PC gaming piracy is sickening, enough excuses already

So I think everyone has seen this report:

http://kotaku.com/5435876/report-the-most-pirated-games-of-2009

Which shows that Modern Warfare 2 on pc was downloaded at least 4.1 million times, and that doesn't include other sources including 1-1 piracy.

Of course many pirates thought they were "sticking it to the man", or trying to justify their piracy based on Infinity Ward not catering to them.

Given that only 8% of MW2 sales on amazon were for pc we can see why Infinity and other companies are not catering to pc gamers.

http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/11/01/pc-modern-warfare-2-sells-less-than-a-tenth-of-total-on-amazon-c/

Other platforms have piracy but pc gamers are by far the worst when it comes to stealing games.

What I found even more disgusting about the report is the fact that SF4 was also a favorite among pirates. I have read many blog posts by pc gamers celebrating Capcom for supporting the pc and yet in return they received poor sales and high piracy.

We often hear lame excuses for pc gamers like how they wouldn't have bought the game anyways even though they were able to afford a gaming pc. Since SF4 is basically unplayable without a conroller it is likely that most of those pirates bought a gamepad as well. As I pointed out before all you have to do is go to a lan party to see how pc gaming pirates can afford the games but spend their money on hardware instead. You can find blogs on Quakecons that talk about the culture of piracy that is apparent when pc gamers meet in public.

Game companies are going to look at this report and question if the pc is worth supporting when most of the people playing pc games aren't paying for them. This report clearly shows that the pc has a serious piracy problem and a million excuses won't change that.

Its more dissapointing than sickening.

Oh noezzz, piracy is bad. Whatever will these companies do about the maybe 5% of pirates who would actually buy the games if they could not pirate!!!11111!!11!1 I also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

Another dc337 PC bashing thread?

1360000 vs 8840000

Both seem pretty bad no?

Oh I saw the user... ok so where's the proof capcom had poor sales with SF4 on PC?

http://www.capcom-unity.com/ask_capcom/go/thread/view/7371/18540817/Is_CAPCOM_pleased_with_Street_Fighter_IV_PC_sales

here's the corporate VP of capcom stating otherwise. I should report this thread for trolling since it involves false information solely to annoy users.

I do have to admit though it is kind of sad in this day and age where a PC Gamer can download a full game that looks and plays better than the console in only several minutes with the right kind of connection, and all for free. Whee as consoles, you have to buy an inferior looking version for 49.00 and have to physically go to a game store instead of getting it conveniently via digitial distro.

It's easy to see why game devs are miffed about game development on pc.

Your logic is completely flawed

"you guys pirated 4.1 million"

"IW2 are not catering to PC because it only got 8% of the sales"

...they got 8% sales because 4.1 million was pirated, they had 4.1 million illegal downloads because they dumbed down the game. Had they not dumbed down the game they wouldn't have had 4.1 million illegal downloads thus they wouldn't have had only 8% of amazon sales. You can't have it both ways.

Theres a reason it was the most pirated game ever, if it was purely because PC gamers don't want to buy games then similar numbers would hapepn every time there is a release.

It was a successful boycott imo, the 4.1 million proves there are 4.1 million potential customers and you can bet your bottom dollar they wont make the same mistake next time around.

The Amazon article was posted November 1st, so thats only pre-orders from what I understand.

Another thing I'd like to add is that sims 3 was probably the second highest selling game for the year at 6 million on one platform alone as opposed to MW2 on 3..

also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

ActicEdge

New Super Mario Brothers was 6th overall.

But more importantly most wii and xbox gamers pay for their games while most pc gamers do not. It's piracy rates that matter, not the mere existence of it. Downlplay the situation all you want but developers have taken notice.

A recent interview with the Crytek CEO: Licensing a PC-only engine was made difficult in the last few years due to the changing nature of the games market itself. Piracy hurt PC-only games in terms of sales figures, so publishers and developers moved away from making such titles.
http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/6326.html

But more importantly most wii and xbox gamers pay for their games while most pc gamers do not. It's piracy rates that matter, not the mere existence of it. Downlplay the situation all you want but developers have taken notice.

dc337

Talking about piracy rates, I find it interesting that the X360 has a higher piracy ratio than the PC.

[QUOTE="ActicEdge"]

also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

dc337

New Super Mario Brothers was 6th overall.

But more importantly most wii and xbox gamers pay for their games while most pc gamers do not. It's piracy rates that matter, not the mere existence of it. Downlplay the situation all you want but developers have taken notice.

