Editor's Note: We're not big fans of piracy under any circumstances, but we thought Allistair's post was a good conversation starter.... -Demian
I have something to confess. Yesterday, when I went to the Valero down the block, I did something I probably should feel ashamed of. I pumped a couple tanks of gas into my Honda, paid the obligatory $32, and decided to step inside the store to get something to drink. After taking a bottle of Fuze (green tea always) from the fridge, I eyed a mostly delicious package of Corn Nuts. Feeling I paid enough to the greedy bastards of the Valero corporation, I sneaked the package into my pocket. I paid for the drink and the gas, and got some Corn Nuts for free--although, we all know the price of gas and the overpriced drink would also cover the Corn Nuts if the store had any interest in being fair. Yet, I still feel no remorse for my actions.
Here's another confession: That Corn Nut thing isn't actually true. I don’t steal from stores, I don’t scam eBay users, and I always put back what I borrow from someone. However, there is one unethical thing that I do on a frequent basis: I pirate games. I’m not going to argue that it is objectively right, but I can never feel guilty for taking a product and not giving anything back in return when it comes to media readily available on torrent sites. So much of this has to do with how openly accepted the act of piracy is. I remember when people used the term warez and felt like they actually accomplished something when they finally found a working link to download Final Doom over their 56k modem. When people tell me they have DirectTV, I tell them I have The Pirate Bay as if it’s a no-brainer alternative. When no one except the corporations are condemning your actions, it’s a lot easier to get something for free without a guilty conscience.
Last week, when I walked into Game Crazy, I didn't feel an impulse to shoplift a game. The thought never even occurred to me. You can say it’s because there is a much greater risk and degree of difficulty when you compare shoplifting to clicking your mouse a couple times. But, really, it was because there was someone else in the room. Someone who obnoxiously asks me to preorder every game I ask about, someone who insists on giving me a five-minute speech about buying an EXTREME GAMERS SAVINGS CARD, but he is ultimately someone I feel a need to pay because, at the end of the day, he is going home to a life not so different than my own, one that is far removed from a utopia where everything is free, only a couple clicks away.
We never feel guilty for taking something unless there is a human face involved--or at least I don't. Whether it’s an indie game developer making a plea to torrent users or Tim Schafer asking his fans to buy his merch if not his game, people will respond and pay up when reminded that games that have a heart and soul are made by people who bear the same. As for the industry giants, I think of them almost like a vending machine that has unfairly eaten enough of my quarters over the years. Yet, I have a feeling if I ever bumped into the maintenance guy, I’d be compelled to say thanks and give him fair pay for all the times I stuck my hand in and stole a Snickers bar. It’s just so hard to be mean to the guy when he is standing in front of you.
I write this not to advocate piracy or assuage any of my own guilt, but to make sense of what seems like a rather unfair act: piracy. The average consumer only has so much money to spend on games. Time, seen as a form of currency, is similarly in short supply. We buy the games that we can and pirate the rest. The sad truth is that once you start pirating, it becomes easy to forget you ever paid for a game. It's important, then, to remember the little guy, like Double Fine Productions (makers of Psychonauts) or ACE Team (Zeno Clash), when you do spend whatever money in your pocket on whatever game you only have so much time to play.
[This article originally appeared on Playthroughs.com]
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Comments (20)
I wasn't sure where you were going with this at first but once I reached the end I found that you have the same thinking on this as I do. Stealing from a faceless giant corporation just doesn't feel all that wrong, till you realize that normal every day people are working at these places.
Maybe pirating wont slow till there are no more giant publishers/developers.... but I doubt it.
Maybe pirating wont slow till there are no more giant publishers/developers.... but I doubt it.
My stance on piracy has always been to ignore it. I will not take any action to stop people from pirating games. I will neither condemn nor condone piracy. If developers want people to buy their games they need to make good ones. Thats as far as I will discuss the issue.
That being said you have a extremely well written blog post here! So well written in fact I looked at your site...which mauled my eyes with its color scheme.
As a graphical designer, I can tell you that green only works when its offset with a somber color like a grey. The colors you chose for your site clash. Fix the color and I'll take a closer look, even give you feed back if you want.
-Karl
That being said you have a extremely well written blog post here! So well written in fact I looked at your site...which mauled my eyes with its color scheme.
