why i dont pirate pc games

aaprently the leaked version of crysis 2 beta reports back toweb2.reztracker.com, and so far no reports of virus scanners picking up on this. People wonder why their pcs are screwing up, why they get weird spam email that seems to know what websites you visit etc... Not only that, half the time pirated versions work like complete trash compared to the legit versions. This is how to stop piracy, by educating people why hackers are posting these games.

...yeeeeeeeeaaa.........*walks away slowly*

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

GummiRaccoon

If someone pirates a game and doesn't buy it, does the company receive money from that customer?

What if the same scenario is put in place with hundreds, even thousands of the same types of pirates?

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

GummiRaccoon

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

THA-TODD-BEAST

If someone pirates a game and doesn't buy it, does the company receive money from that customer?

What if the same scenario is put in place with hundreds, even thousands of the same types of pirates?

That's not how it works.

So pirate plays a game, and shows his friends, the friends play it a bit and think it is awesome and then they go out and buy the game.

Which is exactly how shareware used to work.

And shareware is what made pc gaming huge.

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

TerrorRizzing

The problem is the pirate was NEVER going to buy the game, the people who buy the game are the people he shows it to.

Why I dont pirate games: Cuz its illegal

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

GummiRaccoon

[QUOTE="TerrorRizzing"][QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

GummiRaccoon

The problem is the pirate was NEVER going to buy the game, the people who buy the game are the people he shows it to.

The problem is the pirate was NEVER going to buy the game, the people who buy the game are the people he shows it to.

GummiRaccoon

Anyway, I think a simpler answer to this topic would be "I don't pirate games because I don't feel childishly entitled to things that I can't afford, or things that I don't feel are worth the money". If you think a game's worth buying, buy it. If you're not sure, play a demo or wait for a sale. If you don't think it's worth your money, don't play it. It's as simple as that.

Alternately, I guess another answer is "I've got some sort of inner sense of morality".

[QUOTE="THA-TODD-BEAST"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

GummiRaccoon

If someone pirates a game and doesn't buy it, does the company receive money from that customer?

What if the same scenario is put in place with hundreds, even thousands of the same types of pirates?

That's not how it works.

So pirate plays a game, and shows his friends, the friends play it a bit and think it is awesome and then they go out and buy the game.

Which is exactly how shareware used to work.

And shareware is what made pc gaming huge.

No, you're making the assumption that pirates share their games with friends. You're also making the assumption that their friends will then purchase the game, rather than pirate it just like the person that showed it to them (or borrow that person's pirated copy). Also, that is absolutely not how Shareware worked. Shareware was openly available to everyone, and encouraged by its developers. Shareware versions of games were essentially large demos, and if you wanted to play the rest you had to pay. Remember the Doom shareware? I sure do, because I played it. It contained only the first Episode, Knee Deep in the Dead. The other two episodes (Shores of Hell, Inferno) required a purchase. It was a large demo or trial of the game rather than the full product like what you would get from pirating a game. Other Shareware games were similar. Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem, and even Commander Keen. To compare piracy to shareware is senseless, I think. The two couldn't possibly be any more different. Even the main person in question - the pirate - would need to purchase the full version of software in a "Shareware" scenario to get the entire experience (no sale lost, as opposed to a full, restriction-free pirated version that often earns no sale because said person practically has the entire game).

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]The problem is the pirate was NEVER going to buy the game, the people who buy the game are the people he shows it to.

Planeforger

Anyway, I think a simpler answer to this topic would be "I don't pirate games because I don't feel childishly entitled to things that I can't afford, or things that I don't feel are worth the money". If you think a game's worth buying, buy it. If you're not sure, play a demo or wait for a sale. If you don't think it's worth your money, don't play it. It's as simple as that.

Alternately, I guess another answer is "I've got some sort of inner sense of morality".

Why I dont pirate games: Cuz its illegal

painguy1

[QUOTE="Planeforger"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]The problem is the pirate was NEVER going to buy the game, the people who buy the game are the people he shows it to.

