Nintendo estimates it lost $975m worldwide in 2007 due to piracy

[wraggster]

We're always a little skeptical of piracy impact numbers, especially when companies try to factor in things like "lost sales," which can't be adequately measured, but it's still interesting to hear how large the hit is estimated to be -- like Nintendo's recent filing with the US Trade Representative that piracy cost it and its partners some $975m worldwide in 2007. Saying that the popularity of the Wii and DS makes Nintendo an "attractive target" for counterfeiters, the big N broke the problem down by region, highlighting its efforts to stem the tide and proposed solutions and regulations. We'd say that with profits soaring and plenty of people clamoring for hard-to-find systems, Nintendo could probably get back a little of that cash by finally getting some boxes on shelves instead of pushing for new laws, but hey -- even Mario's lawyers probably get sick of being paid in mushrooms.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/14/nintendo-estimates-it-lost-975m-worldwide-in-2007-due-to-piracy/

[Rebrek]

Think about this: if a person is so cheap that they pirate a game, do you think they would buy it in the first place?

[TaN00Ki]

Nintendo probably count how much games they didn't sell, times $30


Cut the game price in half, cut the loss in half... and attract more people to genuine games.

[DanTheManMS]

Nintendo probably count how much games they didn't sell, times $30
But how do you measure that? How can you count the number of games you think people would have bought?


Cut the game price in half, cut the loss in half...
And lose any profit they might have gotten. That would not be smart on their part.

[Eviltaco64]

Wow, how are they sure of this now?

[starstremr]

if only the video game stores would take the games back for full price (at least give you like a 30 day return) instead of giving you 1/2 to less then half credit for an open game when the game cost's $39 and the game turns out sucking and you regret buying it. now your stuck with a game that you don't like and out the cash.

[da_head]

lol 30 days is way to long. every ds game can be beaten during that time span. I would say more along the lines of a week. Yes games can be beaten in a week, but it makes more sense than a month.

[starstremr]

OK yeah true 30 days is long but even a 3 days would give you a taste of the game to find out

[williew705]

They are going off of a hunch that every game downloaded would have been bought in a store. I can pretty well assume that most people wouldn't have payed full price for most of the games they downloaded. The truth is, is that the DS is more or less a second rate PS1 that you can carry with you. The choice in games is not that expansive as far as variety goes, and I know for a fact that North America never even see a release of some of the more interesting looking titles. The DS seems to be powered by brain games by the buttload, a few RPG's, side scrollers, virtual pets, and kid stuff. I would love to see more releases like Dementium, Hotel Dusk, Resident evil DS, and so forth, but they don't release these gems very often. Once again Nintendo has not utilized half of their systems abilities, and that is what makes the homebrew community rule.

[mattsaysfooey]

homebrew applications and games are far too useful and inexpensive for alot of people to miss. If nintendo was smart they would release games or programs based on the success rate of certain homebrew apps and games. Like they did with opera they are making progress. But it just so happens that this same system used for homebrew fun can ALSO run pirated commercial games side effect yes , but not the main cause of loss.