An In-Depth Look At Game Piracy

TweakGuides is running a detailed examination of PC game piracy. The author begins with a look at the legal, moral, and monetary issues behind copyright infringement, and goes on to measure the scale of game piracy and how it affects developers and publishers. He also discusses some of the intended solutions to piracy. He provides examples of copy protection and DRM schemes that have perhaps done more harm than good, as well as less intrusive measures which are enjoying more success. The author criticizes the "culture of piracy" that has developed, saying. "Fast forward to the 21st century, and piracy has apparently somehow become a political struggle, a fight against greedy corporations and evil copy protection, and in some cases, I've even seen some people refer to the rise of piracy as a 'revolution.' What an absolute farce. ... Piracy is the result of human nature: when faced with the option of getting something for free or paying for it, and in the absence of any significant risks, you don't need complex economic studies to show you that most people will opt for the free route."

Comments

Re:saying. "Fast forward to the 21st century"

[tuxgeek]

Piracy is stealing, plain and simple. Programmers that work on game projects put in long days and many hours and do this for a living. The game industry is simple economics. Invest a pile of time/money to design a product and produce it. Sell many copies at a reasonable price and if you're lucky make your wages and an ample profit. Some games bomb and the producers lose money.

Piracy is stealing, plain and simple. Game and software pirates are taking food from from someone else's mouth. Come on /. nerds. Most of you produce software for a living as well. You all know better than to debate how you have a right to steal some other nerd's work.

Stealing is wrong plain and simple. It amazes me when some low-life will risk getting shot to steal a $1 Mickey Mouse antenna ball from someone else's car in a parking lot. And yes, here in Alaska it is legal for anyone to carry a concealed weapon, no permit required. AND people have been shot for just wandering onto someone else's property uninvited. Now that is the ultimate "Get off my lawn !"

Re:saying. "Fast forward to the 21st century"

[ez151]

"People will pirate when it's overpriced. When it's right-priced, most people will gladly pay for it." What do mean right-priced? Does the saleswomen have to take you in the back and suck your dick for it to be right-priced? It is called stealing. plain and simple. I do it and i know it is stealing. i am poor so i can only afford a couple of $50 games a year. thats it. I admit it. Don't say they need a new business model, they need to keep up with todays tech, etc. You are stealing a game. it is no different if you go to gamespot and stick a game under your shirt and walk out. you just do it from your room/basement, whatever. No difference.

Re:You show your ignorance.

[tuxgeek]

You're a low-life scumbag. Do you cheat on your taxes? I must assume so. You, "Jane Q. Public" probably cheat on your spouse or significant other. People like you disgust me. No wonder the world has turned into such a shit hole with a plethora of assholes like you and few people with real morals anymore, understanding the difference between right from wrong.