SkyWard20

Anyway, I think a simpler answer to this topic would be "I don't pirate games because I don't feel childishly entitled to things that I can't afford, or things that I don't feel are worth the money". If you think a game's worth buying, buy it. If you're not sure, play a demo or wait for a sale. If you don't think it's worth your money, don't play it. It's as simple as that.

Alternately, I guess another answer is "I've got some sort of inner sense of morality".

i never said the pirates told their friends to buy the game, just that they showed them the game. The friends then go out and buy it of their own accord.

And yes, shareware was like a huge demo.

Look at games like doom that had no drm of any kind, yet had huge commercial success they didn't even sell doom in stores until ultimate doom or whatever.

I pay for games I like, I also pay for music that I like. If piracy were as cancerous as you guys claim, the industry wouldn't exist.

Just like this crysis 2 leak. People just want to play the game. I can guarantee that everyone who got the leaked version and liked it or saw promise is going to go out and buy the real deal. people are not as bad as you think.

I beta tested SC2 AND I bought the game. Why? because after seeing what the beta was like, I decided to buy the game.

I don't pirate because I love to support the developers that poured all their talent and efforts to deliver to us gamers. I know games have become somewhat expensive for some but no one said it's a cheap hobby.

I don't pirate because I love to support the developers that poured all their talent and efforts to deliver to us gamers. I know games have become somewhat expensive for some but no one said it's a cheap hobby.

Heartagram_03

[QUOTE="SkyWard20"][QUOTE="Planeforger"] Unless he just makes an extra copy for his friends, which is probably just as likely as their friends buying the game. I don't know, I'm not convinced by the logic there.

Anyway, I think a simpler answer to this topic would be "I don't pirate games because I don't feel childishly entitled to things that I can't afford, or things that I don't feel are worth the money". If you think a game's worth buying, buy it. If you're not sure, play a demo or wait for a sale. If you don't think it's worth your money, don't play it. It's as simple as that.

Alternately, I guess another answer is "I've got some sort of inner sense of morality".

GummiRaccoon

i never said the pirates told their friends to buy the game, just that they showed them the game. The friends then go out and buy it of their own accord.

And yes, shareware was like a huge demo.

Look at games like doom that had no drm of any kind, yet had huge commercial success they didn't even sell doom in stores until ultimate doom or whatever.

I pay for games I like, I also pay for music that I like. If piracy were as cancerous as you guys claim, the industry wouldn't exist.

baseless assumption.

Just like this crysis 2 leak. People just want to play the game. I can guarantee that everyone who got the leaked version and liked it or saw promise is going to go out and buy the real deal.

people are not as bad as you think.

baseless assumption

I beta tested SC2 AND I bought the game. Why? because after seeing what the beta was like, I decided to buy the game.

anecdotal claim

What exactly makes you think everyone will eventually buy the game? I don't think "people are not that bad" will convince anyone. There could be plenty of people who'd love to get their hands on free entertainment.

And the reason I kind of want to start pirating games is because they're all crappy, rushed pieces of crap (I'm not really going to start). I just bought Dark Sector for $5 and it doesn't even have proper widescreen support. Then, other PC games have horrible copy protection schemes that have by now ****ed my PC over at least three times. I'm sick of this ****. I think I'm going to quit PC gaming all together.

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

[QUOTE="SkyWard20"] He has no logic. He assumes two things: - that pirates would have never bought the game - that pirates will tell their friends to buy the gameSkyWard20

i never said the pirates told their friends to buy the game, just that they showed them the game. The friends then go out and buy it of their own accord.

And yes, shareware was like a huge demo.

Look at games like doom that had no drm of any kind, yet had huge commercial success they didn't even sell doom in stores until ultimate doom or whatever.

I pay for games I like, I also pay for music that I like. If piracy were as cancerous as you guys claim, the industry wouldn't exist.

baseless assumption.

