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Video Game Piracy

Miss Doronjo

Gaiden
4,473
Posts
13
Years
You know, I'm a person who sometimes use an emulator to emulate pretty old games like Super Mario World for the SNES, or Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for the N64. However, downloading video games in general is pretty much a common law that's broken, and thus, Video Game Piracy is said to be a problem worldwide.

Now, what do you guys think of video game piracy? Do you think that it's a law that should be more investigated, or, since it's common for people to download their video games, do you think that it's not a bid deal? But thinking about this, how much is too much? Are there limits that people should have when it comes to downloading video games?

On a related topic, how would you feel if the current systems were to be more regularly pirated or emulated (even though I hear it's very hard or impossible to emulate the 3DS. I think. Someone can correct me here)? (again, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here). Any other thoughts? Feel free to share them.
 
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Muani

miau
85
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 24
  • Seen Mar 25, 2014
My parents will not buy expensive games.

More games are getting towards prices over 50 dollars. My parents will not pay for it. The only choice I have at times is piracy.

Sometimes, I like to think of piracy as a 'try before you buy'. I don't want to buy a game I will not like. Some games I have pirated I buy later.

I think companies make enough money, with or without pirating at the time.
 

Princess Sandshrew

PokéRespect
66
Posts
14
Years
I will buy a game I want, and am pretty sure I will enjoy if I have the money.
I always pay for indie games.
I will rarely pay for a game that cannot be bought physically anymore (not including from ebay and such).

When I have been through a period with not much money I will tend to pirate everything because I simply cannot afford to buy any games.

I will also pirate games I have no intention of ever buying (not good enough for the amount they are asking).

The way I pirate is that no sale is lost because I was never going to give any money in the first place.
 

Serene Grace

Pokémon Trainer
3,428
Posts
14
Years
Video game piracy (and piracy in general) is a matter that's pretty much trivial to me. I don't pirate anything, but I'm not going to judge you if you would get something for free rather than pay for it. My thinking, however, is that if you like a video game, then you want to motivate the developers to make more and the best way to show them that is through sales numbers. Plus it's their jobs and they have mouths to feed, just like anybody else.
 
Rogue planet

Rogue planet

 
3,509
Posts
15
Years
  • Age 30
  • Seen Nov 5, 2017
Unfortunately it doesn't amaze me how major video game companies not only continue to pump out uninspired, repetitive games, but also shamelessly raise the prices for no real reason. Meanwhile some truly creative games such as Limbo and Amnesia sell for 5-15 pounds.

I don't pay for games unless they're console exclusive (and even then I only buy if it's really appealing). The downside is, I don't have access to online play, which is a fairly big part of a lot of games. I've also spent my fair share of money on very disappointing games (Star Wars: ToR, FFXIII...)

I don't lose sleep over the fact that I have little money to spare on anything; so I certainly don't because some rich companies aren't getting my money. This is the whole cause of internet piracy. If you give poor people a means to acquire things for free, they'll do it, and it's only the rich that get upset about it.
 
Mr. X

Mr. X

It's... kinda effective?
2,391
Posts
17
Years
I pirate PC games for one main reason - the internet connection requirements.

Back when I was dialup, I had bought a game that required Steam. Steam refused to work on dialup. The only support that Steam gave me was pretty much 'haha, **** you, go get better internet."

They didn't want to support me when I was a paying customer - So **** them, I'll pirate the games instead and not have to deal with the IC requirement crap. As for non steam games, if it requires a active internet connection for single player stuff, I'm pirating it.

Some games I intend to buy legit copies of, if I ever get regular dsl, for multiplayer.
 
Brendino

Brendino

8,571
Posts
14
Years
I'm always of the belief that when a company stops supporting a console (Genesis, N64, GBA, etc.), it should be free reign on emulating and distributing games. Any sort of pirated PC games or even DS/3DS ROMs I'm not a big fan of- but it doesn't bother me at all if someone else wants to use them (although I do understand the concept of trying it before buying it, similar to game demos). The only game I can honestly say I've pirated is the original Sims, and that was only because our game disc got too scratched up over time, and couldn't be read.
 