As a graphical designer, I can tell you that green only works when its offset with a somber color like a grey. The colors you chose for your site clash. Fix the color and I'll take a closer look, even give you feed back if you want.
-Karl
I had 3 more paragraphs where I went on a tangent about where I stand on piracy, but, like I said, it was a tangent.
I think all media needs to stick to a subscription form. It's just so hard to accept that I pay a flat monthly fee for all the film and TV I want, but music and games still insist I need to pay by the pound. So, I pay for what I can afford and pirate the rest. If there were non-bullshit subscription based services (Gametap and Napster aren't equals with Blockbuster and DirectTV yet) I would definitely pay for them.
I think all media needs to stick to a subscription form. It's just so hard to accept that I pay a flat monthly fee for all the film and TV I want, but music and games still insist I need to pay by the pound. So, I pay for what I can afford and pirate the rest. If there were non-bullshit subscription based services (Gametap and Napster aren't equals with Blockbuster and DirectTV yet) I would definitely pay for them.
As a graphical designer, I can tell you that green only works when its offset with a somber color like a grey. The colors you chose for your site clash. Fix the color and I'll take a closer look, even give you feed back if you want.
Well, I'm kind of color blind so...lol. I changed it up a bit. Tell me if you think it looks better. I could definitely use some help as far as graphic design goes, but really it's just a shell for the content which I might as well post here or any standard blog service.
I have something to confess. Yesterday, when I went to the Valero down the block, I did something I probably should feel ashamed of. I pumped a couple tanks of gas into my Honda, paid the obligatory $32, and decided to step inside the store to get something to drink.
Don't feel ashamed! A lot of people do that stuff.
Sorry, didn't mean to make fun. Nice editorial. I can see your point of view... I think that's why I was OK with the original Napster, but for some reason, I never was OK with it in the videogame world -- after I got into the industry. When I was a kid, I'd copy Commodore 64 games from my friends all the time. But now, I play them more legit.
Not a fair comparison to you, however, because I also get some games for free in my line of work.
Ahh color blind, I can see how that must complicate design. Well here are a few tips, they may seam harsh but I don't really indented them to be.
First, if you can't see color go with black and white or tones of grey. I admit I'm not the most educated person when it comes to color blindness, so if there is a problem with those options feel free to tell me.
Second, the 'header' is a bit to large. While it looks cool, its size is a bit distracting. Remember most people are looking at your site on 19" monitors, the content of your site should be the first thing they see. A header that size may cut some of it off, that would suck.
Third, I don't much like repeating back ground images. Stubs the zombie is neat, but I don't think having him cascading down the page is a good idea. If you really like back ground images, I would suggest geometric shapes.
I hope my advice is helpful, and again don't take it the wrong way. In the end this is the internet, no body is wrong.
Best of luck.
-Karl
First, if you can't see color go with black and white or tones of grey. I admit I'm not the most educated person when it comes to color blindness, so if there is a problem with those options feel free to tell me.
Second, the 'header' is a bit to large. While it looks cool, its size is a bit distracting. Remember most people are looking at your site on 19" monitors, the content of your site should be the first thing they see. A header that size may cut some of it off, that would suck.
Third, I don't much like repeating back ground images. Stubs the zombie is neat, but I don't think having him cascading down the page is a good idea. If you really like back ground images, I would suggest geometric shapes.
I hope my advice is helpful, and again don't take it the wrong way. In the end this is the internet, no body is wrong.
Best of luck.
-Karl
I'm not color blind. I'm color deficient (see here: http://colorvisiontesting.com/...le see.htm). I just say "color blind" since most people don't know what that other term means.
Anyway, I'm happy enough with the design and it's really just a personal blog. I don't know how to make many of the changes you listed or feel they are mandatory. I appreciate the advice though and if I do tune-up the site in coming months, I'll address these issues. Hit me at labcoatdisaster at gmail dot com if you have any other thoughts or advice (doesn't feel relevant to this site, at this point). Thanks.
Anyway, I'm happy enough with the design and it's really just a personal blog. I don't know how to make many of the changes you listed or feel they are mandatory. I appreciate the advice though and if I do tune-up the site in coming months, I'll address these issues. Hit me at labcoatdisaster at gmail dot com if you have any other thoughts or advice (doesn't feel relevant to this site, at this point). Thanks.
