Does Piracy Hinder Consoles ?

[GagaMan]

I noticed pirate copies of games for the Playstation 2 at boot sales just after the console saw it's Japanese release. I've always thought that as long as you end up buying the game eventally, and it's a game for a console that's not on the market anymore (Saturn, and almost Dreamcast excluding Japan) that makes it a bit less...wrong, I guess.

Owning Pirate games is nothing like owning the real thing, even if you print out the front cover and stick in a proper case, it won't be the same as owning a proper copy with it's manual and the oh-so-lovely CD front image (Sonic R on the Saturn's disc. What a full-colour beauty), so I know even if I ended up with a pirate game, if the game is a goodun I'll go out there and buy the game. If it's a current console, however, I don't go anywhere near them.

[Virtualtaco]

According to Sega, Piracy is not a threat.

Me? I don't really care, we live in a world of controlled famine and starvation, a world were 15% hold the wealth and power, and the rest of us mindless argue over how best to suck up to our corporate masters who keep us down.
So as far as I see it, make sure mouths are fed before worrying about this kind of stuff.

Just a thought.

Guess what. A little concept called equilibrium will show that without some miracle technological breakthrough (I say miracle only relevant to the effect, it's quite possible technology of this magnetude can happen due to the exponential growth of technology). There are going to be starving people in this world when a society has built itself to the point to where it can mass produce PCs. You are part of this "problem" that you seem to think was created by a few people who knew what they were doing. You're complaining about people not doing anything about world hunger on a tech forum! Sell your PC, sell your house, use the money to buy a bunch of food and rent a cargo plane to africa. Then we won't have to listen to you while we push technology forward since that's the only real chance we have.

-Taco

[dupp]

ok, does piracy hurt a console? In a way it does, and in a way it doesnt. Console manufacturers dont make money on console sales at all. In fact as of late, they have been losing alot of money for each console sold.

BUT, look at the XBOX, a lot more xboxes were sold during its life time due to people either messing up modding their xbox or whatnot. A majority of the time when a person has a console they usually will purchase a game or two.

Now do I believe that pirating games is wrong? in a way. I know a majority of people here have MP3s they downloaded on their computers, or have ROMS of older games on their computers as well. Here is my philosophy -- you can download a ISO, download an MP3, download a ROM all you like BUT if you like it....buy it. This avoids buying games that suck, buying a movie that you dont like, or buying a CD that you will never listen to.

Also dealing with the PSP. Having ISOs on the PSP could have legit reasons. With all the FW updates blocking HB. Untill there comes a RunUMD that can play all the newer games I believe as long as you purchase the UMD you should be allowed to have the ISO. Now this does not mean your allowed to download an ISO and say your going to get the UMD "eventually"

ok - im done.

co-sign ... i bought smackdown vs raw and i cant even play it because im not going to go to 2.5 i cant find an iso either

[samidgley]

Well, Loadsa games cost money now even after you legally by them such as FFX, I won't buy this edition to an amamzing system as I can't afford to pay a subscription fee as well. Software companies do charge far too much for what they paying.

On the subject of th edreamcast I bought so so many of those games and thought they were amazing but ifI can download them for free for the PC I will.

This isn't really an arguemnt this just is how I am, I tend to download games and CDs but if they are particually good I will eventuyally buy them, particually with music CDs

[r2works]

I would have to say yes and no.

Yes because it obviously hurts small developing companies who are just trying to get their foot in the door.

No because these console companies are apart of a larger billion dollar corporate monopoly. I feel no remorse for a company who exploits poverty countries to manufacture X-box chips and video cards.

but thats just me.

[fatcamp]

No ones mentioned "professional" piracy? People actually making money on duplicated software to finance organized crime. That is where I think it gets really bad and nasty.

[Ennohex]

Believe what you want. Piracy helps the economy by providing jobs for the people who have to monitor it, and those who have to enforce the copyright laws.

Piracy often creates applications that help legitimate users. I personally own a Pal PS2 with an hdloader set-up. Barring the fact that this device is most pirate friendly, I use it so that I can play NTSC games on my pal ps2. (Note: PAL game locally - 500 Rand, NTSC import - 140 Rand incl. tax) So, it saves ME money. It also lengthens the life of my PS2's laser AND I decrease the wear and tear on my PS2 discs.

Here in South Africa the general populace are pretty uninformed. Back in the Megadrive and Nes era, we THOUGHT we were buying original games on the carts when, apparently, we wern't.

I do however think that if you BUY any game on a single format, that you shouldn't have to re-purchase it for another... but that topic may have to be opened for discussion on another thread.

Just a couple of late night/early morning thoughts...

[kcc86]

Believe what you want. Piracy helps the economy by providing jobs for the people who have to monitor it, and those who have to enforce the copyright laws.

That's a good point no one even brought up.

This is a little off topic, but who thinks priacy is going to kill the PSP? It's just too easy to play isos on that thing. It seems like every other person has a 1.5 psp also.

[SSaxdude]

No. If I couldn't get free games for my PSP through isos, I probably would have sold it long ago. Some Dreamcast games are hard to find or never released, and without piracy I could never try those games out.

[psiko_scweek]

Ok,

Piracy DOESNT hurt consoles but rather the GAME DEVELOPERS. The ONLY reason i can see for having a pirated game are for these two reasons

1) The game is outdated , i.e. NES, SNES, Genisis games. Yeah they are constantly re-releasing games from the older consoles unto newer ones...but playing a game from a system that isnt being supported by their maker means they really are not losing money on that. But dont download games for a console that is still being supported (i.e. PS2, Xbox, NDS, PSP, or anything other new gen system...that includes the GBA)

2) To test it out. Im a firm believer in the try it before you buy it program. That means download the game - see if you like it. if you do buy it..if you dont delete it. If you cant download it, rent it.

heh, there are two more cents from me.

oh yeah --

you should NEVER sell the pirated games you have - thats just wrong. If someone else wants it...make them find it.

you CAN steal something that isnt physical. If i stole your idea for a game (that you told me or had in a TXT file...) and made 1000s of dollars on it, youd be pissed right? think about it.