ZetaZaku

ZetaZaku

AEUG Pilot
580
Posts
11
Years
The games are really expensive here, and the prices never drop. Pokemon Diamond, for example, still costs ~50$, and BWB2W2 are just 10$ higher. With the average wages here, it's way to expensive. That's why piracy is the only option to actually play games. If people wouldn't pirate the games, then they probably wouldn't buy it anyway, so it's not really a loss for the game company. Doesn't change the fact that it's still illegal, but it's not hurting the company.

I was really happy when I managed to find used Pokemon HeartGold and Diamond for ~13$ each. It's definitely not the same buying and pirating it. You cherish bought games more than pirated. I remember back in the SNES days, I'd play the games for months. You definitely spend more time on a bought game (unless you buy new games every day haha). That's what I really miss.
 
JayTheKing

JayTheKing

~~King Of Valla~~
943
Posts
12
Years
ZetaZaku said:
The games are really expensive here, and the prices never drop. Pokemon Diamond, for example, still costs ~50$, and BWB2W2 are just 10$ higher. With the average wages here, it's way to expensive. That's why piracy is the only option to actually play games. If people wouldn't pirate the games, then they probably wouldn't buy it anyway, so it's not really a loss for the game company. Doesn't change the fact that it's still illegal, but it's not hurting the company.

I was really happy when I managed to find used Pokemon HeartGold and Diamond for ~13$ each. It's definitely not the same buying and pirating it. You cherish bought games more than pirated. I remember back in the SNES days, I'd play the games for months. You definitely spend more time on a bought game (unless you buy new games every day haha). That's what I really miss.
Click to expand...

Couldnt agree more.
As i pirate most of my games(Prepare to see my game collection,the most games i have are for the original GB)i tend to get bored of them faster in contrast with the physical copies in which i actually bother find all the acheivements.
I dont know why but i feel nice that the 3ds cant be pirated.Weird.....
Nothing beats the real thing.
 

Magykx

It's too cold for you here.
193
Posts
11
Years
I like most others use it as a try-before-you-buy scheme, but it is highly taken advantage of. I agree that game prices lately have been outrageous, but there's not much you can do.

Personally, I do not think downloading old games should even count as piracy anymore. Unless you still have your old systems, finding a great condition SNES or N64 can be pricey, especially if you're looking for the games also. So no, I do not feel bad for owning a Pokemon Red or Stadium file (especially since I've owned both previously).

Lastly, I also do not think it counts as Piracy if you plan on buying the game. This goes back along with the try-before-you-buy situation. It's like downloading a song when it leaks before it's officially release.

I guess I'm kind of rambling now but I do think it's a big problem... Though nothing will probably ever be done about it legally, that'd be too much work for our government. :laugh:
The only thing that will be done will be the ever growing difficulty it is to emulate the games, like said above about it being nearly impossible to emulate the 3DS.
 

Miss Doronjo

Gaiden
4,473
Posts
13
Years
Magykx said:
I like most others use it as a try-before-you-buy scheme, but it is highly taken advantage of. I agree that game prices lately have been outrageous, but there's not much you can do.

Personally, I do not think downloading old games should even count as piracy anymore. Unless you still have your old systems, finding a great condition SNES or N64 can be pricey, especially if you're looking for the games also. So no, I do not feel bad for owning a Pokemon Red or Stadium file (especially since I've owned both previously).
Click to expand...

You know, I feel exactly the same way.

Like I've said on the OP, I'd use an emulator to play really old games like, the ones for the NES, and maybe the SNES, all the way up to the N64. These kinds of games are getting rarer, and rarer, and, well, this is only speaking to where I live, but, they seem to be getting pricer and pricer. Hence, the only reason why I use emulators.

I don't rely on reviews so much, hence why I like the try-it-before you buy it ordeal, but... it's getting harder to come by. D=
 

Railgun

Ever Day Another New Adventure
432
Posts
12
Years
I don't pirate. I don't find games expensive at all. I find them at a good price. not saying I buy 6 new games every week mind you but I find them fair enough to buy. At least over here in the USA
 
Aeon.

Aeon.