Just like this crysis 2 leak. People just want to play the game. I can guarantee that everyone who got the leaked version and liked it or saw promise is going to go out and buy the real deal.

people are not as bad as you think.

baseless assumption

I beta tested SC2 AND I bought the game. Why? because after seeing what the beta was like, I decided to buy the game.

anecdotal claim

What exactly makes you think everyone will eventually buy the game? I don't think "people are not that bad" will convince anyone. There could be plenty of people who'd love to get their hands on free entertainment.

misanthropy is not a valid reason for assuming everyone is a pirate in training.

Not only that, half the time pirated versions work like complete trash compared to the legit versions.

TerrorRizzing

aaprently the leaked version of crysis 2 beta reports back toweb2.reztracker.com, and so far no reports of virus scanners picking up on this. People wonder why their pcs are screwing up, why they get weird spam email that seems to know what websites you visit etc... Not only that, half the time pirated versions work like complete trash compared to the legit versions. This is how to stop piracy, by educating people why hackers are posting these games.

TerrorRizzing

[QUOTE="SkyWard20"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

i never said the pirates told their friends to buy the game, just that they showed them the game. The friends then go out and buy it of their own accord.

And yes, shareware was like a huge demo.

Look at games like doom that had no drm of any kind, yet had huge commercial success they didn't even sell doom in stores until ultimate doom or whatever.

I pay for games I like, I also pay for music that I like. If piracy were as cancerous as you guys claim, the industry wouldn't exist.

baseless assumption.

Just like this crysis 2 leak. People just want to play the game. I can guarantee that everyone who got the leaked version and liked it or saw promise is going to go out and buy the real deal.

people are not as bad as you think.

baseless assumption

I beta tested SC2 AND I bought the game. Why? because after seeing what the beta was like, I decided to buy the game.

anecdotal claim

GummiRaccoon

What exactly makes you think everyone will eventually buy the game? I don't think "people are not that bad" will convince anyone. There could be plenty of people who'd love to get their hands on free entertainment.

misanthropy is not a valid reason for assuming everyone is a pirate in training.

aaprently the leaked version of crysis 2 beta reports back toweb2.reztracker.com, and so far no reports of virus scanners picking up on this. People wonder why their pcs are screwing up, why they get weird spam email that seems to know what websites you visit etc... Not only that, half the time pirated versions work like complete trash compared to the legit versions. This is how to stop piracy, by educating people why hackers are posting these games.

TerrorRizzing

lol i usually download them as a demo (if i like it i buy it don't worry) and believe me that is pure b/s, i support the no piracy politic going on since it affect pc gaming but missinformation is not the way, never. I never get any virus/trojan the key to not getting your pc screwed is know how to navigate and read everything any installer says.

I was hoping that you would say "because it's stealing." Do we really need a reason not to pirate games besides that?

Everyone thinks they are an expert on piracy. None of these arguments are going to go anywhere because everyone has a problem admitting they are wrong.

I don't pirate because I love to support the developers that poured all their talent and efforts to deliver to us gamers. I know games have become somewhat expensive for some but no one said it's a cheap hobby.

Heartagram_03

[QUOTE="THA-TODD-BEAST"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

GummiRaccoon

If someone pirates a game and doesn't buy it, does the company receive money from that customer?

What if the same scenario is put in place with hundreds, even thousands of the same types of pirates?

That's not how it works.

So pirate plays a game, and shows his friends, the friends play it a bit and think it is awesome and then they go out and buy the game.

Which is exactly how shareware used to work.

And shareware is what made pc gaming huge.

This justification for piracy is just outright laughable. That's like saying someone who stole a Porsche 911, after driving it a bit and liking it, heads to the dealer to purchase it. Sorry, but no. It's ludicrous. People will never pay for something if they are able to get it for free.

As for this:

"Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all."

At all? Then I assume you believe if the ONLY way to get a game (if piracy didn't exist) was to pay for it, the developers wouldn't see a single cent more than if piracy did exist? Of course they would. It absolutely affects sales, if it didn't we wouldn't see such measures as DRM and internet verification, would we?

