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A Portrait of the UK Game Pirate
Next Generation has a report up on a British study that indicates something like 84 percent of 15 to 18 year olds pirate video games in Britain. 72 percent of those folks pirate games because they can't wait for the UK releases. From the article: "This study shows very clearly the drivers behind videogame piracy...Most respondents who have and will continue to illegally download games are young males, between 15 and 19 years old. They feel videogames are too expensive and resent the long wait for many games released in the US or in Asia before the UK. With a high level of computer literacy, it's easy for them to find a game online and download it. Their friends all do it and why shouldn't they?"
Piracy is easy. Kids do it. Game publishers are on streets selling crack to feed their family. Film at 11.
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72 percent of those folks pirate games because they can't wait for the UK releases.
If this was a tangible product, then it would be expressed as "they get it on the black market because it isn't commercially available".
There's really no good reason for a game to be released in the USA, and then wait months before releasing it in the UK. It's marketing gone wrong.
They feel videogames are too expensive and resent the long wait for many games released in the US or in Asia before the UK.
Imagine that - something is overpriced, so they get it from illegitimate channels instead. Is there any market where this isn't true?
The main difference between video games and physical products is that copyright gives the publishers a monopoly. It's not a free market.