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[Rustmonkey]

I agree that its kind of bogus not being able to return a game, but thats simply because you can extract the data with everyday hardware and then return the game, claiming not to want it.  The old cartridge type systems were deffinately the way to go - as soon as everything went to CD/DVD, it becaame much more likely to be copied.  If the console developers stuck with a proprietary format, I believe we would have more leway in the returns department.  

However, with the onset of "downloadable" games, I believe every game should have an available demo or free trial version that is on par with the retail release, that way, you can test for yourself how you like the game and if there are any glaring flaws or bugs... if you liked it, then you could simply download the entire game from the source.

There will always be piracy... there simply is no way to stop it because there is always somebody with too much time on their hands.

[xboxSlayer]

I can agree that pirate games can be marketing. However not everyone has a lot of disposible income. If someone can get a killer game for free and they don't have a lot of money, why pay for it? I think that can be a major factor in getting into pirating. Not saying that's everyone but I know that is a reality for a lot of people I know.

Anyway, pirating is still bad. I glad that I'm at a point in my life that I can afford to buy an xbox360 and pay for a great game like Gears of War. I knew when the firmware hack came out is was a strait piracy mod. Tempting as it is, its just not worth the hassle if my xbox breaks down or I get banned from xbox Live.

[Flagg3]

QUOTE(Rustmonkey @ Dec 12 2006, 07:38 PM)

The old cartridge type systems were deffinately the way to go - as soon as everything went to CD/DVD, it becaame much more likely to be copied.  If the console developers stuck with a proprietary format, I believe we would have more leway in the returns department.  

There were always ways to back up games on cartridge.  Games could be backed up onto floppy disk, and easily distributed electronically as well.  (The ROMS that are used on emulators are the same ones that were originally backed up and played from floppy disk.)

There was little to no copy protection back then, so if anything, it has gotten harder to copy games now.

Software will always be pirated in some form or another.  As has been noted, the best way to combat it is to add value to the content via online play.  That way, people are more willing to pay for something even if they could get it for free, if paying means having the ability to access online play, additional content, patches and upgrades.

Flagg

[Trevante]

QUOTE(xboxSlayer @ Dec 12 2006, 06:40 PM)

I knew when the firmware hack came out is was a strait piracy mod.

Believe it or not, but some people ( yes, some) actually make backups of the games they purchase, not just pirate games.  

This guy's article has a point, although I don't think it's representative of the entire (or even a majority of) piracy market. Yes there are some who pirate and eventually buy, but it can't be proven that the majority of people who pirate eventually buy. Although technically, if you think about it, how can companies tell which sales were from people who originally intended to buy the software, or from people who pirated then bought?

[Textbook]

What everybody has somehow failed to mention, even the article - is...

advertising.

In-game advertising is getting more and more popular.  Surveys show gamers actually like in-game ads because it makes them more realistic.  Somebody gets your game for free .. they still have to look at those ads.

You know what is sad though .. those ads aren't helping offset the prices for the games.  Ok, so these ads are another form of revenue for the game companies .. so you would think the prices for these games would be lower?  Nope..

[Martinchris23]

QUOTE(Rustmonkey @ Dec 13 2006, 12:38 AM)

I agree that its kind of bogus not being able to return a game, but thats simply because you can extract the data with everyday hardware and then return the game, claiming not to want it.

I know this is how the industry see it, and I hate it.

Everyone tarred with the same brush. Just because you CAN copy the data, doesn't mean you're being dishonest and returning something you've pirated. There are some of us out there who actually abide by our local laws!

QUOTE(Rustmonkey @ Dec 13 2006, 12:38 AM)

There will always be piracy... there simply is no way to stop it because there is always somebody with too much time on their hands.

I disagree - you could virtually wipe out Piracy in a 12 month period by reducing the cost of games dramatically. How many people would still do it if you could purchase new games for $10 each?

[DrJekyyl]

There are plenty of different opinions on piracy. I agree with both sides.

On one side of it, (from personal experience) I bought a game from EB called Evil Islands. The box looked outright awesome. This game cost me $59.99. I drove about 5 minutes to my house, the install took about 10 minutes and I played it about 20 minutes. This game was nothing like what was advertised at all. I took it back to EB and they told me, "We do not return opened software, however we do purchase it for $3.00" My Thoughts on that was you just robbed me. Legally I might add.

This is what turned me to piracy. I told my wife I will never have that happen again. So now I always try before I buy. Demos just dont cut it. They are like trailers to a movie they show all the good parts.

On the other side, If a company makes something good, they deserve every penny. I downloaded Warcraft III and loved it. I ended up buying 3 more copies so I could play my wife and kids. These companies are very smart and are headed in the right direction. It was too much trouble to find cracks and ways of bypassing security when I think to myself I like this game I can go buy it and not have to worry about that. After that World of Warcraft come out and I now have 3 Accounts and got my brother and sister to buy themselves an account. Last I checked blizzard had over 1 million active accounts at 15 bucks a month. To me thats 15 Million a month. I am quite sure they wont be going banrupt the rest of thier lives or thier kids.