Pertaining to the thread title, why don't I pirate? Simply because the fun Iget from a great game is more than worth the small cost. I will always support a good effort, and to show my thanks and appreciation towards the people who make this hobby I love possible, the least I can do is shell out a tiny bit of dough for something that will give me years and years of enjoyment. Pirates can bring forth every argument under the sun for stealing, but in the end, they are plain out unappreciative. Pirating is spitting in the face of many, many people who have labored long and hard to bring them enjoyment to satiate their own selfish desires.

[QUOTE="TerrorRizzing"][QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

Those aren't hackers bro.

Also I don't pirate games, but I am smart enough to know that it doesn't hurt sales at all.

GummiRaccoon

The problem is the pirate was NEVER going to buy the game, the people who buy the game are the people he shows it to.

impeccable logic there

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? So you cannot lose a sale to a pirate, they were never at any point, nor will they ever be, a customer.

Growing up, I had a few friends who refused to buy music/dvds/games, they would get something, be half interested in it and move on to the next thing they obtained illegally. One such pirate, got some one I know into watching dexter while they was at his house. He then promptly subscribed to showtime to get it legitimately. Then while his brother was over, he showed him an episode and he then went out and bought season 1 and 2 on dvd, which he showed to his dad who then went out and also got showtime.

So that one pirate, delivered 3 different PAYING customers to showtime that they wouldn't have had. He also no longer watches dexter.

piracy is a form of free advertising

I believe in paying for the things I enjoy. It is how capitalism works, you vote with your money, good ideas get money, bad ideas shouldn't.

But piracy is not the great blight on our society that you guys make it out to be. There will always be a few shady people, but, the fact that society stands strong to this day means there are more decent people out there than bad.

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? GummiRaccoon

If people can get something for free, they will. You'd think people would realize that first instead of attributing a unitary psychological thought pattern to a group of people who obtain items through illicit means.

Someone may have already said it: pirating games gives game developers easy reasons to abandon the pc as a viable gaming platform.

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? So you cannot lose a sale to a pirate, they were never at any point, nor will they ever be, a customer.

GummiRaccoon

ok thanks for clearing that up.

someone better inform the game developers so they can cease all this invasive drm nonsense

I don't pirate games because buying it seems more fair towards the developers who have put much effort in producing them. Also, I'm kind of a physical copy guy because I like to collect, and I think the price of many PC games is very fair anyway.

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? SkyWard20

If people can get something for free, they will.

And yet people constantly choose to pay for things they could get just as easily for free. So that premise, is completely false.

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? So you cannot lose a sale to a pirate, they were never at any point, nor will they ever be, a customer.

Macutchi

ok thanks for clearing that up.

someone better inform the game developers so they can cease all this invasive drm nonsense

Since when did DRM stop pirates? It's mostly the customers who buy the game who gets issues with the DRM like limited installs or that you need an internet connection. I understand why people pirate games, especially after I got my CD-reader ruined by the Starforce DRM.

[QUOTE="Macutchi"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? So you cannot lose a sale to a pirate, they were never at any point, nor will they ever be, a customer.

kaealy

ok thanks for clearing that up.

someone better inform the game developers so they can cease all this invasive drm nonsense

Since when did DRM stop pirates? It's mostly the customers who buy the game who gets issues with the DRM like limited installs or that you need an internet connection. I understand why people pirate games, especially after I got my CD-reader ruined by the Starforce DRM.

where did i say it did?

[QUOTE="SkyWard20"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? GummiRaccoon

If people can get something for free, they will.

And yet people constantly choose to pay for things they could get just as easily for free. So that premise, is completely false.

[QUOTE="SkyWard20"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

You guys do realize that pirates will not buy games no matter what right? GummiRaccoon

If people can get something for free, they will.

And yet people constantly choose to pay for things they could get just as easily for free. So that premise, is completely false.

now i don't wan't your head to explode, but i know people who have bought games and pirated games. same individual! YEAH, AMAZING! I KNOW!

With some patience you can pick up games for pocket change, and have a clean conscience and a working multiplayer as a bonus. As you get older you realize everything costs money and that PC games are actually pretty good value, no need to pirate unless you're really poor, in which case I doubt anyone minds.