Great article. I have obtained my fair share of games, but also have amassed quite a collection as well. I do try to support smaller developers as a rule, but at the end of the day, devs are devs, whether big or small; and they too need paid for their work.
Piracy for me is neither good nor bad. I think it more akin to a reaction to a market that needs to change and adapt for a newer consumer base. Subscription models are one solution, digital downloads are another (though personally I also like having a physical backup).
Another problem that piracy is a reation to is regions. I understand that not all developers have the resources to localize their game for every region, but dammit don't lock out your game for those who wish to import. There are many games I would like to try out that are only released in Japan. It doesn't matter that I know little Japanese, it should be my decision to be able to import and try out the game. I can't buy it legit on legit hardware, so I find alternative means to play the game: good job, the dev lost a sale because you locked me out. And what of Europeans, who alwasy seem to get the short end of the stick?
Piracy won't ever go away. There will always be those who get what they can for the lowest cost [free]. Don't try to cater to that group. Instead provide better products at a better value without lockouts. Don't punish those who are willing to spend money on your products.
Piracy for me is neither good nor bad. I think it more akin to a reaction to a market that needs to change and adapt for a newer consumer base. Subscription models are one solution, digital downloads are another (though personally I also like having a physical backup).
Another problem that piracy is a reation to is regions. I understand that not all developers have the resources to localize their game for every region, but dammit don't lock out your game for those who wish to import. There are many games I would like to try out that are only released in Japan. It doesn't matter that I know little Japanese, it should be my decision to be able to import and try out the game. I can't buy it legit on legit hardware, so I find alternative means to play the game: good job, the dev lost a sale because you locked me out. And what of Europeans, who alwasy seem to get the short end of the stick?
Piracy won't ever go away. There will always be those who get what they can for the lowest cost [free]. Don't try to cater to that group. Instead provide better products at a better value without lockouts. Don't punish those who are willing to spend money on your products.
Let me precede my response by admitting that yes, I have pirated games. I also agree with many of the points that you made in your article, chiefly the notion that it is much easier for people as a whole to commit piracy, or any crime for that matter, when their conscious does not have to deal with seeing another human face. That being said, I do have to challenge a couple of your notions where you stray dangerously close to the line of condoning piracy under particular circumstances.
The first being the age old "Corporations are evil, so screw them" argument. Too me, this thought really never hit home or made much sense, and parallels the equally ludicrous notion of bands "selling out". Clearly, the reason anyone starts any type of venture is to be successful. Large corporations got that way because they are good at what they do, and I have never seen that as a reason to speak out against them without coming off with a rub of jealousy.
Secondly, you speak the very real truth of people having a limited amount of money to spent on gaming. I myself know this truth very dearly, having been laid off several months ago. However, having less money to purchase games does not mean that I have to play any less. I've recently signed up to Gamefly and plan on letting that service carry me through until I have the income to purchase the games I love so dearly. I may even be able to play MORE games now.
The last point I'd like to bring up is not one that you mentioned specifically, but ties into one. What if a game is no longer readily available for purchase? However, they may simply be a "few clicks away" on any number of warez sites or P2P networks. Well many of these games are in fact available "a few clicks away", but within services like GoodOldGames.com, Gametap, or Steam. Of all the points you made, I feel like the argument that piracy is a "no-brainer" because it is so easy is piratically null.
I've written this comment not as a personal condemning of you Allistair, as I feel you discussed your chosen topic in well written and concise manner. I simply wished to put in my two cents and offer some counter-points to your details and take advantage of this great site that Hsu and company have given us.
The first being the age old "Corporations are evil, so screw them" argument. Too me, this thought really never hit home or made much sense, and parallels the equally ludicrous notion of bands "selling out". Clearly, the reason anyone starts any type of venture is to be successful. Large corporations got that way because they are good at what they do, and I have never seen that as a reason to speak out against them without coming off with a rub of jealousy.
Secondly, you speak the very real truth of people having a limited amount of money to spent on gaming. I myself know this truth very dearly, having been laid off several months ago. However, having less money to purchase games does not mean that I have to play any less. I've recently signed up to Gamefly and plan on letting that service carry me through until I have the income to purchase the games I love so dearly. I may even be able to play MORE games now.
