StarCraft 2 Sets New Mark for Piracy

[jonnosferatu]

Yup, piracy is definitely an industry-killer.

If a lesser known game got pirated half as much, then it would have failed. Blizzard can absorb the loss thanks to South Korea alone.

Untrue. SC2 was a huge bomb in South Korea.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Let's look at this rationally: Every single illegal download is something of a loss. True, some of them might not have bought the game at full price, but there comes a point at which they'd have said "Okay, sure." $30? $20? $10? $5? $1?

Every pirated copy is not a loss of a full-price sale, no. But it is almost always something of a loss.

The question is though; how long will it take before Starcraft 2 is $30? Or $20? You should probably read your site's own articles [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/8040-Experienced-Points-Bargains-Are-for-Cheaters] from time to time. Shamus has listed probably about a dozen things that the publishers are doing very very wrong in the battle against piracy. Now, let me make one thing clear, I'm not pro-piracy. I'm more neutral-piracy. I don't care about it. It doesn't effect me. Actually let me rephrase that; it shouldn't effect me. However, that train of thought leads to a completely off-topic tangent, since we aren't here to discuss DRM.

My point is; you can't argue that a pirate might have purchased a game at $30, thus it's a loss to the company, when the company isn't offering it for $30. As Shamus states in the article above, publishers would seemingly rather make $0 than make $30 or even $10. Heck, despite his article being in response to the whole used games debate, it applies quite aptly to piracy as well, especially when someone brings-up the argument of a pirated sale being a loss if the pirate would have bought it at X dollars.

The simple fact of the matter is there is no conclusive evidence to prove that Blizzard lost even one dollar in all this; just as there is no conclusive evidence to prove that Blizzard made money from people pirating a copy as a demo then buying the game. The only thing we can prove by a lot of people pirating Starcraft 2 is this: A lot of people pirated Starcraft 2. Until we can find some reliable way to know which pirates would and would not have bought the game, there's nothing further to be said about the matter. I'm not saying that this justifies the pirates' actions, I'm just stating a fact.

 

[Please delete this account]

It's not as though you pirate and you can't buy the game as well. Some of those torrents may have been a chance to "test" the game, and it was later purchased by the same person legitimately.

A weak argument, but a possibility.

I tend to agree to a certain extent, but, I would be willing to bet that a large number of those downloads were on older computers that will not run StarCraft 2 anyway. Just because people are downloading it does not necessarily mean they all are actually playing it.

 

[Please delete this account]

Clearly those 2 million people who downloaded the game were guaranteed to actually buy the game had piracy not existed. I don't see how else you could sum up those numbers as "losses".

I want to include a zinger about how Andy had to look up what a petabyte is, but I'm sure he deserves better than that.

Let's look at this rationally: Every single illegal download is something of a loss. True, some of them might not have bought the game at full price, but there comes a point at which they'd have said "Okay, sure." $30? $20? $10? $5? $1?

Every pirated copy is not a loss of a full-price sale, no. But it is almost always something of a loss.

But if it's not being offered for those amounts, then it cannot be claimed as a loss. The comparison is between people buying it legally and not buying it but downloading it. If "Okay, sure" is less than the retail price, the download has no economic impact. You don't get money if people would buy something but the price is too high: that is, unfortunately, just not how business works.

I agree, and I know of people that download pirated stuff, and if it was not available for them to pirate, they would NOT buy it at ANY price, they would do without and download something else. So the stuff they download cannot be counted as a loss!

 

[Nouw]

Why would you want to play Starcraft single player?

Starcraft has single player?!

Yes and it was terrible in my opinion.

Well since they can't play Multiplayer, they really need to ask themselves whether or not it's worth it.

 

[poiuppx]

So... it's one of the best selling games unique to the PC in ages, it's making money hand over fist, it's gotten amazing marks from reviewers and the common rabble... and the arguements I've seen in here for pirating are 'I want LAN support', 'It's not that good of a game', and 'No, seriously, I want LAN support'.