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

[QUOTE="SkyWard20"] You do realize that your premise is very shoddy, right?

If people can get something for free, they will.

Rekunta

And yet people constantly choose to pay for things they could get just as easily for free. So that premise, is completely false.

yeah. i'm also tired of paying for stuff when i'm at grocery store. i realized i can have them for free when i just put them in my pockets. that's so cool! i'm never gonna pay for food again!

honesty, dude, honesty. i bet you've heard of it sometime if you think hard enough.

People will never pay for something if they are able to get it for free.Rekunta

Millions upon millions of people choose to pay for games/music/movies even though they can easily get them for free.

Why in the world would someone pay for something they can get for free? There's no logic. What bonus do they get? A warm fuzzy feeling inside? While I admire your idealism and faith in people, I do think your view is quite naive. Rekunta

I buy all of my games, movies and music (and I buy a hell of a lot of games), but I'm not naive enough to think that everyone else does the same. I know for sure that there are too many immoral people out there, and too many with childish senses of entitlement. Hell, people pirated the Humble Indie Bundles, which they could have easily gotten for less than a dollar combined. That's just how the world is.

That's not to say that I buy games to show that I'm a better person than pirates, or even to fulfil that 'warm fuzzy feeling inside' - I just buy them to support the developers of the stuff that I like to buy, which is a sound and logical reason to pay for something that could easily get for free.

If anything, I'd ask where the logic is in downloading something that pirates don't think is worth its price.

[QUOTE="SkyWard20"]

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

i never said the pirates told their friends to buy the game, just that they showed them the game. The friends then go out and buy it of their own accord.

And yes, shareware was like a huge demo.

Look at games like doom that had no drm of any kind, yet had huge commercial success they didn't even sell doom in stores until ultimate doom or whatever.

I pay for games I like, I also pay for music that I like. If piracy were as cancerous as you guys claim, the industry wouldn't exist.

baseless assumption.

Just like this crysis 2 leak. People just want to play the game. I can guarantee that everyone who got the leaked version and liked it or saw promise is going to go out and buy the real deal.

people are not as bad as you think.

baseless assumption

I beta tested SC2 AND I bought the game. Why? because after seeing what the beta was like, I decided to buy the game.

anecdotal claim

GummiRaccoon

What exactly makes you think everyone will eventually buy the game? I don't think "people are not that bad" will convince anyone. There could be plenty of people who'd love to get their hands on free entertainment.

misanthropy is not a valid reason for assuming everyone is a pirate in training.

Grats.

you know,people can tryjustify pirating anyway they canwith all kinds of excuses as to why they had to download a game.what ever it takes to get you threw the day.

but the simple fact is if you do pirate,you are a thief.and your wrong.and we ALL pay for it.

if you want to get techinal, they aren't loosing money, as only a survey showed 1 percent of pirates would pay for the game. So they aren't loosing money. They are sort of getting free advertising. Heck, these people show this game to their friends, their friends may buy it or maybe they buy the next game in the series etc. In the end of the day companies are still making millions, pirates are just pissing off the companies not really hurting them. If they would really hurting them they would be trying to stop it.

Everyone is different.

People in this thread are using one life experience and using that as their basis on the psychology of everyone.

I know people who will always pirate. If they cannot pirate they just dont game. Gaming isnt important to them, if it aint free then they arent bothered. So no lost sales there.

I know people who will never pirate. This is for various reasons. Some because they want to support the industry, others because of morals. Im sure there are other reasons why they never will. Again no sales lost.

I also know people who bought all their games before they couldplay pirated games on their xbox. The day they could play pirated games was the day they never bought another game. Definitely sales lost.

Maybe different locations around the world have different percentages of these types that i have met. I think this because the people who stopped buying games the day they could play pirated games are the majority of gamers i know. However i realise this isnt the case for everyone as oneof my friends claims he only knows a few pirate gamers and the majority he knows buy their games.

So from my experience i know that there is definite sales loss due to piracy. The problem is i dont know to what extent this really effects the industry.

Phil.