| mZuzek said: No, money being won now, because without piracy, the gaming market here would've remained niche. |
Uh... No...
The national acceptance and adoption of internet is what popularized video games once the video game industry began implementing internet functionality en masse.
Once internet console gaming hit it's stride on Xbox 360 & PS3, a wide audience of console gamers were exposed to internet multiplayer in a fashion that was otherwise predominantly exclusive to PC gamers, considering thats where it was largely the only place to access internet in a household during the mid 90's all the way up to the mid 2000's. (yes, I'm well aware that the PS2, Xbox and Dreamcast had "some" online games, but for obvious reasons can't be used as an example)
By the end of the X360's & PS3's lifecycle, the adoption rate of online multiplayer had skyrocketed and the video game industry hasn't been the same since. Couple this with the advancements of visual fidelity in modern gaming, higher & more accessible internet speeds, and it was no longer "for nerds" or "losers" and video games finally became an accepted entertainment medium.
Piracy has ZERO credibility for the popularization of video games. Infact, PC gaming and its association with hackers and hobbyists did more harm than good for lifting the stigmatism surrounding video games...
Last edited by TranceformerFX - on 14 May 2019
