Poll: Pirating games. Discuss.

[Everin]

I feel that the title says it all, but maybe I'll expand a little. Do you think it's right for the gamers to download games for free, bypassing the shops and online stores, therefore denying the producers and other creators of the games no money for their art? And why do you think it's right or wrong?
Oh, and I'm not sure if this has been done before but views may change, times may affect views. Don't immediately point out that this thread has been done before if it has, where's the fun in that?

 

[enzilewulf]

Okay I said something about pirating and I got my ass suspended for a week.

Never have pirated a game that I haven't already bought but my stupid self lost it or scratched it or fed it to the dog or angry brother.

Capatcha: the holy grail of pants.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Just a note of warning for all of you who lined up to boast about your vigilante achievements, admitting acts of piracy is not prohibited on this site.

 

[BanicRhys]

I have nothing against piracy (only when the game is nigh unavailable to the person) but I usually purchase games legally because I like having the box or having it show up in my Steam/PSN account. I don't believe in pirating newly released games unless you intend to buy them later.

Of course, being a console gamer primarily and having a terrible laptop to play PC games on, kind of makes it hard to find anything to pirate.

Just a note of warning for all of you who lined up to boast about your vigilante achievements, admitting acts of piracy is not prohibited on this site.

So it's allowed?

 

[Catchy Slogan]

The only thing I ever pirated was a few songs now and then when I was yonger. I didn't quite understand the fact that I was technically stealng, all I knew was 'Hey! Free songs!' I don't do it anymore, though. I always feel bad. And if I'm going to go out of my way to download and listen to music/games, then they obviously deserve my money.

 

[Vault101]

Im totally against it

I mean it is a funny issue though, you talk to one person and they are certian its bad for the industry

but talk to another and they belive it doesnt hurt the industry at all

I will say however that punishing your paying customers is a dick move, but then again it seems to be a vicious circle and no one knows how to break it

 

[Tanis]

What I find REALLY sad is when you have to find a 'crack' (or w/e it's called) for a PC game to play your LEGIT copy because the DRM included with it is so screwed up you can't play said game otherwise.

That's why I buy from Good Old Games.
No, I'm not a bot, but as often as I preach about GOG to my friends and on forums I should be getting paid.

 

[Llil]

I used to do it, but I stopped a couple of years ago, about the time I got to upper secondary school. I didn't see anything wrong with it back then, but at some point I just changed my mind and decided I shouldn't be pirating games.

Movies and tv shows I stopped pirating only about two or three years later, because it felt hypocritical to be ok with that, while being against game piracy at the same time.

 

[Jordi]

I feel that the title says it all, but maybe I'll expand a little. Do you think it's right for the gamers to download games for free, bypassing the shops and online stores, therefore denying the producers and other creators of the games no money for their art? And why do you think it's right or wrong?

Anyone who thinks it's right can't say so here, because it's against forum rules and they'll get banned.

Oh, and I'm not sure if this has been done before but views may change, times may affect views. Don't immediately point out that this thread has been done before if it has, where's the fun in that?

So you didn't even use the search feature? You just figured "I don't care if it's been done even one day ago, what this forum needs is another piracy discussion!"? Right...

Unfortunately 99% of people can't talk intelligently about this subject. Obviously piracy isn't exactly good for the industry, but most people don't understand that pirating a game you weren't going to buy has no effect on anything. You might still think it's immoral (and illegal), but it doesn't actually cause the developer/publisher to lose any money.
Pirating a game to "test-drive" it, might actually help in the sense that those people will make a purchase decision that is more based on the quality of the game then on marketing. (If of course, the pirate is honest and buys the game if he likes it and can run it.)

Anyway, I don't doubt that overall piracy is costing developers money, so it needs to stop. But as long as people keep yelling "PIRACY IS THEFT! PIRACY IS THE DEVIL! KILL IT WITH FIRE! ALL PIRATES SHOULD BURN IN HELL!" I doubt we are going to see a discussion that is productive enough to have a chance of solving the problem.

 

[Prince Regent]

I've occasionally pirated games for my pc, (two times as far as I can remember) but the games that it can run are limited, so 99% of the time I just buy my games for Xbox.

I have watched torrented a lot of tv series thoug, my main justification being that you can't watch Firefly or Game of Thrones on TV where I live.

 

[dududf]

Wanna know what is worse then piraters?

Assholes, who vehemently denounce all those who pirate.

News people, we are all pirates.
Ever watched a song on youtube that the author is trying to sell? You just pirated that song.
Every. Single. Person. Here. Is. A. Pirate.
Picking and choosing who you point your endless nerd rage at, merely because they pirate something you may not makes you a hypocrite while over all you still pirate.
This is copywrited material, by watching the video you are pirating. It is also not a official release of it on youtube.

This annoys me so much more then anything else on this website, worst then the firsters, the flamers, the people who mistake logic with trolling, it's this.