Carrion
358
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 29
  • Seen Jun 22, 2016
I mainly use it as pseudo-renting. The only other times I would do it is if the game is out of print with no new cycle in sight (especially older games), and games that are rare, hard to import, and/or for playing hacks.
 
Archenoth

Archenoth

(cozy)
467
Posts
12
Years
I used to pirate everything because I never had money and had restrictive parents.
Now that I can actually get games legitimately now, I buy them. I have spent thousands of dollars on games. If I want a game that I can't buy, or has really restrictive DRM, I may or may not occasionally resort to Usenet and Torrents. (Though I actually haven't done this for years now that I think of it.)

I don't think Piracy is really a problem since usually the people who pirate games are the kind of people who wouldn't buy them anyway, so no money is really lost. There is no scarcity when it comes to digital copies of anything, because copying things pretty much costs nothing. Piracy can also work like advertising if developers are smart about it. (Such was the deal with Minecraft...) Piracy can also be a political thing if a company does something that is terrible. (Vote with your wallets.)

For example, I will actively support developers that I like with my wallet, even if I don't like one or two of their games. They have mouths to feed, and they need a paycheque like any other person. But I also want people to discourage things like the whole SimCity DRM deal from ever happening again by not buying games that have such horrible service with such a disregard for legitimate customers. I will actively avoid those games, I don't want any of my money going into the development of things that annoy legitimate customers. If they don't want legitimate customers, I certainly won't be one of them.

If something is incredibly bad it's not even funny, I may even help pirates because I want higher-ups in the companies that already have nasty service to put in the most magnificently horrible DRM ever on the next thing they make so that it falls flat on its face in such a magnificent manner as to discourage it from ever happening again and to get the person who decided it was a good idea fired.
 
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TornZero

Resident Yuri-ism Cult Leader
1,137
Posts
13
Years
ZetaZaku said:
You cherish bought games more than pirated. I remember back in the SNES days, I'd play the games for months. You definitely spend more time on a bought game (unless you buy new games every day haha). That's what I really miss.
Click to expand...

I honestly can't say this is entirely true, because I tend to trade in games with little remorse, and the difference in my playtime between bought and pirated games is negligible; however, I can say that the "try before you buy" philosophy in sects of piracy has definitely influenced my buying decisions. I've spent a ton of time playing a pirated Etrian Odyssey III, but it's what drove me to buying Etrian Odyssey IV.

If I didn't like it, it would have been a waste of my money to have bought it, and I'd have been (in the big picture) furthering development of a game I didn't enjoy.

I also use piracy for things that will never leave Japan, at least where Nintendo consoles are concerned. Bleach: Vs Crusade, Tales of Innocence, etc. At least the PS3 isn't region-locked, and it's possible to have accounts for multiple regions. (The only issues left there are importing games and/or getting region-appropriate PlayStation Store cards, and... y'know, understanding Japanese. |D ... Oh, and the Vita. Sony took some amazing potential and pulled a bunch of crap with the firmware. Gotta freakin' reformat the Vita every time you change regions, and memory cards are account-locked to my knowledge.)
 

DavidtheDeadPhilosopher

480
Posts
11
Years
I'm personally not against it. I just find the "it's ok for old games" arguments somewhat interesting, since you can "usually" find re-release, VC, or Collection titles with alot of the popular old titles, and they really arn't expensive. I really find it interesting that people think 5.00 is to much to spend on a NES Game. I mean I'm not rich, but I'll gladly drop a few bucks just to play a title legit. I have used emulation, but it's usually if the game is impossibly rare or expensive, or in alternative, I want to play it with a keyboard and I already own the title. (Pokemon Yellow mainly) I've emulated games like Earthbound and Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. In both cases the developer is not getting money, but I'm still paying 50-60 bucks for the game.

I guess in the end my answer comes down to the the fact that I rather pay developers then pawn shops.
 
DraconianWing

DraconianWing

959
Posts
11
Years
In my opinion, pirating currently available retail games equals stealing (like shoplifting), since they are still available for purchase.

However, it's a completely different case for retro games that are no longer available (ex. GBA, NES), because regardless of how you get them (eBay, amazon, downloading ROMs, other yada-yada) the developers won't be making/losing any money from them.
 