The last point I'd like to bring up is not one that you mentioned specifically, but ties into one. What if a game is no longer readily available for purchase? However, they may simply be a "few clicks away" on any number of warez sites or P2P networks. Well many of these games are in fact available "a few clicks away", but within services like GoodOldGames.com, Gametap, or Steam. Of all the points you made, I feel like the argument that piracy is a "no-brainer" because it is so easy is piratically null.
I've written this comment not as a personal condemning of you Allistair, as I feel you discussed your chosen topic in well written and concise manner. I simply wished to put in my two cents and offer some counter-points to your details and take advantage of this great site that Hsu and company have given us.
I agree. There are just some developers out there that I do not feel bad for when I pirate their games. EA, ActivisonBlizzard. I have only pirated The Sims 2, and WC2. But I didn't really feel bad about it. If anything when I pirated the games, I got more excited for their sequals. Afer I played The Sims 2, I am very excited for Sims 3, and I plan on buying it the day it is released. I would of never bought The Sims 2 for PC. So pirating can be good in that it introduces you to games you otherwise would never have tried.
It's the same for movies and music too now that I think about it. When you pirate a movie and you love it and would never of watched it otherwise there is a good chance you will go out and see the sequal in theaters. Or when you listen to a song that you pirated from a site and you want to hear more of it, you go on itunes and buy some more(at least I do).
But then again there are people out there who use the saying, "All you have to do is buy a 3,000 dollar gaming PC, and then the games are free". So all they do is pirate and the developers never see a dime, and I think that is wrong.
It's the same for movies and music too now that I think about it. When you pirate a movie and you love it and would never of watched it otherwise there is a good chance you will go out and see the sequal in theaters. Or when you listen to a song that you pirated from a site and you want to hear more of it, you go on itunes and buy some more(at least I do).
But then again there are people out there who use the saying, "All you have to do is buy a 3,000 dollar gaming PC, and then the games are free". So all they do is pirate and the developers never see a dime, and I think that is wrong.
I haven't bought a pirated game since the PSone days, and I certainly don't want to now.
With that being said, I have mixed feelings about piracy. Do you REALLY need to pay to play Final Fantasy IV for the umptenth time? Or what about a "new" version of Pokemon.
It's a whole other story with original content. Buying a pirate copy of Mirror's Edge, Psychonauts or Hotel Dusk will end up hurting no one but the industry you so much love.
But buying a pirate copy of a crappy remake (which you already own in another platform), another Mario Party to spend the weekend, or checking how just how much Fugitive Hunter sucks? I won't blame you, man.
With that being said, I have mixed feelings about piracy. Do you REALLY need to pay to play Final Fantasy IV for the umptenth time? Or what about a "new" version of Pokemon.
It's a whole other story with original content. Buying a pirate copy of Mirror's Edge, Psychonauts or Hotel Dusk will end up hurting no one but the industry you so much love.
But buying a pirate copy of a crappy remake (which you already own in another platform), another Mario Party to spend the weekend, or checking how just how much Fugitive Hunter sucks? I won't blame you, man.
I think a great way for indie designers (not sure how to scale this to the big guys) to discourage piracy is to offer little rewards for buying a game. Scolding and guilt-trips only go so far. But you'd be amazing how many people can be swayed with a little personal attention - stick the names of people who preorder in the game's credits, send them a personally signed letter or some other cheap memento, work their name into a quick little flash game on the game's web site - there are all sorts of possibilities. People will still pirate (such is life) but the people who don't will feel on top of the world.
To wit: The piece of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 television set I got from ordering the theatrical film direct is worth more than having the entire series off BitTorrent.
To wit: The piece of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 television set I got from ordering the theatrical film direct is worth more than having the entire series off BitTorrent.
If you truly believe that the only people who condemn your acts of piracy are the huge corporations that you're stealing from, you are mistaken.
Why do you think that the price of new games for 360 and PS3 has risen to $60? Part of it, surely, is to cover the losses suffered at the hands of those who will steal the games via torrent rather than buy them. Yes, there are other reasons for the price hike as well, including the rising cost of game development, the rise of used game sales cutting into new game sales, etc. But piracy does now, and always has, affected the honest gamers who choose purchase their games rather than stealing them.
