A different piracy question

[Jodah]

First let me say I am not looking for justification. I've already made up my mind personally. I'm looking for the thoughts of other people on a question of piracy I've not seen discussed before. I am also not looking for the legality of it. As far as that is concerned piracy is piracy so it is moot.

Anywho on to the question. Say a random person, we'll call him Fred, buys a new and legitimate copy of a game. Fred plays the game then trades it in. A couple years later Fred decides he wants to play it again. Is it okay, from your point of view, if Fred then pirates the game?

Follow up question: Say Fred cannot find a reasonably priced copy when he wants to play again. All he can find is 1000% mark up copies on Ebay and Amazon. Is it then okay for him to pirate?

As for me, I'm okay with either situation. The developer already got their money from the first copy. The used game dealer may lose money since Fred could have bought a used game but they likely made more than what they lost from reselling Fred's original copy.

 

[Wolfram23]

He purposely sold it, he'd have to buy it back.

If he didn't sell it and the copy doesn't work, like maybe the CD is all scratched or something, then I might see pirating it as justified.

 

[tippy2k2]

This is not a different question for piracy as this same exact scenario pops up in this thread once every few months but I'll bite...

No, it's not OK. You chose to get rid of your game, you can choose to re-buy the game. Hell, I've bought Starcraft 1 multiple times due to losing/damaging my disc.

The only situation where I will even entertain the idea is that if you CAN'T get the game in any reasonable way (it'd be case by case so I wouldn't be able to give you a broad answer for that one).

Pirates: You are not Robin Hood stealing from the rich. Gaming is a recreational activity; buy the product or GTFO.

 

[coolbeans21]

Legally = not ok

Ethically, personally I'd say its still not ok, If I sell something why should I have a right to keep owning it, surely I have transferred ownership to the new owner, if I want another one then I need to buy it again.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

Say a random person, we'll call him Fred, buys a new and legitimate copy of a game. Fred plays the game then trades it in. A couple years later Fred decides he wants to play it again. Is it okay, from your point of view, if Fred then pirates the game?

Quite frankly, it's Fred's lost. I personally own all the games that I have purchased, all the way back to the Sega Genesis. Plain and simple, ever game I get, I keep (with the exception of one, which was multiplayer-only). I have, and still continue to play my older games and I wouldn't trade them in. If I wanted to sell them, I'd do so online anyway.

Follow up question: Say Fred cannot find a reasonably priced copy when he wants to play again. All he can find is 1000% mark up copies on Ebay and Amazon. Is it then okay for him to pirate?

A reasonable price for a game is completely subjective. Whether it's $60 or $5, you will pay whatever you believe is reasonable; key word being PAY.

As far as finding a copy of the game online, do what I did...KEEP LOOKING. I spent many months trying to find a complete and playable Legend of the Dragoon game. I was able to buy one, brand new, and at a reasonable price and I have never been so happy to own the game.

 

[Epona]

If the game is out of print, then buying it again for an inflated price doesn't help anyone except the guy selling it for an inflated price.