A recent interview with the Crytek CEO: Licensing a PC-only engine was made difficult in the last few years due to the changing nature of the games market itself. Piracy hurt PC-only games in terms of sales figures, so publishers and developers moved away from making such titles.
http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/6326.html

Considering there are more PC gamers than Xbox and Wii gamers combined I'd expect the piracy figures to be higher, then again you will side step this post just like my first one because you just love leading people on.

Oh noezzz, piracy is bad. Whatever will these companies do about the maybe 5% of pirates who would actually buy the games if they could not pirate!!!11111!!11!1 I also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

ActicEdge

[QUOTE="ActicEdge"]

also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

dc337

New Super Mario Brothers was 6th overall.

But more importantly most wii and xbox gamers pay for their games while most pc gamers do not. It's piracy rates that matter, not the mere existence of it. Downlplay the situation all you want but developers have taken notice.

A recent interview with the Crytek CEO: Licensing a PC-only engine was made difficult in the last few years due to the changing nature of the games market itself. Piracy hurt PC-only games in terms of sales figures, so publishers and developers moved away from making such titles.
http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/6326.html

The old "piracy doesn't correlate to lost sales" argument eh? Nice. If people are interested enough in a game to pirate it, they probably have enough interest to purchase it, if piracy wasn't possible or was harshly punished. Also, I'd be willing to bet that the majority of the people that pirated NSMB Wii are playing it on Dolphin, not the Wii console, so that comment doesn't really make sense.KodiakGTS

You shouldn't reply to a cliche answer with an even more cliche answer.

And, of course, all of this out of mere assumptions.

[QUOTE="ActicEdge"]

Oh noezzz, piracy is bad. Whatever will these companies do about the maybe 5% of pirates who would actually buy the games if they could not pirate!!!11111!!11!1 I also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

KodiakGTS

That's pure assumption. According to 2D boy only like 0% of piracy is actuual lost sales. The idea that being interested means you'll drop $60-$100 on a game is silly. Don't think it isn't.

As for the pirated copies of NSMBWii, it doesn't matter how its being played, its a Wii game that is not being payed for thus its Wii piracy. Next you'll be telling me Wiii Sports Resort is beng played on dolphin.

[QUOTE="ActicEdge"]

Oh noezzz, piracy is bad. Whatever will these companies do about the maybe 5% of pirates who would actually buy the games if they could not pirate!!!11111!!11!1 I also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

KodiakGTS

Yea ....... no evidence just a blanket claim.. imagine that, as the other poster in this thread pointed out the 360's piracy rate is higher than PC.

You know what else is sickening? Console and handheld piracy. The only reason we don't hear about it, when we really should, given its prolific nature, is because those platforms aren't as popular as the PC. With 263 million online PC gamers in early 2008 (link), that was already more people than the entire PSP, DS, PS3, Wii and 360 user install base combined.

PC piracy is as bad... but when you look into it, console piracy is just as bad. It only looks "less bad" because of the relative numbers involved. Stop trying to make the PC platform look bad because of piracy. It isn't like piracy doesn't exist on other platforms. The PC is also the financially fastest growing market in the world.

Theres a reason it was the most pirated game ever, if it was purely because PC gamers don't want to buy games then similar numbers would hapepn every time there is a release.Brainkiller05

That isn't a boycott, that's theft with a poor excuse. What is your excuse for 1.85 million SF4 downloads? I doubt legitimate pc sales were even 10% of total sales.

No pc version of Super Street Fighter IV has been announced. It will come a year later if at all since pc gamers aren't treated as equals due to their low sales and high piracy rates.

You know what else is sickening? Console and handheld piracy. The only reason we don't hear about it, when we really should, given its prolific nature, is because those platforms aren't as popular as the PC. With 263 million online PC gamers in early 2008 (link), that was already more people than the entire PSP, DS, PS3, Wii and 360 user install base combined.

PC piracy is as bad... but when you look into it, console piracy is just as bad. It only looks "less bad" because of the relative numbers involved. Stop trying to make the PC platform look bad because of piracy. It isn't like piracy doesn't exist on other platforms. The PC is also the financially fastest growing market in the world.

foxhound_fox

Do the math.. the 360's piracy ratio is higher than the PCs, irony at its finest isn't it?

[QUOTE="ActicEdge"]

also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

dc337

New Super Mario Brothers was 6th overall.

But more importantly most wii and xbox gamers pay for their games while most pc gamers do not. It's piracy rates that matter, not the mere existence of it. Downlplay the situation all you want but developers have taken notice.

