Poll: In what instance(s) would you buy a game rather than pirate it?

[MiloP]

I would buy a game whenever I had the spare money to buy a game. I wouldn't buy it if I didn't. Isn't that how it's supposed to work?

Although saying that, generally I weigh up how much money the developer has so far got from me. Like with the Mass Effect series, I bought Mass Effect 1 and 2 new, and bought all the DLC, both on the Xbox. When I played through ME2 on the PC, I felt it fair to pirate the DLC because 1) I'd already bought it once on the Xbox and 2) BioWare will be getting thrity of my British pounds when I buy ME3.

But again, IF I'd've had the money, I would've just bought it again.

I do, however, buy used games very often. Apparently that's as bad as piracy. *shrug*

 

[Dandark]

If I like the developer/publisher and want to support them then I try to buy new. For example, Asuras Wrath. It would be the exact kind of game that most people would expect to pirate or buy used but I really like the idea and enjoyed the demo so I am going to try and buy it new at some point.
I really like that they are trying new things.

 

[Space Spoons]

I pay for games I like. The games I don't like, I don't bother with, and when I can't afford to buy the games I like, I just go without. Never been into video game piracy, personally. It's not that I think it's the horrible, unforgivable crime some publishers would have you believe it is (it really isn't), I just don't play video games as much as I used to. When I finally do get around to playing something, it's almost always a game I care enough about that I want to see its creators turn a profit.

 

[Zhukov]

Uh... all instances?

I don't pirate games, although I often feel like a sucker for not doing so.

 

[JediMB]

I have a personal principle to not pirate video games anymore. I made up my mind on this back in 2005-ish, when I realized that the games I was just going to "try before I buy" never ended up getting bought, despite being fully experienced and enjoyed.

I also try to avoid used games whenever possible. You can shop smart without resorting to used games, and as such keep on supporting the industry.

 

[9thRequiem]

Uh... all instances?

Same.
If I didn't want a game, why would I bother to pirate/play it? If I do want the game, I buy it.

 

[worldruler8]

At first I thought the title was a typo, and you mixed the two together. But yeah, I always buy my games. That way I have the right to be angry if a 60 dollar game is bad, as I spent 60 dollars on it

 

[DoPo]

I chose "other" because there weren't multiple choices. I'll explain each of the other options:

Support favourite game/game series
Not bad. Yes, I like that - if I enjoyed a game I'd like to acknowledge that somehow. An email saying "Thanks for the game" isn't the same.

Support Indie games
Yes, definitely. Falls under the same as the above, I suppose.

Support favourite Company
Not a huge priority. It really depends on the company. For me, I'd say Valve deserve support but I'm not buying the games for the company's sake, I do it because I like the games. In a way, I understand they are a good company but I won't really think of supporting them. I did, however buy Double Fine's Costume Quest yesterday partly because I like Double Fine. And there is Bioware (*sigh* I know, I know) - I don't really care bout that company, nor have I cared ever. Even before EA and so on. I doubt I would want to support them, even though their games are not too bad.

In the end, though, I wouldn't have ticked this option.

Don't know how to pirate
Let's skip that.

Morally obliged not to pirate
No. I actually have very few morals but try to stick to them. However, piracy doesn't fall under them. That doesn't mean that I'll go on a piracy spree because that's just stupid. I wouldn't have ticked that option. Besides, if a game isn't worth buying it's not worth getting. I might even refuse it, if somebody gave me such a game as a gift, or more probably, I'll just give it to somebody else.

Cheap Deals On Steam
Not bad. Yes, I would have picked that option. Mostly because Steam is convenient for me, not that much about the price, although that's a factor as well.

To play online on legit servers
Well, yes and no. I don't play many multiplayer games nowadays. If I did, I would probably get a legal copy because the other servers vary between "pain in the ass" and "somewhat good-ish" but average around "decent". Slightly below "decent", if you ask me.

So, yes - if I did play multiplayer games, I would have ticked that, but otherwise, no - I don't play them so it's not a factor.

 

[Veldt Falsetto]

I've never pirated a game ever...

in all fairness the only games I've ever gotten illegally are stuff on SNES emulators as I never had a SNES around the time it came out and missed out on a metric ton of amazing titles

 

[Goofguy]

I mean, piracy is free and if you hate the game no $ lost.

Is anyone else as startled by this as I am?

You make it sound like buying a game is an exception to the rule of pirating them. In my opinion, it should be phrased the other way around. Sure, it's no secret that piracy is pretty pervasive across the internet and I'd be lying if I said I never did I myself. However, once someone adopts the above stance on pirating, I become worried about gamers' sense of entitlement.

 

[hazabaza1]

All of the instances?
I kind of find most pirates to be cunts.

 

[LiquidSolstice]

I like how "common" is associated with "okay" these days.

Bottom line? Buy the fucking game. It's not that hard of a concept.

If you're not going to for whatever reason, at least have the decency to just lie and say you did instead of explaining to us why you pirated it. We honestly don't care.

EDIT: I'm overjoyed at the responses to this thread. It seems that the internet isn't actually filled with self-entitled pirates full of justifications and defense mechanisms.

 

[Smertnik]

How about all of them? You make it sound like buying games as opposed to pirating them is generally an exception.

 

[Vegosiux]

Well, I'd pirate/crack a game in 2 situations only:

1) I can't get it legally at all (not released in my area, region locked even if imported, shipping costs too high)
2) The game requires an active internet connection, and for a reason or another beyond my control I don't have one; while I have legitimately purchased the game.

Other than that, I'd buy the games I want and simply ignore the ones I don't want to buy, or the ones I doubt I want to buy (in this case, I'd try them out at a friend's place first or something).

 

[putowtin]

I wouldn't pirate a game, I won't even buy preowned.
If I'm buying a game it's because:
1) I want to play it
2) I want to support the studio so they can continue to make the games I want to play

 

[Proverbial Jon]

I can afford to buy games with money so I will do just that.

I also wish to support the great developers who work so hard to bring us these games.

If I dislike a publisher (very rarely the actual dev) then I simply won't buy the game. I won't pirate said game and then say: "Duh I'm playing your game but you won't get a penny from me, you corporate, money grabbing capitalists!"

I mean how DUMB is that?

Frankly it just FEELS so much better to legally own a copy. if it isn't worth your money, why bother to obtain a copy?

 

[antidonkey]

Yea......um...all instances. If there's a game I'm iffy about I'll either wait for it to go on sale (very easy with steam and their craziness)or buy it used for a console. Pirating a game to protest something doesn't really accomplish anything other than give the devs/pubs another statistic for their retarded DRM or excuses why they'll abandon the PC.