In defence of piracy

[Zoombael]

mZuzek said:

Baalzamon said:

What is it that makes you feel you are entitled to that game? Why do you feel such an urge to assure others that this is ok? It is theft, plain and simple. I don't quite frankly care how much video games cost in any one region, if they aren't within your budget...then you shouldn't be playing video games.

Yeah, but that's the thing... if someone can't afford a game, they won't buy it. At that point, what difference does it make whether they play it ilegally or don't? The only difference it makes is to the enjoyment of that particular person, and nothing else. You can say "oh but that person would've otherwise bought the game when they had the money", and well, that's not always true. There's loads of people who wouldn't buy the game anyway... it's not about feeling "entitled" to play it, it's just about having a good time. I'm not saying piracy is okay, of course it's not. There's a lot wrong with it. But there are good things that can come from it, too.

Of course, in your extreme example, no good would come out of it, but reality isn't extreme.

But you re saying its okay. At the very least you re saying the bad doesnt outweight the good. No real harm done. And you opened a thread titled "in defence of piracy".

The common fallacies of the "pro piracy" faction.

Since no physical goods are stolen, no material damage, no loss, therefore videogames are nothing of value. However, how easy is it to download from a comfy chair. Not even have to physically leave home. Try to casually walk into a car dealer ship, short circuit five cars to your liking and take them home. Or a convinience store, grab 20 packs of cigarettes (and a Playboy while you re at it) walk up to the cashier and tell him/her nonchalantly you dont like a certain physical products producing company and instead of buying you steal their stuff from now on.

Who does that? Not the average, usually lawabiding citizen. You dont need special skills to pirate software, no criminal intent, anybody can do it, do it plenty, anywhere, anytime.

Yes, you can multiply software with little to no effort. But you cant multiply customers, the people who buy products, that number is always finite, digital or not. 

The real, long term damage is being done by depreciating videogames. "Nothing of real value". And it shows. To bring down prices rapidly was Valves way to combat piracy. Single handedly it was responsible for the rise of f2p and helped advancing/normalizing MTA. Many gamers are hellbent to squeeze the most "bang out of every buck" and think the epitome of todays competition is to cram as much content as possible into service. It was certainly different back in the days.