Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

DRM-Free Game Suffers 90% Piracy, Offers Amnesty

Posted by Soulskill on from the arrr-me-hearties dept.

bonch writes "Independent game Machinarium, released without DRM by developer Amanita Design, has only been paid for by 5-10% of its users according to developer Jakub Dvorsky. To drive legitimate sales, they are now offering a 'Pirate Amnesty' sale until August 12, bundling both the cross-platform game and its soundtrack for $5. Ron Carmel, designer of DRM-free puzzle game World of Goo, stated that his game also had about an 80-90% piracy rate, claiming that the percentage of those pirating first and purchasing later was 'very small.' He said, 'We're getting good sales through WiiWare, Steam, and our website. Not going bankrupt just yet!'"

5 of 795 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's 90% piracy for DRM'd stuff too by BorgDrone · · Score: 2, Funny

    Mind if I come over your house and take whatever I want as long as you can still live?

    No, but you are welcome to visit and copy my TV and stereo any time you want.

  2. Penny Arcade says it well by phantomfive · · Score: 4, Funny

    As with many things game related, Penny Arcade says it best. In the struggle between pirates and game-makers, only the pirates win.

    --
    Qxe4
  3. Re:Next step to prevent PC piracy by interkin3tic · · Score: 3, Funny

    Even a school kid without a job could buy a few games a year by cutting down on candy.

    nom nom nom nom...

    But without my gold-leafed hershey's kisses, I won't have enough energy to fight the zerg! ...nom nom nom nom

  4. HEY! IF YOU ARE ANY GOOD THEN GO ON TOUR !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Tour and make money that way you greedy bastard !!

    I've been SHARING with friends (mostly from Russia, wouldnyano) since I was 10 and I don't see any reason to change. You are the one that needs to change! Change your business method! Don't expect me to. I don't have to! I like it the way it is!!

  5. Re:I presume you mean for DRM games by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The software industry has to accept that piracy is here to stay, and the old tactics of artificial scarcity will not work any more.

    If they want to make money, they should perform live interpretations of their games on stage, and sell merchandise and posters to recoup the costs.

    3d shooters are so much better the old way, with paint ball and laserquest. The CDs of games should be used as advertising for the software company and to attract people to live paint ball shooting competitions.