote isn't mine. Please be more careful when you cite others. Thanks.

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

I will not understand their arbitrary number for the money they are asking. It defies reason. If there are so many people you definitively know stole the game (a fantasy if you will), how are they within their right to ask for more than a copy of the game.

If the punishment for defrauding CD Projekt is the price of the game, what is there to lose by pirating it and hoping you don't get caught?

Oh yeah, the mark on your criminal record.

Piracy is a risk assessment like any other - even on a simplistic level, the following comparison occurs:

Which is the greater cost:
1) The price of Witcher 2 if I legally purchase it (a probability of 1.00)
2) If I am caught, the fine I will pay for software fraud and the potential loss of income-earning employment opportunities in futuro because a company turned me down due to my criminal record (a probability of X)

Obviously, pirates believe X is small enough to offset the substantial life-long penalty, so much so that it's LESS than $40 (or whatever Witcher 2's price is).

That's a really tiny estimation of X.

CD Projekt is addressing the public and the pirate community's valuation of X. If we get X high enough that Option 1 is cheaper than Option 2, piracy will end.

 

[Smooth Operator]

They are squandering the good will they have gained for themselves.

By asking software counterfeiters (remember it's not theft, it's fraud) to do the right thing and pay up? How is that being a dick?

By asking they pay 20x the products worth, that is the dick move.

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

They are squandering the good will they have gained for themselves.

By asking software counterfeiters (remember it's not theft, it's fraud) to do the right thing and pay up? How is that being a dick?

By asking they pay 20x the products worth, that is the dick move.

And by telling them to just pay what the cost of the game was, they're congratulating pirates on a splendid game of Tag. :mdwm:

What is needed is a way of improving the likelihood of being caught (or at the very least, the perception of that likelihood). Pirates gon' pirate because they are genuinely not afraid.

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

*double post, dammit*

 

[80Maxwell08]

They are squandering the good will they have gained for themselves.

Good will from who? The pirates? I'm sure they're all choked up about that.

The problem with fighting piracy is that you can't win and you will ultimately become like EA or Ubisoft. Ignore the pirates, that is the only way.

It sounds like a pathetic solution and it is but if you can't beat the pirates, why are you wasting money, time and the good will of honest customers? Honest customers look down on heavy handed tactics like this.

I don't know what else to say on this matter.

You honestly think legit customers who were willing to pay for the game to support the company will look down on them for going after the douchebags who don't care if the company can't make enough money to make another game? Really?

Yes I do. Heavy handed tactics just result in more heavy handed tactics until CDPR becomes just like every other publisher.

People who buy music were still disgusted by the heavy handedness of the music industry.

CD Projekt RED Said they were going to do this from the very beginning. If anyone was listening to them they would know this so they aren't losing anything.

 

[Epona]

They are squandering the good will they have gained for themselves.

Good will from who? The pirates? I'm sure they're all choked up about that.

The problem with fighting piracy is that you can't win and you will ultimately become like EA or Ubisoft. Ignore the pirates, that is the only way.

It sounds like a pathetic solution and it is but if you can't beat the pirates, why are you wasting money, time and the good will of honest customers? Honest customers look down on heavy handed tactics like this.

I don't know what else to say on this matter.

You honestly think legit customers who were willing to pay for the game to support the company will look down on them for going after the douchebags who don't care if the company can't make enough money to make another game? Really?

Yes I do. Heavy handed tactics just result in more heavy handed tactics until CDPR becomes just like every other publisher.

People who buy music were still disgusted by the heavy handedness of the music industry.

CD Projekt RED Said they were going to do this from the very beginning. If anyone was listening to them they would know this so they aren't losing anything.

Really, telling everyone in advance makes it all ok?

I am done with this topic, I'll be back to laugh when CDPR becomes like EA or Ubisoft. I'll say, "well you supported them when they started being heavy handed".

 

[Belated]

There is no right way to curtail piracy. The best thing to do is just suck it up and let it happen. Switzerland already determined [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114537-File-sharing-Remains-Legal-In-Switzerland] that piracy isn't actually as hurtful as these companies claim. People aren't spending less money on entertainment, they're just supplementing their existing entertainment budget with piracy.

Not to mention, you're only entitled to your "damages". Even though piracy doesn't actually cause damages, I could concede to allowing developers to collect the cost of the game from those who are caught, which amounts to about $50 or $60, not a ridiculously bloated $1,300. The legal system is supposed to make you "whole" when you lose money, not make you better off than you were. To ask for three digits, let alone four digits, for a single game, is just terrible. It's bullying, and it's wrong.

 

[Baresark]

No offense, but you need to learn to read.

I didn't say they're not doing well, I said the douchebags don't care if the company can't make enough money.

You didn't mean that about CDPR, but you put it into your rebuttal to another post in regards to piracy and CDPR? I wasn't trying to be a dick, but you commented in such a way about a particular topic that made it seem like that is what you are saying. I did read it.

Now, that being said, I'm not looking for a flame war. I do not condone piracy, so we are in complete agreement there. But it has proven time and time again that heavy handed tactics against piracy do not work. By not work, I literally mean that it does not prevent pirates from illegally cracking and distributing games.

And with complete respect, you are making the argument that pirated copies are lost sales. That is a simply not able to be proven.

 

[Zachery Gaskins]

Not to mention, you're only entitled to your "damages". Even though piracy doesn't actually cause damages, I could conceded to allowing developers to collect the cost of the game from those who are caught, which amounts to about $50 or $60, not a ridiculously bloated $1,300. The legal system is supposed to make you "whole" when you lose money, not make you better off than you were. To ask for three digits, let alone four digits, for a single game, is just terrible. It's bullying, and it's wrong.

But there can be additional punitive fines imposed on the convicted that compensate the state for the time wasted dealing with the pirates. It doesn't have to go to CDPK as long as it goes away from the pirates' livelihood.

 

[Kashrlyyk]

What they did is this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abmahnung

Going to court would most likely be much more expensive for both sides, besides the accused people can go to a lawyer themselves to check if the amount is reasonable enough or to high.

Besides file-sharing is illegally downloading AND distributing of a product.

 

[80Maxwell08]

They are squandering the good will they have gained for themselves.

Good will from who? The pirates? I'm sure they're all choked up about that.

The problem with fighting piracy is that you can't win and you will ultimately become like EA or Ubisoft. Ignore the pirates, that is the only way.

It sounds like a pathetic solution and it is but if you can't beat the pirates, why are you wasting money, time and the good will of honest customers? Honest customers look down on heavy handed tactics like this.

I don't know what else to say on this matter.

You honestly think legit customers who were willing to pay for the game to support the company will look down on them for going after the douchebags who don't care if the company can't make enough money to make another game? Really?

Yes I do. Heavy handed tactics just result in more heavy handed tactics until CDPR becomes just like every other publisher.

People who buy music were still disgusted by the heavy handedness of the music industry.

CD Projekt RED Said they were going to do this from the very beginning. If anyone was listening to them they would know this so they aren't losing anything.

Really, telling everyone in advance makes it all ok?

I am done with this topic, I'll be back to laugh when CDPR becomes like EA or Ubisoft. I'll say, "well you supported them when they started being heavy handed".

Whatever. You will not be missed when you are wrong.

 

[Omnific One]

Why not just charge every single pirate they manage to catch the price of the game? Seems simple enough. Sure, it might not discourage them, but it's not like a single one of those people are actually gonna pay that much.