It's situations like this that really show how open to ideas of change people can be. You have the side shouting "no excuses, it's wrong", then the group going "it's okay given the circumstances" and another group saying "who cares?"
Honestly, I think that the issue of Piracy, as well as Copyright Laws, needs to be reevaluated in today's society. By the current logic of some users here (and sometimes by copyright holders) even the act of copying a CD and giving it to a friend who liked it but couldn't afford a copy is criminal. Those of like LordNue would have us believe that the person you copied the music CD for doesn't deserve and/or need it and to fuck them.
I think we also need to reexamine what we define as "needs and wants". I can't speak for other people, but if I couldn't play games period (like ever) I'd probably go nuts. Much like listening to music (most of which can not be bought like game soundtracks, or would have no idea where to buy it, like the opening song to some anime), gaming is a way for me to try and relax. I have a lot of health problems, and for me, gaming gives me something to lose myself in. Something interactive to keep myself busy instead of getting into something I would regret, or thinking about stuff that I probably shouldn't. I'm probably not explaining myself very clearly and I apologize for that.
Humans have what could be called, I think, Creature Comforts. You take away what it is that makes you personally comfortable, and after a while you become restless. Given time, you start looking for other ways to meet these needs, you can't due to lack of available income or supply or whatever the hell prevents you from obtaining those comforts. After enough time passes you start losing who you are. You can't relax, nothing seems to make the tension and stress go away. Next thing you know, you snap and do something you'll regret.
Damn where was it that I heard this one quote that would really put this into perspective... ugh, I hate my crappy memory. Something like "Humans are some of the most complacent creatures in existence, but if you threaten that complacency, they become more frightening than any demon" or something like that.
There is nothing anyone can say or do that will prevent someone from taking something if they can't get it through ordinary (ie, legal) means. Because as much as you claim it isn't a "need" for them it is. Just like when you try to pull a person who is absorbed into something like.. World of Warcraft away from that. They become aggressive and can/will become hostile. I think that it surprises people who are on the receiving end of that because they don't really understand. They still perceive it as a meer "want" but for that person it is a need.
Also, as a last bit of babbling before I cease to exist in this thread: I think a lot of people who put their heart into making some games, would love to see people who couldn't afford it play their game. Especially if they were proud (not as common these days) of the final product. Not only could it possibly make someone very happy, if they tell their friends who DO have money that could be another sale. The thing about piracy is that if nothing else, it gets word of the product out, which means there is an increased chance someone might buy the product who wasn't originally interested.
I'm not saying there's nothing wrong, sure the actions could have consequences (mostly moral ones these days though), but I'm also saying it's naive to believe that you can truly influence someone's decision if they've already made up in their mind that it's okay.
To put it simply, I think the person who started this thread isn't really doing anything genuinely wrong. It may be frowned upon by some of the .. hmm.. can't think of a term that wouldn't sound offensive... the more "vocally opposed" but if the object in question is not tangible and is strictly digital, than as others have said, absolutely nothing is lost as there was no chance of the person buying it anyways. It'd be different if they actually went into the store and stole a copy.
Also note that desperation makes people do crazy things, regardless if it's a want or need, especially if THEY perceive it as a need/desire.