Piracy: How would you stop it?

[Tiger Sora]

There is no way to stop piracy. You can build a wall to stop them, they'll go under, over or around. You can deter the weaker willed and the ones without the means. But the determined shall press forth to take what they want. Thats how its always been. Its like human nature. Damn near impossible to change.

Unless... we develop a..... no. I must not give them that idea. It would be a breach of our freedoms. One I can not allow.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Make a reasonable price and make it convenient. That's really all there is to it. You could have probably gotten every game on the last steam sale absolutely free on the pirate bay but people still buy them on steam because it doesn't put a hole in their pocket and it's convenient.

I'd say the main thing that needs an overhaul is computer programs. They are ridiculously insanely overpriced, and to use them you have to jump through so many verify this, register this etc. Then if you ever get a new computer or even reformat your old one, they expect you to buy it AGAIN.

Or you could pirate it once for free, have it work perfectly forever with no strings attached and use it on your new computer when you get one.

 

[CriticalMiss]

A few people have touched on some of the methods I would use.

- Stop fighting piracy, it will cost you more money than you save.

- No DRM will also make people happy, so better reviews!

- With the money you save not trying to stop the inevitable, pay your developers to make an awesomer game.

- Save money with digital distribution the vast majority of your target market has the internet now. If you're worried about it getting put on torrent sites don't worry, it would have happened even if you published it on giant stone tablets.

- Cut out middlemen. Huge publishers will take a lot of the profits from your game, then fire you and take even more.

- Now that you're costs are reduced and you don't have executives breathing down your neck, focus on making the game good rather than profitable. If the game is good to begin with your won't have to pay reviewers for good ratings!

I really see profit as more of a problem than piracy and whilst developers need to eat and support their families, so do gamers. Big corporations mess up the distribution of profits from games with huge amounts going to a small number of people whilst the ones doing the hard work are left with less and are usually the first ones up on the chopping block when it is time to make layoffs. It's usually the publishers who are pushing for increasingly more irritating DRM policies too. And the hardiest of pirates will just see DRM as a challenge, ultimately they will crack it and then someone has spent a lot of money on something that didn't work.

Ultimately, the best way to combat piracy is to make something people WANT to pay for. Even if it is collectors editions with free shineys.

 

[Brainwreck]

Kill every single person that pirates anything.
Easier done than said.

 

[Yopaz]

I would realize the fact that it's a lost battle. Some say DRM prevents piracy, some say DRM causes piracy.

Neither of these are true. DRM is easily cracked and removed and is more of an annoyance to those who buy the game. However most who pay for a game can accept DRM or use a crack to remove it form legally purchased games. Piracy is when you simply don't want to or you're unable to pay for a product. The best thing to do would be to stop wasting money on DRM projects that pisses of consumers. It wont stop anything, but it will reduce expenses.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

6 month Prison sentences for anyone who tries to hack information, pirate media or steal anything digitally.

6 month prison sentence and a 2 year computer/internet access ban for anyone found making any kind of malicious virus.

I don't care if it seems harsh I just cant stand scrawny little twerps stealing from people via the internet. I'd like to see them try to steal something without the aid of a keyboard.

You're lucky we have such strict rules about directly insulting people...

Why's that? Are you feeling insecure because you are an information thief? These sort of people are not worth defending.

People who steal things from where honest people can't punish them make me sick.

As I said sorry if I upset anyone by being harsh, it's just my opinion cyber thieves are among the worst kind of people. So I suppose I am not sorry if you are a cyber thief. Think about it bank accounts are hacked, identities are stolen, army intelligence is stolen HECK game's stuff is stolen.

Except almost nothing in life is ever that simple.

There are so many points that make the "theft" part debatable. The item being digital not material so nothing is technically lost, whether the person would have bought it anyway, company/person they are pirating from, the numerous people who pirate, like it then buy it, etc. None of these things make it "right" or strictly "Ok", but they ABSOLUTELY have to be part of the discussion as it's simply naive to call every instance of it dirty slimy thieving.

And "Worst kind of people"? REALLY!?!? Even for a First-World Problem type thing, that statement STILL makes no sense.

 

[ninjaRiv]

Not charging so much for digital products would be a start.I see a lot of comic books for sale on Comixology for the same amount as the physical copies. And we all know how messed up the digital game prices are, right?

But plenty of people download this stuff because it's free. I don't think you could ever contend with that. To get the biggest audience, you need to make products that are worth the price. And that price shouldn't be as steep as it is. Those guy carry on pirating after that can't use the usual excuses and need to own up to what they do. Unfortunately, a lot of their stupid excuses have weight to them right now.

 

[theSteamSupported]

I'll get back on that question, once I know a good way to change the attitude amongst the pirates themselves.

 

[Azo Galvat]

1. Make a good game.

2. Not put four or five digital locks on the thing which any pirate with an hour of free time could open and the average customer needs to put in codes for, be always connected to my servers with my proprietary service.

3. ???

4. PROFIT!

 

[Brad Calkins]

Just like the Jimquistion said, in our attempts to fight piracy only make it more common, making it easier for them to provide a better service.

Okay, is it just me or is irony a cosmic force,
We try fight piracy, and we make it more common,
we try to help the third world, and we make things worse by taking away jobs and giving money to the very people who caused the problem,
We try to fight discrimination, we become convinced that prejudice is something only white males are capable of exhibiting,

AM I THE ONLY WHO'S NOTICED THIS!?