Pirates, just give it up. You're not somehow morally in the right here. It's a good game by all accounts, and all you're really doing- given the sales are already amazing, so you can't even pretend you're sticking it to the man -is preventing yourself from enjoying the full multiplayer experience. Just suck it up and spend the cash. The only exception I could see at this stage would be folks waiting for a complete trillogy pack, and even then, it doesn't EXCUSE piracy, it just means some folks are willing to wait. Y'know, instead of torrenting and acting like they're noble knights errant. While playing alone.

The only sticking here is Blizzard sticking it's DRM to you. Enjoy.

Aww, how cute. You gave me permission to enjoy the game I paid for with my own money. And already enjoy. If paying for and playing within the system the developers created means getting 'stuck' by Blizzard, then count me as happily getting stuck. Hey, maybe we can play multiplayer someti- oh, right. Oh well. Enjoy playing solo!

 

[Atmos Duality]

You laugh at being given permission but you don't realize that is what DRM does, gives or denies permission to play the game you paid for.

Yup. That's the definition of DRM.
"Digital Rights Management".

Limiting the number of rights the user gets to better manage their experience.
It's good for their business...not so good for the user's.

 

[poiuppx]

So... it's one of the best selling games unique to the PC in ages, it's making money hand over fist, it's gotten amazing marks from reviewers and the common rabble... and the arguements I've seen in here for pirating are 'I want LAN support', 'It's not that good of a game', and 'No, seriously, I want LAN support'.

Pirates, just give it up. You're not somehow morally in the right here. It's a good game by all accounts, and all you're really doing- given the sales are already amazing, so you can't even pretend you're sticking it to the man -is preventing yourself from enjoying the full multiplayer experience. Just suck it up and spend the cash. The only exception I could see at this stage would be folks waiting for a complete trillogy pack, and even then, it doesn't EXCUSE piracy, it just means some folks are willing to wait. Y'know, instead of torrenting and acting like they're noble knights errant. While playing alone.

The only sticking here is Blizzard sticking it's DRM to you. Enjoy.

Aww, how cute. You gave me permission to enjoy the game I paid for with my own money. And already enjoy. If paying for and playing within the system the developers created means getting 'stuck' by Blizzard, then count me as happily getting stuck. Hey, maybe we can play multiplayer someti- oh, right. Oh well. Enjoy playing solo!

You laugh at being given permission but you don't realize that is what DRM does, gives or denies permission to play the game you paid for.

Gosh and golly gee, Professor! I didn't know that! Maybe next you can teach me how to use a mouse!

Seriously speaking now, yeah, DRM blows chunks. The especially obtrusive DRM, like the genius efforts that made up Ubisoft's system for Assassin's Creed 2, are decidedly deal-breakers, especially when other options- i.e., console versions -exist. And y'know, maybe you don't merit the sheer levels of snark I'm doling out. But it pisses me right the hell off when folks use something as petty as Blizzard's DRM to excuse crap like piracy. Cause, know what happens when lots of folks pirate? The next game(s) will have WORSE DRM. More obtrusive, and more screw-you-up-the-arse for the paying customers.

Know why? Cause Blizzard has to answer to folks. To their owners, and to their bosses in the chain of command, and to stockholders. When figures like this come out, no, it doesn't matter worth two shits that they sold a lot; the folks further up the chain will only see the losses. And hey, you wanna educate them that it's 'potential' losses, good luck. Any boss in the world hears they're experiencing potential losses, they stop hearing the potential part. Then down comes the order, and out comes DRM that requires a goat sacrifice every half hour just to play the damn game.

