Game developer says: Sometimes it's OK to steal my games

[bben46]

begin rant:

 

Not being able to afford a GAME!!! is not a legitimate reason to steal it. Get a job, even if you are in school there is something you can do to legally get the money to buy a game you want that bad.

 

Calling it piracy is a way to glamorize crime - It just sounds better to say "I'm a pirate, Arrr" than "I'm a thief." But that is what you are if you pirate/steal games, a thief.

 

Many pirates do not value the games they steal because they stole them. And that is what makes the game not good enough to pay for in their mind. If it's good enough to risk your future - yes you can be arrested for pirating a game - No, it's not very likely - then it's good enough to pay for.

 

The stealing food or even the stealing a car analogy do not fit well. These are both adult decisions. Stealing a toy is a much better fit. Stealing a toy is a child's crime. It is done not because of any real need, but just because they want that toy - or game. And refuse to see any consequences to them or anyone else.

 

No matter what your rationale, stealing is still stealing, and it's still wrong. Pirating a game is stealing. Justifying stealing because you can do it without being caught is rationalizing a wrong just to make you feel better about your own theft.

 

Pirating a game is stealing! Now try to make me believe otherwise.

I refuse to support thieves here. If you have a problem with a stolen game, go back to where you stole it to ask for help.

[Sinophile]

There doesn't seem to be much of a debate going on here. My guess is the topic is whether or not piracy is an absolute evil. The author of the blog pointed out that some people wouldn't be able to play the game at all were it not for piracy, which is most likely true. Even after 20 years, the internet is still The Wild West legally speaking(I.E. The *not allowed* is located in Sweden, where piracy is legal. but allows Americans to download things for free.). Laws change slower than technology, but will on day catch up to the capabilities of the internet. To me, one could make an argument that The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki wasn't an absolute evil, or that the Native American Genocide wasn't an absolute evil. The Japanese got some benefits out of being bombed, and the Native Americans that weren't annhiliated got to be part of what would become the most powerful country in the world.

[Dicecaster]

There doesn't seem to be much of a debate going on here. My guess is the topic is whether or not piracy is an absolute evil. The author of the blog pointed out that some people wouldn't be able to play the game at all were it not for piracy, which is most likely true. Even after 20 years, the internet is still The Wild West legally speaking(I.E. The *not allowed* is located in Sweden, where piracy is legal. but allows Americans to download things for free.). Laws change slower than technology, but will on day catch up to the capabilities of the internet. To me, one could make an argument that The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki wasn't an absolute evil, or that the Native American Genocide wasn't an absolute evil. The Japanese got some benefits out of being bombed, and the Native Americans that weren't annhiliated got to be part of what would become the most powerful country in the world.

If it is about how evil/immoral piracy is (and yes, I believe you're correct in that regard), then it doesn't matter whether or not there are laws for it. Immorality and amorality extend beyond the extent of human laws, because laws aren't the defining factor for right and wrong. I mean, just because there's a law passed that says "anyone who doesn't have meatloaf for dinner every other Wednesday will be hanged", that certainly doesn't make it right.

[ilDuderoni]

I would like to pull my hand out of this discussion.

Again I was writing a handful of alinea's to point out that the parties are too divided in order to reach a comfortable consensus, ever.

Enabling the poor enables the non-poor to piracy. With that in mind, I could write on forever.

I am doing my very best to as well compare arguments of both sides, and find a middle road.

But I believe that, as long as neither party (speaking globally, not just in this topic) will ever show signs of backing down, piracy will live on.

Whether that's a joy or a sad fact, depends on what side you are on, or your vision. I myself call it a sad fact, because there's a lot of controversy that potentially could split friendships in two.

 

Going to stop tracking this topic, but I am thankful for this debate.

Because it has opened my eyes to some facts about both sides.

And because, honestly said, I'm not feeling very comfortable with constantly talking about it. I feel there's a lot of anger in this subject.

 

:thumbsup:

Edited December 28, 2010 by RJ the Shadow

[marharth]

begin rant:

 

Not being able to afford a GAME!!! is not a legitimate reason to steal it. Get a job, even if you are in school there is something you can do to legally get the money to buy a game you want that bad.

 

Calling it piracy is a way to glamorize crime - It just sounds better to say "I'm a pirate, Arrr" than "I'm a thief." But that is what you are if you pirate/steal games, a thief.

 

Many pirates do not value the games they steal because they stole them. And that is what makes the game not good enough to pay for in their mind. If it's good enough to risk your future - yes you can be arrested for pirating a game - No, it's not very likely - then it's good enough to pay for.

 

The stealing food or even the stealing a car analogy do not fit well. These are both adult decisions. Stealing a toy is a much better fit. Stealing a toy is a child's crime. It is done not because of any real need, but just because they want that toy - or game. And refuse to see any consequences to them or anyone else.

 

No matter what your rationale, stealing is still stealing, and it's still wrong. Pirating a game is stealing. Justifying stealing because you can do it without being caught is rationalizing a wrong just to make you feel better about your own theft.

 

Pirating a game is stealing! Now try to make me believe otherwise.

I refuse to support thieves here. If you have a problem with a stolen game, go back to where you stole it to ask for help.

 

There are some people who will never buy games regardless, so my point is that its better to let those people play the game and have them talk about it, then it is for them to not play it at all.

[bben46]

Those pirates who would never buy a game are still thieves. Do you really believe that if they were somehow unable to steal a game they would not buy it if they really wanted to play it? I can understand a man stealing food to feed his hungry family. But a person who can afford a computer stealing a toy (game) is pathetic.

[marharth]

Those pirates who would never buy a game are still thieves. Do you really believe that if they were somehow unable to steal a game they would not buy it if they really wanted to play it? I can understand a man stealing food to feed his hungry family. But a person who can afford a computer stealing a toy (game) is pathetic.

The thieves might always be thieves... Some people just don't want to buy games. There is always a way to download a PC game, the scenario does not exist.

 

I am just saying that's better for someone to download a game and play it illegally since they could then talk about it and have other people buy it then it is for them to not play it at all.

 

I am not arguing about the morality here as much as I am arguing about what will really help the company in the long run.

 

A lot of people under the game rating download games illegally since their parents wouldn't allow it, that is a good case of something that will always happen. It wouldn't be possible for those people to buy the games at any point.

 

Its better to download it and play it, then it is to not play it at all. That's all I am saying.

[bben46]

Sounds like you are trying to justify theft to me.

They don't want to pay for it, so they steal it just to talk about it to convince other people to buy it? I think not.

Most pirates don't steal because they cannot afford a game, they steal because they can. Then they steal a lot of games, and play through them quickly, many times moving on to a newer game before even finishing the last - then telling people how bad a game they never really got into is.

 

Whereas if they had paid for it, and only had that one game to play for a while,they would take more time with it and tend to find it more enjoyable - and then tell others how good it was.

[marharth]

I see your point.

 

I didn't really look at the negative side of what could happen... It is true someone could download a game and go around saying it sucks.

[Dicecaster]

Okay, like RJ the Shadow said, I think I'm going to stop replying to this topic. Nobody will submit to the other side, no matter the truth or fallacy in the other's logic, if they are unwilling to change their own views. Now, replying to marharth: if you make it so that someone who won't or can't buy the game can pirate it, then almost everyone who can and will buy it will also pirate it. The company can't limit it to either party. So, they wouldn't be gaining anything, because they'd practically be giving it away. Therefore, it wouldn't be in the company's favor anyway.

 

I'll still watch this topic, have fun.