 

[Entitled]

I would lift copyright from the area of limiting individual access rights, so "piracy" would only be about whether companies are selling/distributing unallowed copies of each other's content, and the moves of big publishers would be easier to control than individuals.

That's part of the reason whhy the piracy problem exists to begin with. It used to be simple in the 18th century to shut down an underground book printing shop that didn't respect the Crown's and the Stationers' copyright on all existing content. Poor fellows never thought that in the future, their rights can be "harmed" just by individuals making a single click to read the books that's copies they want to limit.

 

[verdant monkai]

PS: it's "just my opinion" that draconian corporate whores should be ridiculed before being completely ignored.

pps: if you can't see the distinction between identity fraud and cracking a game that has gone out of print decades ago then I shant waste another moment of my time on you. Well, maybe some teasing.

You are obviously someone who thinks arguments are won via memes and comedic video's. Anyone of real substance knows that if someone has a difference of opinion to you that you wish to dispute, you discuss it like an adult not start calling names. I'd love to discuss the issue sensibly with you. But your clearly not up to the job.

Pirating games that aren't made any more isn't an issue because no one gets screwed, pirating new games is a big issue not so much for big developers, but more specifically the little companies. You think information theft is a joke? I only hope for your sake that you find it as funny, if your identity is stolen or your bank account is hacked.

P.S: If you want anyone to take you seriously I suggest you quote whoever you are poorly attempting to tease properly ("cyber thieves are among the worst kind of peopl"). It's people not peopl.

 

[verdant monkai]

Except almost nothing in life is ever that simple.

There are so many points that make the "theft" part debatable. The item being digital not material so nothing is technically lost, whether the person would have bought it anyway, company/person they are pirating from, the numerous people who pirate, like it then buy it, etc. None of these things make it "right" or strictly "Ok", but they ABSOLUTELY have to be part of the discussion as it's simply naive to call every instance of it .

And "Worst kind of people"? REALLY!?!? Even for a First-World Problem type thing, that statement STILL makes no sense.

I understand I don't know the whole story regarding the issue the O.P asked our opinions so I gave mine. Anyone who KNOWS they are breaking the law by stealing digital information, fits my definition of dirty slimy thieves. But I'm not really part of the discussion so at the end of the day it doesn't matter.

The language I used was strong I suppose, I said AMONG the worst kinds of people not the very worst, that spot is reserved for Paedophiles and those who commit Genocide. If I could give you a list of my top ten worst kinds of people, digital info thieves would be about 9 on the list.

 

[l3o2828]

Give a good service at a decent, non-insane prices.

There.
I fixed it.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

WIth an honor-bound quest for revenge in which I kill everyone who pirates my game, obviously.

But in all seriousness, I don't think you really can stop piracy. You can certainly discourage it, but completely stopping it seems nearly impossible. I could easily be wrong, of course, given that I know very little about how piracy works.

 

[NightmareExpress]

Impossible to stop.
As long as a product exists and can be marketed, there will be theft and copyright.
Even if there is nothing of monetary value to be gained, it will be taken.

Thus, I think we should stop harassing legitimate consumers with DRM and price our products more accordingly.
Find ways to give the creators more and the publishers less, while we're at it. If you combine that with treating the customer with respect and listening to them, then you will find that more of your product will sell and people will become loyal customers (even if they started as a pirate).

Those are my thoughts on the matter.
The best way to combat piracy is to not go out of your way to kill it; it's to treat your customers good and keep on doing whatever it is you do. Piracy is a double edged sword and a necessary evil to contend with in the software dimension (for now?).

Oh, and I find it rather hilarious to call robbers and pirates greedy/selfish.
Because when I think about it, the world's economy runs on greed and living organisms are focused on what benefits them the most at the end of the day. Pirates and theft seem to be scapegoats for something of human nature and philosophy that is inherently wrong...but alas, I digress.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

It's impossible to completely stop piracy the same way it's impossible to stop crime, but the best way to minimize it has always been the same - provide an equal or better service than pirates.

Here is how:
> Make games easily INSTALLABLE - no bullshit sign-up process or limited installations
> Make games easily ACCESSIBLE - no bullshit always-online DRM or similar
> Make games easily PORTABLE - no limitations to copy the game around or move directories
> Finally, don't rip people off with horrendous bad DLC practices or terrible support

Alright so you'll never be able to beat the fact that pirating is free, but that is one thing you cannot help.

The ultimate irony is that companies which have tried the hardest to eliminate piracy with fucked-up DRM are companies who get hit hardest by piracy lol.

 

[upgrayedd]

*the Screen pans out to Master Chief enjoying a nice cold bottle of Millers, which is currently on promotion at your local liqour shop*, after he finishes that he takes his armor off and puts on the latest fashion from abercrombie and finch and jumps into his millitary style jeep which is now only !19,999"

Cannot stop, only bombard young minds with advertising.

 

[Daverson]

Oh. That's easy.

It's mostly torrents, right? It'd take an infinitesimal fraction of the NSA's computing power to full up torrent linking sites with horrendous viruses disguised as the latest releases. It won't hurt people who legitimately use torrents like a blanket ban, it saves the rigmarole of actually attempt enough legal action to scare off pirates, and best of all, it's karmatically pleasing! =D

 

[SUPA FRANKY]

Piracy isn't always bad. It gives things more exposure and keep old things from fading into extreme obscurity, but at the same time people shouldn't take what they haven't paid for. Probably what I'd do to lessen piracy is pobably reduce prices of things o give you an incentive o buy, like every three games you buy you get one free. Something along those lines.