DRM is not a reason to pirate. DRM, if you feel THAT strongly about it, is a reason NOT TO BUY THE GAME. PERIOD. It pisses me off how many folks miss that. Gaming is NOT a right, NO ONE was 'owed' Starcraft 2, and NO ONE needs it bad enough to merit piracy. Period. Want to skip DRM? Buy games through a service like GOG.com which has no DRM, buy older games new or used that required at best a CD Key, find developers who use little to no DRM for modern games- they do exist, folks, just have a look around -or stick to consoles. Or get a new hobby. You've got a lot of options, and reaping the benefits of other people's work- YEARS of their lives -for free is not, should not, be a valid one.

 

[Erick.S]

Temptation... rising... must... download.

Nope, still not interested. Even if they payed *me* 60 euros to download it.

 

[poiuppx]

So... it's one of the best selling games unique to the PC in ages, it's making money hand over fist, it's gotten amazing marks from reviewers and the common rabble... and the arguements I've seen in here for pirating are 'I want LAN support', 'It's not that good of a game', and 'No, seriously, I want LAN support'.

Pirates, just give it up. You're not somehow morally in the right here. It's a good game by all accounts, and all you're really doing- given the sales are already amazing, so you can't even pretend you're sticking it to the man -is preventing yourself from enjoying the full multiplayer experience. Just suck it up and spend the cash. The only exception I could see at this stage would be folks waiting for a complete trillogy pack, and even then, it doesn't EXCUSE piracy, it just means some folks are willing to wait. Y'know, instead of torrenting and acting like they're noble knights errant. While playing alone.

The only sticking here is Blizzard sticking it's DRM to you. Enjoy.

Aww, how cute. You gave me permission to enjoy the game I paid for with my own money. And already enjoy. If paying for and playing within the system the developers created means getting 'stuck' by Blizzard, then count me as happily getting stuck. Hey, maybe we can play multiplayer someti- oh, right. Oh well. Enjoy playing solo!

You laugh at being given permission but you don't realize that is what DRM does, gives or denies permission to play the game you paid for.

Gosh and golly gee, Professor! I didn't know that! Maybe next you can teach me how to use a mouse!

Seriously speaking now, yeah, DRM blows chunks. The especially obtrusive DRM, like the genius efforts that made up Ubisoft's system for Assassin's Creed 2, are decidedly deal-breakers, especially when other options- i.e., console versions -exist. And y'know, maybe you don't merit the sheer levels of snark I'm doling out. But it pisses me right the hell off when folks use something as petty as Blizzard's DRM to excuse crap like piracy. Cause, know what happens when lots of folks pirate? The next game(s) will have WORSE DRM. More obtrusive, and more screw-you-up-the-arse for the paying customers.

Know why? Cause Blizzard has to answer to folks. To their owners, and to their bosses in the chain of command, and to stockholders. When figures like this come out, no, it doesn't matter worth two shits that they sold a lot; the folks further up the chain will only see the losses. And hey, you wanna educate them that it's 'potential' losses, good luck. Any boss in the world hears they're experiencing potential losses, they stop hearing the potential part. Then down comes the order, and out comes DRM that requires a goat sacrifice every half hour just to play the damn game.

DRM is not a reason to pirate. DRM, if you feel THAT strongly about it, is a reason NOT TO BUY THE GAME. PERIOD. It pisses me off how many folks miss that. Gaming is NOT a right, NO ONE was 'owed' Starcraft 2, and NO ONE needs it bad enough to merit piracy. Period. Want to skip DRM? Buy games through a service like GOG.com which has no DRM, buy older games new or used that required at best a CD Key, find developers who use little to no DRM for modern games- they do exist, folks, just have a look around -or stick to consoles. Or get a new hobby. You've got a lot of options, and reaping the benefits of other people's work- YEARS of their lives -for free is not, should not, be a valid one.

I didn't pirate it and I didn't buy it. Calling Blizzards DRM petty is wrong though. Always online (unless you play as guest which is the inferior mode) and No LAN.

Oh and ya know what, the DRM will get worse regardless of how many pirate it because at the end of the day Blizzard wants to "control your experience" and they will continue to use DRM to accomplish that.