That is a very good example of "If you make a good product you will make money." and if you dont you wont. These companies are complaining and crying about profits, the only reason they are is because they want to make a killing off anything they make. They have the idea that if I make it I am guaranteed to get rich. In reality it isnt that way and it seems they are trying to get laws passed to make it so.

With the Xbox Modding and all that, it is the same way. If you buy something it is yours. But they think its still thiers. You sold it! Understandable if I modify it I break the warranty, but putting people in jail for modding something they purchased is just retarded. Yes put the people in jail for selling pirated games and software. That deffinately should not be legal. You didnt buy it you cant sell it.

I'll stop now got off on a rant. This is a touchy subject for me because of my experiences and wanting to have good ethics. I do want companies that make good products to make good money and at the same time I don't want someone robbing me and saying tuff shit.

[Arvarden]

This is nonsense, sharing games freely is not clever marketing infact it is the complete opposite.  We all buy things we don't like or need.  We either keep them and throw them into some dark corner or we take them back to place of purchase.

On most items, especially software you can return the goods within 7 working days and get a full refund if you don't like it for X reason.

This news item only gives pirates the justification they are looking for.

[Justincredibal]

He has a point in the PC game industry, but not in music/console games.

Nowadays some of the most popular games are on a subscription based system. I can go download CSS, but unless I have a legit CD key i cannot play on Steam servers. So I play the game but get tired of playing on non steam server's with little action, so I buy the actual game. I would not have gone out and bought the game if I was not able to play it before hand.

This does not happen however with music and console games like PS2 or Xbox360. There is no advantage to having the legit deal. True many people will say they will patronize the developer of the media they pirate if they like it, but it's not true.

In the end, pirating is becoming a waste of time. It comes down to saving a couple of bucks by risking thousands.

[jimk72]

There are many great points here and I would like to add many people that pirate a game do it to check it out and they would never buy the original anyway! I buy every game that I want! I have loads of games and most are directors versions I preordered for more than $50. These games are Fear, halo 1 and 2 got 1 for PC also, Halflife 1 and 2, battlefield1,2, Doom 3 COD 2 ect.... These are all top notch games that I feel I got my money worth! Games I would download are games I would have never purchased anyway GTA vice city ect.. If there is not a demo version how else are we to try it out? I usualy do this just in case there is a great game there but in almost every case to me they are not my type of game and they are short lived on my system.

For A company to say they loose all this money from downloads is unrealistic! The original post is more ontarget than most people would think! I have been into gaming since before Atari 2600. If a developer creates a good quality game that fits the genre it was designed for they will sell and make profit. If they clone there game from someone elses and it cuts corners when designing it, it will end up in the bargin bin and most people would rather download it. When a consumer pays $40+ for a game that is worth about $10 they will remember it and the next time that developer releases a game you can bet it will not be bought. After they download it and they see the developer put in the effort to justify a $40+ price they will reconsider.

I can honestly say there have been atleast 4 games I have downloaded that I would have never looked twice at and once I downloaded them and played them I was impressed enough to go buy the game. That is his point and I also believe this happens more than most people think!

Things are getting better for all aspects of these issues! I feel soon we will be able to download full versions of games to try for set periods of time and then you can choose to buy it for a resonable price all online. Steam is the start. Why pay $50 for a box with a cd that you only need to install when you can play a game unlimited time for one month for $10! You may think why would anyone pay full price then. Because if you put alot of work into a game and build it with replay value you will get multiple buys, or if you don't get done with the game in time you would pay another $10 to finish it. Episode games are something else we will se more of. The first level and game cd are free. You then pay $5 for the next set of levels. How many games do you own that you have never finished? Why should you have to pay full price? What about subscription services like napster but related to developers. Say you pay $15 a month and anything a developer releases you can download and play. I would love to pay $15 a month for say a Halo membership and every month they release 1 new multiplayer map and a new campain. If they slack off you cancel your membership. Or $50 a month and all games are avail. This would be hard to set up at first but the more developers that jump on the wagon the more members! Could you imagine if only 5 percent of gamers did this and stopped buying packaged games. The revenue would be in the billions each month! That is how I see the future of gaming. You buy a PS 4 and then pay $50 month and all games that become avail you get to play. You would think thats alot every month but If you are a gamer I know you spend more time playing games than on the phone and you pay $50+ a month for that! Do most gamers buy a new $50 game every month? I would say no! The technology is there and more and more people are getting high speed internet so how long before games on demand becomes the norm?

[Xombe]

Why do people have to proclaim their piracy?

Do and think whatever you want on your own, but don't come on to our forums to explain to the world what you've pirated and why.

Closed.