A recent interview with the Crytek CEO: Licensing a PC-only engine was made difficult in the last few years due to the changing nature of the games market itself. Piracy hurt PC-only games in terms of sales figures, so publishers and developers moved away from making such titles.
http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/6326.html

You're trying to push it like I honestly care. I buy my games and will not pirate, I don't PC game and I don't care about what others do with their time or the morals. Not my problem. However you can't brush off console piracy just because the absolute fiure is lower than PC piracy. Oh noez, piracy, devs have to suck it up bottom line. Also, what the hell is this lie you are trying to propegate that PC gamers don't buy games? Its the fastest growing platform.

Piracy is pretty bad. That's why software sale for the PSP is horrible. It is the same for PC games.XenogearsMaster

Wrong.

Unlike consoles, PC games sell in long periods of time, rather than concentrating everything in the first month, or even worse, in the first week.

They aren't "horrible". They have to be looked at in a different way.

The Amazon article was posted November 1st, so thats only pre-orders from what I understand.

JangoWuzHere

I'd say it's a terrible, God-awful sin, but I buy a lot of games used, so I'd be contradicting myself. :Penterawesome

Nope, used is not illegal. Someone owned it and then they sold it to a store and you bought it. The original copy was bought legit. Whatever happens to the copy so long as its not reproduced is fair game.

So I think everyone has seen this report:

http://kotaku.com/5435876/report-the-most-pirated-games-of-2009

Which shows that Modern Warfare 2 on pc was downloaded at least 4.1 million times, and that doesn't include other sources including 1-1 piracy.

Of course many pirates thought they were "sticking it to the man", or trying to justify their piracy based on Infinity Ward not catering to them.

Given that only 8% of MW2 sales on amazon were for pc we can see why Infinity and other companies are not catering to pc gamers.

http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/11/01/pc-modern-warfare-2-sells-less-than-a-tenth-of-total-on-amazon-c/

Other platforms have piracy but pc gamers are by far the worst when it comes to stealing games.

What I found even more disgusting about the report is the fact that SF4 was also a favorite among pirates. I have read many blog posts by pc gamers celebrating Capcom for supporting the pc and yet in return they received poor sales and high piracy.

We often hear lame excuses for pc gamers like how they wouldn't have bought the game anyways even though they were able to afford a gaming pc. Since SF4 is basically unplayable without a conroller it is likely that most of those pirates bought a gamepad as well. As I pointed out before all you have to do is go to a lan party to see how pc gaming pirates can afford the games but spend their money on hardware instead. You can find blogs on Quakecons that talk about the culture of piracy that is apparent when pc gamers meet in public.

Game companies are going to look at this report and question if the pc is worth supporting when most of the people playing pc games aren't paying for them. This report clearly shows that the pc has a serious piracy problem and a million excuses won't change that.

dc337

I agree, I'm a PC gamer and I do think piracy is the biggest single challenge to the PC as a platform. While it's impossible to get completely accurate numbers it's clear that the level of piracy is insanely high.. probably as much as 8-9 pirated copies for each bought copy. You can argue back and forth about how many of those 8-9 people whould have bought the game but to dismiss piracy as a serious issue seems crazy to me given the scale and scope.

The fact that PC gaming is still doing well is a testement to the platforms potential.. I guess all MS and Sony can do is pray that it's never resolved or reduced by a significant amount, it could mean the death of regular consoles.

[QUOTE="JangoWuzHere"]

The Amazon article was posted November 1st, so thats only pre-orders from what I understand.

ronvalencia

[QUOTE="XenogearsMaster"]Piracy is pretty bad. That's why software sale for the PSP is horrible. It is the same for PC games.N30F3N1X

Wrong.

Unlike consoles, PC games sell in long periods of time, rather than concentrating everything in the first month, or even worse, in the first week.

They aren't "horrible". They have to be looked at in a different way.

[QUOTE="XenogearsMaster"]Piracy is pretty bad. That's why software sale for the PSP is horrible. It is the same for PC games.N30F3N1X

Wrong.

Unlike consoles, PC games sell in long periods of time, rather than concentrating everything in the first month, or even worse, in the first week.

They aren't "horrible". They have to be looked at in a different way.

pointless threadSamiRDuran

+1

[QUOTE="KodiakGTS"][QUOTE="ActicEdge"]

Oh noezzz, piracy is bad. Whatever will these companies do about the maybe 5% of pirates who would actually buy the games if they could not pirate!!!11111!!11!1 I also find it funny how you rip on PC but the second most pirated games was NSMBWii.