Ahh, then I got the wrong impression from ya, as I feared. My appologies; the DRM push was rather reminiscent of the pirate rallying cry as of late.

Though, realistically, you tell me which will lead to it getting worse faster; an interest in controlling the experience, or an interest in controlling the experience AND numbers like these. Pirates aren't making any of our lives easier, and if you hate the DRM now, well... I guess there's always The Witcher 2? Still, props to you for having ethics to go with your stance. It sickens me how many folks basically see something they disagree with in how a game is set up and think that's an excuse for piracy. Deciding that the DRM was your breaking point and going elsewhere... I applaud you for that, and appoligize in full for my snarking in your direction.

Though I am curious; what do you do for your RTS needs these days that evades DRM, if you feel it's basically that big of a deal-breaker? Cause all snark aside, the less BS I have to deal with, the happier I usually am. SCII was just something I lusted for so heavily that I probably wouldn't have cared if each time I launched the game it fired angry bees into my face.

 

[poiuppx]

Pick up Age III and Mythology once or twice a year, sometimes Rise of Nations. Haven't really been playing many RTS's but when a good one comes out, it sucks that it has no LAN. Either have to give up the RTS genre (cause I have no interest in online multiplayer and the Age games are not fun anymore) or hope smart developers see the No LAN trend as an opportunity to stand out.

When it comes to DRM, I honestly believe that modern DRM has very little to do with piracy. It is it's own animal now that grows at the needs (and wants) of the publisher. They want to ensure that the dead used PC market, stays dead and they want to control everything you do with THEIR game. It is the only thing that makes sense given that piracy has not been hurt by DRM but everyone else has, including the publishers (boycotts and bad press over DRM).

I should take a look at those; I stopped playing the Age series back after the expansion to II.

And again, I do harken back to the problem of perspective; if the higher-ups hear 'potential losses', unless they're damn smart and well informed, they're going to forget the potential part and act accordingly. It's dumb and short-sighted, but it's also a self-feeding loop. Piracy exists so put security measures in. Security measures result in lower sales and sometimes more piracy, since the actual game-crackers take that as a challenge. The fact that cracked versions exist and more piracy has taken place inspires further security measures... and so on and so on and so on, presumably until we hit some sort of escalation singularity.

Controlling the used game market is a big deal for PC software companies, to be sure. But to a significant extent, that market IS controlled. Not a lot of brick and mortar stores even have used PC sections anymore, especially since they make a lot more and can move a lot more through used console sections. Changing that would require a paradigm shift that neither of the big three console boys would be very pleased with.

Of course, it's all moot. If someone buys a used copy of software, and is willing to hunt, cracks exist for everything. It's a depressing fact that actual secondary ownership in the world today could be so viciously limited within the parameters of the law, given it's such a core tenant of property ownership in general- i.e., you own it, you can do as you wish with it unless it violates copyright by making 1:1 knock-offs and selling them for a profit -but it's where we ended up. And it's going to take a lot from one camp or the other, or some miracle sanity moment overtaking both, to pull us out of that quagmire.

 

[Cryo84R]

There are sure a lot of excuses being made here for people being thieves and douchbags.

 

[Cryo84R]

There are sure a lot of excuses being made here for people being thieves and douchbags.

Yes, people should stop making excuses for Blizzard, $60 for a PC RTS game without LAN is too expensive. Especially considering the great deal I got today on 2 new copies of Age of Empires III (GFWL was selling it for 10 cents).

How does that give one the right to steal it?

 

[Crazie_Guy]

It seems every time a game comes out with the newest extremes of DRM and anti-pirate systems, it turns into the next most pirated game. Pirating may be wrong, but you can't help but get behind them when they are the ones issuing the most resounding (and deliciously ironic) "fuck you" to developers who cram downright retarded limitations into games which only affect actual consumers in a misguided attempt to fight piracy. It's so funny I have to laugh, though I wish they would take a moment to learn from it.