Confessions of a pirate

[marciosmg]

cleveland124 said:

Pristine20 said:

Still, you have to admit that 3rd world piracy doesn't affect the video game industry in any way. Why?

1. With significantly lower purchasing power and ridiculously higher prices. Only the presidents of 3rd world countries can afford to play games

2. Due to point 1, almost no one would be purchasing games in 3rd world countries anyway if piracy didn't exist. In fact, piracy helps to sell consoles which benefits the industry (if the consoles are sold for profit like the wii).

3. There's a reason why the term "piracy" is used in place of "stealing". Its because they're different. In most 3rd world cases, people actually buy pirated games from stores so they still paid for them. Just not the same amount as the original. In most cases, 3rd world stores only stock pirated copies because they know that no one will pay for the original when there's a much cheaper version that'll work just as well.

 

3rd world piracy does affect the video game industry. 

1.  I don't buy the higher prices argument.  Yes, you may find someplace that you can buy games for $200.  But if the individual uses play-asia or ebay, they could get games at comparable prices to the US and Japan anywhere in the world.  They just choose not to, because pirating is so easy. 

2.  Someone must be purchasing games or the big three wouldn't release their systems there.  China didn't have video games for a long time.  But their economy is booming now and people are spending money in places they wouldn't have before.   Also, most third world countries have quickly growing economies.  And the problem is once a pirate always a pirate.  There are a few on this thread who gained a conscience, but for the most part, if you are getting $1,000s of dollars of games for free a year, it will be tough to ever justify paying for them.

3.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy "Piracy is a robbery committed at sea, or sometimes on the shore, without a commission from a sovereign nation (robbery with sovereign commission is privateering, and distinct from piracy)."

Last I knew robbery was stealing.  But what do I know.  Piracy is certainly theft.  The difference is it does lack deception and force.  As such, it is typically punished less harshly than most thefts.  It's also much more difficult to catch than most thefts.

 

 

1 - Even if I would import from such places there is such a heavy taxation in my country (you pay 160% of the value of the product if it is more than 50 dollars) that the prices become pretty much the same as the ones you buy here. So it´s still an
unbelievably unfair situation. It´s not just the companies, my government like to screw with me too.

2 - You are kind of right. Some people will only pirate it because it´s cheaper for them. However, if prices were greatly reduced, the companies would sell a lot more here, because many customers like me who see a real value in it, would want the real thing.

Not to mention the problem is that it costs $1000 per year. It shouldn´t. And it´s not for free. It´s just a much smaller price. In fact, by your argument, you´re kind of agreeing with me. If the companies released their consoles directly here, and forced the government to diminish taxes, the price would me much cheaper, and a lot of people (including myself) would buy the real thing (because of the growing economies).

P.S. - Another thing that really adds value to the game is online. Because I am a pirate I can´t experience playing online, downloading demos, etc.. If I bought the real thing I would be able to do such things and I would feel like my money was well spent (that I got a lot for it)

3 - Piracy is not stealing. To steal is: You have something; I take it from you; Now, I have it and you don´t. In this case, I have mine, you have yours, nobody is missing anyhitng because of it. What you described is the difference between steal and theft.

Theft - Take something from someone without them realizing it.

Steal - Take something from someone directly, by forcing with intimidation, weapons, etc.