What's your opinion on piracy?

[JellyPerson]

Piracy is okay/acceptable in my opinion, mainly because I do it for games that haven't been reprinted, thereby meaning even if you buy it used. none of the money would go the the devs anyway. What's your opinion and why do you think that it's acceptable or not?

 

[Ryab]

Piracy is okay/acceptable in my opinion, mainly because I do it for games that haven't been reprinted, thereby meaning even if you buy it used. none of the money would go the the devs anyway. What's your opinion and why do you think that it's acceptable or not?

I think of it as if a game is older and is harder to find/extremely expensive I will though from time to time I do pirate newer games to try them out before buying

 

[sarkwalvein]

Software piracy is such a minor irrelevant thing IMHO.
It is fundamentally wrong... but IMHO a way lesser wrong than say, jaywalking.
It is unethical IMHO if it means you are avoiding to buy something you would be going to buy in the long term if you have the option and the resources to buy it.

Say, if you pirate something to try it out, and you don't like it and stop using it. It's still illegal, but I don't think it is wrong. If you pirated something that you can't buy because you lack resources, but it is useful to you for learning, e.g. MATLAB or whatever, it is illegal sure, but I don't find it is wrong.

Going back to games, if you can't buy a piece of software because you honestly don't have the money or it is not available to buy, it is illegal, but I don't think it is wrong. You won't be buying it anyway, so it is not lost profit.*

If you are pirating something that you can buy, but you are just saving some bucks instead, well that's both illegal and wrong from my point of view.

Of course, anybody could have a different opinion. I myself would say (*) it's also not quite justifiable some times, depending how the wind blows that day.

 

[Chary]

Oh no.

Not another.

Piracy thread.

In all seriousness, you'll always have the people who say it's acceptable no matter what, and the people who think any form of piracy is the greatest sin ever. Personally, I think if a game, show, or book is nigh on impossible to purchase or find, then have at it. Pirate away.

Spoiler: My opinion circa 2013

Pirating is ALWAYS okay!
*Hugs HDD with questionably illegal downloads.*

 

[ATofix]

I'm a ok with piracy of any older games. (Like wii era and back). Anything newer then that and I'm wary.

 

[GhostLatte]

Is it wrong? Yes.

Do I do it? Fuck yeah!

Do I care if you think people shouldn't do it? Fuck no!

 

[H1B1Esquire]

Pirate away.

Certainly, you must be speaking of that legitimate, 100% legal online store (

) that sells and distributes Sonic games for the Gamecube. Surely.

 

[JellyPerson]

That "Piracy Seaside" place is my favorite site tbh

 

[garyopa]

If you have ever picked up newspaper on subway and read part of it, you are a PIRATE

If you have ever took a look at your wife's or girlfriend's magazine or novel and read a few pages, you are a PIRATE

If you have ever read a whole chapter of best-selling book in bookstore and then walked out without buying it, you are a PIRATE

If you have ever bought a movie ticket, walk into another cinema in the multi-plex for movie you didn't purchase originally and watched more than 10 minutes of film, you are a PIRATE

If you have used google search to find an image, crop it, rotated it, flipped it, and then used it someplace else like for your GBATemp Avatar, you are a PIRATE

If you have ever copied more than 5 paragraphs from a website, google search, paper and used it in your write-up on 'any subject matter' in school or for your job, you are a PIRATE

..... (there is ton of examples, in anyway shape or form, somewhere, sometime, someplace, you have been a nasty PIRATE, and will be forever doomed in life to be so!)

 

[Deleted User]

Piracy, though mostly negative admittedly, can be used to send a powerful message. Alot of the shitty companies like EA and Activision wouldn't be pulling half the crap they do if their games were pirated MUCH more.

It can be used as a way to send a company a message. Using scummy practices: Fuck you, I'll have it for free instead!

 

[SG854]

Yo ho, yo ho, a Pirate’s life for me.

 

[sarkwalvein]

If you have ever took a look at your wife's or girlfriend's magazine or novel and read a few pages, you are a PIRATE

I would be more annoyed at the lack of respect/privacy/space towards your wife/girlfriend... unless of course you asked her to share the magazine/novel.

If you have ever copied more than 5 paragraphs from a website, google search, paper and used it in your write-up on 'any subject matter' in school or for your job, you are a PIRATE

Well, you should really quote the sources and rewrite it with your own words... otherwise, and if the teacher/boss (or in my personal experience damn automated AI that reviews the papers I write) cares enough, you will be shunned due to plagiarism (and your homework/paper/etc probably rejected).

 

[Deleted User]

If someone wants to pirate then let them pirate. In the past it probably did reduce sales but these days better security and online features limit the number of people who pirate. When it's not as simple as download a ROM and put it on an SD card most people wont bother.

 

[snails1221]

I only pirate something if I have no hopes of legitimately obtaining it due to say, rarity or just not being available to the general public.

 

[SG854]

Try to get your hands on Alien vs. Predator arcade legally without considering piracy.

Or experience any old games that haven’t been rereleased that you really wanna try. I think piracy is a-ok under these circumstances.

 

[JellyPerson]

Also F-Zero AX would be another good candidate.
(I know that it's on the f zero gx disc, bite me)

 

[snails1221]

and console SDKs

 

[leonmagnus99]

piracy is Bliss

 

[Uiaad]

Not gonna lie, I was probably the biggest pirate know to GBATemp ... but that was back in the day of the Amiga. But for me atleast back then it wasn't about the money I earned from it ( although that was generally used to buy the newest games at the time ) it was the challenge in cracking newly published games, it was always a bit of a thrill to get your crack out before other groups. May turn some of the old war tales in to a blog post at some point so if your interested keep an eye out haha.

As for these days, well unless im luke warm on a game and there's no demo out then i'll pirate it. If i like it i'll generally buy it. I can't actually remember the last time i actually finished a game i pirated.

 

[ov3rkill]

Thanks to piracy I have access to old games I don't have access to otherwise. And of course, if I'm being a cheap-ass human being then it's all credits to piracy also.
I could just download those expensive games, play it, and call it a day. I don't justify piracy, we all know it doesn't help the developers, but maybe a little exposure(?) especially on unfamiliar titles with less to non-existing marketing maybe.
If a game is really good, I buy them. Also, I'm not sure if how much it helps the devs on games being sold in sales or bundles but I buy most of the games there.