You might also consider the rampant layoffs that our economy has been suffering this past year. The video game industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth rivaling Hollywood, and big corporations like EA and Microsoft are letting people go - normal, regular everyday guys who are just trying to scrape together a living for themselves and their families. If piracy wasn't as big a problem as it is, i.e. if more people were paying for their games and not stealing them, some of those people might not have lost their jobs.
So think about these things the next time you download a stolen copy of a new game, and know that you're affecting more than nameless, faceless corporations.
Why do you think that the price of new games for 360 and PS3 has risen to $60? Part of it, surely, is to cover the losses suffered at the hands of those who will steal the games via torrent rather than buy them. Yes, there are other reasons for the price hike as well, including the rising cost of game development, the rise of used game sales cutting into new game sales, etc. But piracy does now, and always has, affected the honest gamers who choose purchase their games rather than stealing them.
You might also consider the rampant layoffs that our economy has been suffering this past year. The video game industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth rivaling Hollywood, and big corporations like EA and Microsoft are letting people go - normal, regular everyday guys who are just trying to scrape together a living for themselves and their families. If piracy wasn't as big a problem as it is, i.e. if more people were paying for their games and not stealing them, some of those people might not have lost their jobs.
So think about these things the next time you download a stolen copy of a new game, and know that you're affecting more than nameless, faceless corporations.
@Pat Reynolds: Piracy is certainly a problem, but it is a problem with no solution. It's also a problem that is vastly overstated. For example, look at World of Goo. The piracy rate is supposedly in the 90% range, yet the title gained many (including my personal) outstanding reviews. It went on to make the two guys behind 2D Boy comfortable, although not necessarily rich.
I also seriously doubt the assertion that piracy is what caused the price hike for games on the next generation consoles and layoffs. I'd think that inflation and a poor view on what makes the economy tick would have far more to do with that.
EA and Microsoft are gigantic corporations that have profits (not revenue, profits) in the millions, if not billions, every single year. Them laying off workers is not a result of piracy damaging this, but the tanking of an entire nation's livelihood. In a furious attempt to keep profits up in spite of a demolished economy, they are laying workers off rather than weathering the storm with reduced profits.
Basically, saying that "piracy causes people to be laid off" is a little bit of scaremongering. Piracy really does only hurt the small people. The independent developers like Introversion, 2D Boy, or ACE Team.
I also seriously doubt the assertion that piracy is what caused the price hike for games on the next generation consoles and layoffs. I'd think that inflation and a poor view on what makes the economy tick would have far more to do with that.
EA and Microsoft are gigantic corporations that have profits (not revenue, profits) in the millions, if not billions, every single year. Them laying off workers is not a result of piracy damaging this, but the tanking of an entire nation's livelihood. In a furious attempt to keep profits up in spite of a demolished economy, they are laying workers off rather than weathering the storm with reduced profits.
Basically, saying that "piracy causes people to be laid off" is a little bit of scaremongering. Piracy really does only hurt the small people. The independent developers like Introversion, 2D Boy, or ACE Team.
I pirated the hell out of some original Xbox games. I don't have any excuses for it, and I wouldn't have offered any at the time I was doing it. I knew it was wrong and I did it anyway.
What changed my mind about piracy in the current generation, mostly, was a higher value proposition from Xbox Live. That was what killed the momentum, so to speak. Microsoft stepped up to the plate with the 360 and engaged a lot of selling points of a modded first-gen Xbox. What killed my piracy at first was a fear of being banned from a service I valued.
Once I stopped pirating, I started thinking about some of the points addressed in this article. I started buying all my new games and some of the games I had pirated. I even stopped buying used games. It wasn't a sense of justice that led me to do that, just a desire to thank the developers of those games I had enjoyed.
To the inevitable commenters who are going to get on a soapbox and preach to the pirates, go ahead and say whatever you will. Pirates don't care about what you have to say. They really don't. Most pirates do it just because it's as easy as a couple of clicks. Yes, it's wrong and yes, it hurts developers. They still don't care what you have to say about it.
What changed my mind about piracy in the current generation, mostly, was a higher value proposition from Xbox Live. That was what killed the momentum, so to speak. Microsoft stepped up to the plate with the 360 and engaged a lot of selling points of a modded first-gen Xbox. What killed my piracy at first was a fear of being banned from a service I valued.