Melody

Melody

Banned
6,460
Posts
19
Years
I think that emulation is legitimate, and is not considered piracy in a few situations:
1. You own/have owned the physical game.
2. You own the physical game, and cannot play it due to restrictions in the game code. (PC games are a typical offender in this situation with some DRM schemes requiring active connections to the internet)
3. The game is no longer being sold new in retail outlets.
4. The game is not made available in your region, and laws, trade restrictions, technical limitations or tariffs/shipping make the game impossible to import and play on your own system.
5. The game is priced beyond a fair value in the retail market. This means games should not excessively exceed the average game price unless you're getting more than just a game in the deal.
6. The game has been released for longer than 5 years and is no longer commonly found in retail outlets, even if still sold. Meaning the manufacturer of the game has probably stopped making new copies, but they're still in stores stocks if this situation is present.

Piracy is the act of obtaining a game for free, IF NONE OF THE ABOVE SITUATIONS EXIST IN YOUR CASE. The above situations no longer apply if you begin to distribute the game and profit from that distribution somehow, except for #3 and/or #6 if you've legitimately bought and paid for the copies you've sold somehow.

I believe Piracy should not be encouraged, however I find that it is the responsibility of the rights holder, who originally created the game, to deter the piracy and make their product more readily available to anyone who might be encouraged to pirate the game. This means that DRM should not be disruptive, nor rely upon something like an internet connection. If you refuse to support a customer's particular situation for whatever reasons, then they too have a right to refuse to support your development if they're already a paying customer.

It would be easier for all if they made legitimately obtaining a copy more attractive and easy than pirating one, through gentle piracy prevention controls like license keys or seamless encryption which unlocks to the user who bears it's key, and making the game easily available to anyone wishing to obtain it. It should be reasonably priced and never should a paying customer be able to find themselves in a situation where they're locked out of a product they paid for.
 

Kanzler

5,983
Posts
15
Years
I'm always moving from one game to another, and most games I play only once. So the buy-the-game-and-play-it-forever model as it is now doesn't help me. But Steam sales over 75% off sure do.


Posted from Pokecommunity.com App for Android
 
Palkia

Palkia

2,305
Posts
13
Years
  • Age 25
  • Seen Dec 16, 2022
Pachy said:
I think that emulation is legitimate, and is not considered piracy in a few situations:
1. You own/have owned the physical game.
2. You own the physical game, and cannot play it due to restrictions in the game code. (PC games are a typical offender in this situation with some DRM schemes requiring active connections to the internet)
3. The game is no longer being sold new in retail outlets.
4. The game is not made available in your region, and laws, trade restrictions, technical limitations or tariffs/shipping make the game impossible to import and play on your own system.
5. The game is priced beyond a fair value in the retail market. This means games should not excessively exceed the average game price unless you're getting more than just a game in the deal.
6. The game has been released for longer than 5 years and is no longer commonly found in retail outlets, even if still sold. Meaning the manufacturer of the game has probably stopped making new copies, but they're still in stores stocks if this situation is present.

Piracy is the act of obtaining a game for free, IF NONE OF THE ABOVE SITUATIONS EXIST IN YOUR CASE. The above situations no longer apply if you begin to distribute the game and profit from that distribution somehow, except for #3 and/or #6 if you've legitimately bought and paid for the copies you've sold somehow.

I believe Piracy should not be encouraged, however I find that it is the responsibility of the rights holder, who originally created the game, to deter the piracy and make their product more readily available to anyone who might be encouraged to pirate the game. This means that DRM should not be disruptive, nor rely upon something like an internet connection. If you refuse to support a customer's particular situation for whatever reasons, then they too have a right to refuse to support your development if they're already a paying customer.

It would be easier for all if they made legitimately obtaining a copy more attractive and easy than pirating one, through gentle piracy prevention controls like license keys or seamless encryption which unlocks to the user who bears it's key, and making the game easily available to anyone wishing to obtain it. It should be reasonably priced and never should a paying customer be able to find themselves in a situation where they're locked out of a product they paid for.
Click to expand...

I really do second this, although I will add a addendum to this: I think that game developers should take note of piracy and find out why people are pirating other than them being dirty cheapskates *cough*drm*cough*.
 
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