Piracy is not theft, it's piracy. There's a difference, Piracy does not equal lost sale either. At best it's a lost *potential* sale.
[/rant]

Another little thing I'd like to point out, in the past I pirated a game. No demo was available. I then proceeded to buy 3 copies of the game to give to friends and myself. I was still screamed at on this forum for pirating.

 

[Jtar]

I admit that sometimes I download a ripped game. I tend to play for about 30min before I decide whether I like it or not. Games I enjoy I buy, games I don't enjoy get removed.

I don't agree with pirating but spending ?50-?60 on a game you don't even know if you like is a bit pointless to me. I've bought several games for full price over the years and most of them I thought weren't all that good.

So, pirating for testing, yay. Pirating for keeping, nay.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

If its a game that you just cant get anymore, eg a really old NES/SNES game, then by all means pirate away, in any other circumstance then its just wrong (most of the time)

 

[GrimHeaper]

-snip-
[/rant]

/thread

You win this.

 

[ion496]

Some times, I think these sorts of threads are bantraps for those who DO pirate. Personally, my opinion is if someone pirates a game, they probably won't buy it anyway. It's still wrong, but how many of you here can honestly say they have never pirated a game.

 

[b3nn3tt]

Now that's just totally ridiculous. Only the games, music and movie industry works like that. Imagine applying that to houses. That would involve making a guy pay a million for a pile of bricks, on the odd chance that it may be a nice house.

It'd be more like buying a house without looking around inside, but I do see your point. I think that the way to combat this is for developers to release demos for games. So many games don't have demos, but if they did then they may well be able to entice people to buy the game.

OT: This topic has been done to death. But regardless; I think piracy is wrong. I think the only time it is even remotely justifiable is if it is literally impossible for you to get the game any other way. Other than that, I am yet to hear a convincing argument as to why piracy is ok. The one that annoys me the most is 'Well, I wouldn't have bought it anyway, so it's not reall a lost sale'. This is stupid, because you obviously want to play the game. If you didn't want to buy it, then you didn't want to play it.

EDIT:

It's still wrong, but how many of you here can honestly say they have never pirated a game.

I can

 

[veloper]

Used to be a pirate. That's how most kids become gamers. I remember from highschool that everyone who played either casually or seriously was a pirate.
Now that I have money, I always buy legal.

 

[Treblaine]

EDITED FOR FEAR CLARITY

I don't ever pirate games but I HAVE "A FRIEND" WHO does pirate TV shows... but usually not movies or music and NEVER pirate games.

TV shows, there are just so many and they get such poor global coverage. They can take years to arrive in the UK, you never know which channel they are on, always on at an inconvenient time and they're giving it out for free anyway.

In Soviet Russia In America you can log into hulu and watch any TV show any time... the option just is not there in the UK. Piracy is the only way to get the service I hear yanks go on and on about how great it is. All these American TV shows they simply do not bother even trying to bring to UK audiences the same as US audiences.

I'd MY FRIEND (WHO I WILL NOW REFER TO IN THE FIRST PERSON) WOULD pay 50p an episode or watch a reasonable amount of ads per episode to watch futurama but I'll be damned if I'll wait 6 months for the licencees to get of their arse to release an episode this side of the pond. It' an interconnected world, I know when it is released in America and for how much.

Video games I don't really have an excuse, with global simultaneous release at very equivalent price. Plus I know just how vulnerable the developers are to piracy, they take the heat and the publishers walk. That and the value proposition of gaming and how I am simply passionate about the industry I can't bear to even do one-millionth of damage to it.

 

[b3nn3tt]

OT: This topic has been done to death. But regardless; I think piracy is wrong. I think the only time it is even remotely justifiable is if it is literally impossible for you to get the game any other way. Other than that, I am yet to hear a convincing argument as to why piracy is ok. The one that annoys me the most is 'Well, I wouldn't have bought it anyway, so it's not reall a lost sale'. This is stupid, because you obviously want to play the game. If you didn't want to buy it, then you didn't want to play it.

One problem there is in the prices. Those are so high people will think twice before buying.

I mean, I'd also like to have car, but can't afford one. If there was a way to copy somebody's car for free and drive it, I'd jump at the chance. And if there was such a thing, the car industry would be facing a similar 'innovate or die' scenario like the entertainment industry has on it's hands now.

Demos may solve this, as it would give people a better idea of what it is that they'd be spending their money on.

Alternatively, read some reviews of the game to get an idea of whether or not it's something you'd like. Or, just wait until the game gets cheaper. If you're unsure about a game then it would be stupid to buy it brand-new, just in case you don't like it. Wait a year or so, and the game will be half-price or lower in most cases. The problem isn't price, it's convenience; people don't like having to wait for things when the option exists to have it now for free.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

Oh, look... it's this thread again.

I only pirate games I can't physically get a copy of anymore. I like to, y'know, support my hobby's industry.