Once I stopped pirating, I started thinking about some of the points addressed in this article. I started buying all my new games and some of the games I had pirated. I even stopped buying used games. It wasn't a sense of justice that led me to do that, just a desire to thank the developers of those games I had enjoyed.
To the inevitable commenters who are going to get on a soapbox and preach to the pirates, go ahead and say whatever you will. Pirates don't care about what you have to say. They really don't. Most pirates do it just because it's as easy as a couple of clicks. Yes, it's wrong and yes, it hurts developers. They still don't care what you have to say about it.
I wrote this article not to condone or condemn piracy but to ask myself (and others), "Why piracy never feels wrong?" My own moral stance is I buy the games I can and pirate the rest. I would go as far to argue that the industry is better off with pirates, as piracy often translates into word of mouth. 2D Boy and Stardock (who actually have spoken for, not against, pirates) owe their newfound success to the rapid word of mouth these games were subjected to, which came from pirates (or so their sales figures would say).
Right now I am playing Cryostasis, an obscure PC game being marred by high system requirements and subpar reviews, a game I wouldn't be playing otherwise. I don't have the money to spend on it right now, as I spent last week's check on Gun (xbox360) and Plants vs. Zombies (PC). I am going to make a review and post it around the net, getting anywhere from 25-100 views. Since I like the game, it will be a much more positive one then the reviews listed on Metacritic and it will shape the opinion of those who see this review, ultimately making it more likely they will purchase this game or at least be aware that it exists. I'm not trying to say the worlds stops for me, but that word of mouth is an essential part of any grassroots effort.
My point is, the other option would be I don't have the money to seek the game out so I never do, quickly forgetting this title even existed. Which of these two possible outcomes serves in the developer's favor?
People try to make the piracy argument black-and-white. There is a clear difference between someone who pirates EVERYTHING and someone who only pirates what he can't afford.
There are so many other excellent issues you guys bring up, which I'll use as well to draw new ideas for articles in upcoming weeks. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and reading some of mine!
Right now I am playing Cryostasis, an obscure PC game being marred by high system requirements and subpar reviews, a game I wouldn't be playing otherwise. I don't have the money to spend on it right now, as I spent last week's check on Gun (xbox360) and Plants vs. Zombies (PC). I am going to make a review and post it around the net, getting anywhere from 25-100 views. Since I like the game, it will be a much more positive one then the reviews listed on Metacritic and it will shape the opinion of those who see this review, ultimately making it more likely they will purchase this game or at least be aware that it exists. I'm not trying to say the worlds stops for me, but that word of mouth is an essential part of any grassroots effort.
My point is, the other option would be I don't have the money to seek the game out so I never do, quickly forgetting this title even existed. Which of these two possible outcomes serves in the developer's favor?
People try to make the piracy argument black-and-white. There is a clear difference between someone who pirates EVERYTHING and someone who only pirates what he can't afford.
There are so many other excellent issues you guys bring up, which I'll use as well to draw new ideas for articles in upcoming weeks. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and reading some of mine!
At my school piracy is rather common among anyone with a PSP. I don't feel that piracy is right, and i voice this at school. This is meat with arguments such as "the game industry has enough money", and "i only pirate games that are not worth buying". To me these arguments are ridiculous. If a game in the first place wouldn't be worth buying then how is it worth playing at all let alone stealing. Also, the 'they got enough money' argument dose not hold with me either. As you stated in your article, there are people who make these games, and when we don't pay for them those people don't get paid.
I myself have been know to pirate. However, in each case I see things the way Tim Schafer does, and every time I pirate i make sure to pay the company back either by donation, or i buy merchandise equal in value to what I pirated.
I myself have been know to pirate. However, in each case I see things the way Tim Schafer does, and every time I pirate i make sure to pay the company back either by donation, or i buy merchandise equal in value to what I pirated.