ActicEdge

That's pure assumption. According to 2D boy only like 0% of piracy is actuual lost sales. The idea that being interested means you'll drop $60-$100 on a game is silly. Don't think it isn't.

As for the pirated copies of NSMBWii, it doesn't matter how its being played, its a Wii game that is not being payed for thus its Wii piracy. Next you'll be telling me Wiii Sports Resort is beng played on dolphin.

Yeah, piracy is a big problem, it's criminal, and morally objectionable.

But seriously, are you putting on this show of indignation just to bash the PC? I mean, you couldn't even get to the end of your first post before spewing that "PC gaming is dead, I promise!" stuff. If you're so disgusted, could you at least try staying on topic?

PC piracy is as bad... but when you look into it, console piracy is just as bad. It only looks "less bad" because of the relative numbers involved. Stop trying to make the PC platform look bad because of piracy. It isn't like piracy doesn't exist on other platforms. The PC is also the financially fastest growing market in the world.

foxhound_fox

Piracy strikes single games hardest says Blizzard boss

Crytek CEO Estimates 20 PC Game Pirates for Every One Legitimate Buyer

ID CEO says piracy is killing pc gaming

[QUOTE="enterawesome"]I'd say it's a terrible, God-awful sin, but I buy a lot of games used, so I'd be contradicting myself. :PActicEdge

Nope, used is not illegal. Someone owned it and then they sold it to a store and you bought it. The original copy was bought legit. Whatever happens to the copy so long as its not reproduced is fair game.

OK... It's disgusting.XenogearsMaster

I'm about to drop the hammer and dispense some indiscriminate justice. No, who knows where this quote is from does not get a cookie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_sims_2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_sims_3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starcraft

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warcraft_3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_warcraft

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_life_2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Life_%28video_game%29

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]PC piracy is as bad... but when you look into it, console piracy is just as bad. It only looks "less bad" because of the relative numbers involved. Stop trying to make the PC platform look bad because of piracy. It isn't like piracy doesn't exist on other platforms. The PC is also the financially fastest growing market in the world.

dc337

Piracy strikes single games hardest says Blizzard boss

Crytek CEO Estimates 20 PC Game Pirates for Every One Legitimate Buyer

ID CEO says piracy is killing pc gaming

Do they run the torrent client? The people who monitor the client posted numbers so we are going with the figures in your OP not some guesses by devs.

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]PC piracy is as bad... but when you look into it, console piracy is just as bad. It only looks "less bad" because of the relative numbers involved. Stop trying to make the PC platform look bad because of piracy. It isn't like piracy doesn't exist on other platforms. The PC is also the financially fastest growing market in the world.

dc337

Piracy strikes single games hardest says Blizzard boss

Crytek CEO Estimates 20 PC Game Pirates for Every One Legitimate Buyer

ID CEO says piracy is killing pc gaming

[QUOTE="ActicEdge"]

[QUOTE="enterawesome"]I'd say it's a terrible, God-awful sin, but I buy a lot of games used, so I'd be contradicting myself. :Penterawesome

Nope, used is not illegal. Someone owned it and then they sold it to a store and you bought it. The original copy was bought legit. Whatever happens to the copy so long as its not reproduced is fair game.

Why? The dev does not deserve your money. They make a product and assume the responsibilities and risks involved in selling and releasing said product. This is like feeling bad for buying a used car. Oh noez, the industry missed a sale for their work. You care why? I have no love for the devs, they should have no love for me, its not personal, its just business as far as I'm concerned.

[QUOTE="N30F3N1X"][QUOTE="XenogearsMaster"]Piracy is pretty bad. That's why software sale for the PSP is horrible. It is the same for PC games.KHAndAnime

Unlike consoles, PC games sell in long periods of time, rather than concentrating everything in the first month, or even worse, in the first week.

They aren't "horrible". They have to be looked at in a different way.

Why is that anyway? I would imagine it to be especially easy to track sales via Steam.

Nope, used is not illegal.ActicEdge

Do the math.. the 360's piracy ratio is higher than the PCs, irony at its finest isn't it?

Espada12

As I have pointed out a thousand times pc piracy rates are far worse than consoles.dc337

IW has sent us a message that they will take dedicated servers away... ... well we will send them a message that this, this is our platform!

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"][QUOTE="N30F3N1X"]Wrong.

Unlike consoles, PC games sell in long periods of time, rather than concentrating everything in the first month, or even worse, in the first week.

They aren't "horrible". They have to be looked at in a different way.Hexagon_777

Why is that anyway? I would imagine it to be especially easy to track sales via Steam.