Piracy isn't black and white, I've purchased games then pirated them to not deal with the drm on my PC. Bioshock, Mass Effect, Spore are all games that I have torrented the cracks for, because really I don't want to play with my dvd drive filled. Why should I need my disc in my drive when the game can be self contained on my computer? According to DMCA I shouldn't be allowed to do that, why? I'm the consumer, its my choice on how I want to use the media I have PURCHASED. It frustrates me just like music and movie industries try to control how we use what we purchased. I have backup dvd rips of all my dvds, season box sets so I can stream all my video on my pc or on my tv. These companies continue to shun technology as they want to preserve their archaic outdated models when in fact they continue to dig their own graves. I just want to be able to use stuff that I bought in the way that I choose, if they won't let me with a valid reason I will continue to circumvent their idiotic measures.
Sorry, but piracy IS black-and-white. It is theft of intellectual property. You're not like the poor person that steals bread to feed his family, you're stealing games to stay entertained, or even worse, to make a name for yourself on the internet through reviews of the very games you stole.
Piracy does hurt all publishers, not just the small ones; the major difference is that most, if not all publishers incur it at a cost of development - which is probably part of the reason for the rising cost of development.
If you're going to steal, I certainly can't stop you, but please, stop justifying it as anything less than a lack of morality.
Piracy does hurt all publishers, not just the small ones; the major difference is that most, if not all publishers incur it at a cost of development - which is probably part of the reason for the rising cost of development.
If you're going to steal, I certainly can't stop you, but please, stop justifying it as anything less than a lack of morality.
I pirate. That's a fact, no way around it, however I also buy 1-2 full 50 or 60 dollar games a month in addition to several games that are below the 20-30 dollar range either on sale or just small indie or casual games. I pay for every game that I find worthwhile. For instance I downloaded the Witcher, but I ended up enjoying the first two hours a lot so when the enhanced edition came out I paid for it full price. I did the same thing with Bioshock and other games as well. Do I think that piracy is "right"? not necessarily, but the truth is if I didn't pirate at all I would probably end up spending LESS money on games over all. I"m not saying this to justify what I do but I am saying this simply because it's the way it is, if I never tested out some games then I'd never pay for them.
I also want to say that I have also paid full price for a game just to support the developer, I paid full for SPORE because I loved the idea and I wanted Will Wright to keep doing what he did, I literally put an hour in to the game and that's it. I also pay subscriptions for various MMO's, etc. but the truth is when I'm in a lean month I'll pirate games. and things have been really lean since my wife and I had our daughter back in January.
I make no excuses but I do stand by my actions, I love steam and I also use Impulse and direct2drive. I also pay for all of my music and I have to say that at this point it is easier to be legit than it is to pirate. But I will also say that I do not buy the boxed copy of any PC game, if it's not on steam than I am much less inclined to buy it and if it's not on direct2drive or impulse either than I won't buy it at all.
I'm in my mid 20's and I have a good job with disposable income, I save money every month and have my life in order, but I also have a wife, live in NYC and have a 4 month old daughter. I have very little free time and even with disposable income at the prices for most games I won't pay for all of them. If piracy wasn't an option then the truth is I wouldn't play it at all. I know some people say this but it's the truth, there are games that I'm willing to try and pay for if they are good but when I can't find a reliable download for it or if it's too difficult to get it working then I won't play it at all and I won't buy it at all.
I also want to say that I have also paid full price for a game just to support the developer, I paid full for SPORE because I loved the idea and I wanted Will Wright to keep doing what he did, I literally put an hour in to the game and that's it. I also pay subscriptions for various MMO's, etc. but the truth is when I'm in a lean month I'll pirate games. and things have been really lean since my wife and I had our daughter back in January.
I make no excuses but I do stand by my actions, I love steam and I also use Impulse and direct2drive. I also pay for all of my music and I have to say that at this point it is easier to be legit than it is to pirate. But I will also say that I do not buy the boxed copy of any PC game, if it's not on steam than I am much less inclined to buy it and if it's not on direct2drive or impulse either than I won't buy it at all.
I'm in my mid 20's and I have a good job with disposable income, I save money every month and have my life in order, but I also have a wife, live in NYC and have a 4 month old daughter. I have very little free time and even with disposable income at the prices for most games I won't pay for all of them. If piracy wasn't an option then the truth is I wouldn't play it at all. I know some people say this but it's the truth, there are games that I'm willing to try and pay for if they are good but when I can't find a reliable download for it or if it's too difficult to get it working then I won't play it at all and I won't buy it at all.
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