What is your stance on piracy?

My stance on it is that there has to be a new name for it. The word "piracy" just does not fit. It paints copying data as a serious crime when that's just the logical result of the technology. It's people's antiquated business models that are the problem. IMHO, the term should only apply to copyright violations on a massive scale. It should never apply to an individual copying some data.

Save the word "piracy" for serious crimes.

Here in Argentina everybody play pirated games only, except for a very few people.

-What is your stance on pirating video games, or anything for that matter?
If you play pirate games only, you are not a customer and you will never buy a game because you are a stingy, you can't affect the sales so you don't matter.

-Have you ever pirated a game?
All my life, a lot, until two years ago, when I discovered the magic of Steam and some resale webpages (here in Argentina is almost impossible get an international credit card). Sometimes I download a pirate game to test it, but when I like it, I delete it, because I don't like to play it pirate anymore. Next, I wishlist the game on Steam, for future buy.

-When was the last time you pirated a game?
I still downloading pirated games, but I play it for a few minutes, as a demo.

-What game was it?
The last game was Risk of Rain. I played it with other two friends and we loved it. In the future I'll buy three copies of the game.

-Why did you do it?
Because this don't affect the sales, I know I'll buy the game soon as I can, so... what is the problem? There's no problem.
I pre-ordered and bought some games that i regret because it has no demo. Never more! When I pirate those games I can test it, check the performance, etc, just like an "extended demo".

Sorry for my bad english.

1. What is your stance on pirating video games, or anything for that matter? - Neutral
2. Have you ever pirated a game? - Yes, lots
3. When was the last time you pirated a game? - Years ago
4. What game was it? - Don't remember
5. Why did you do it? - Money/Layers and layers of DRM. Also read below

Where I come from nobody really gives a shit about pirating. Also games always come way too expensive for my pocket (until Steam sales/bundles came to save the day). That, and when I was a kid whenever I asked my parents for a game, the only response I ever got was "Why waste money on something so pointless? You have internet, you can download it for free. Stop asking to buy something you can get for free". So yeah, I also generally grew up with the mindset that there's nothing wrong with it - actually all my friends were doing it too so if anything, it looked like a completely normal thing to do.

Piracy introduced me to Steam. That is all.

Acceptable reasons for pirating:

Trying as a demo

The DRM of the legit copy is worse than the DRM free version

For games you already own

Playing older games through emulation

For games where the publisher/developers don't deserve money for their sleezy tactics

1- Wrong but did it

2- Use to pirate pretty much ever game, except games that required legit keys to play online

3- Probably 2009, Steam made me go legit. $5- $7 to get a legit copy and not have to deal with shady torrents, cracks and all the other hassles that came with pirated games. I remember I wanted EMPIRE Total War but the pirated version had some sort of issue with the audio all being messed up, a solution was to go download the demo and replace all the audio files from the demo. That was too much of a headache and ended up getting the game in a Steam Summer Sale along with Napoleon for $7. After that i didn't turn back.

4- I believe the last game i pirated was Mafia II, but never ended up playing it.

5- Because It felt like i was a kid in a candy store that was allowed to snag anything off the shelves. I grew up with video games. My first console was a COLECO, then me and my brothers got a master system, then a Genesis. It use to be a real treat when we got a new game, It was very rare when my dad would agree to buy us a new game. So when I got into PC gaming I was that little kid who could get any game he wanted.

1. I think pirating is great! For AAA titles, sometimes they charge too much for my means( I am from the balkans and they should have at least Russian prices here, there is an eu2 region, yet rarely the devs pay attention to it) and some now have a season pass and day 1 dlc's so you have to pay double if you want all content. For indie titles it is a great way to promote one's game. I have pirated risk of rain, cause I wanted to try it and it wasn't on sale. I liked it so much, that after a few days I bought it for full price, cause I genuinely thought they deserve it. So that's one case where pirating actually helped sell a game at full price.

2. Well, yes, obviously.

3. A few months ago.

4. Assassin's Creed IV. It's an AAA title I have no intention of buying at current prices, maybe down the road to pay for it when it is a reasonable price for me.

5. Greed of publishers.

I was never a fan of pirates, with all the arrgghh matey stuff, parrots and wooden legs. But they're all right in some games I suppose.

What is your stance on pirating video games, or anything for that matter?

If people are pirating something it means that they want it, so that's sort of good for business I guess.

Have you ever pirated a game?

A few times.

When was the last time you pirated a game?

Before I got into Steam/when I used to play exclusively single player games.

What game was it?

I'd say the first game I actually pirated was probably Need for Speed Underground.

Why did you do it?

Couldn't buy it as a kid, played enough of the demo to like it. For other games I pirated them to see if my computer could even run them before spending money/begging my parents.

1. Its up to everybodys personal rules/morals really, can't do much about it, won't fight against it. I am strongly against pirating indie games though, it's just plain asshole-ness. AAA companies like EA can eat shit, their games are shit, they treat the customers like shit and they get the big money regardless of piracy.
2. Yes plenty of times
3. 3 years ago probably.
4. GTA SA probably
5. My parents would not ever let me buy a video game, they didn't give money for it. Then I grew up and I could afford my own games, won't pirate again. Pirated games are badly updated, buggy and crashy it doesn't compare to the experience of a legit copy.

I don't think there is a legit reason to pirate a game. . . .

If you don't know if you'll like it stay away. . .

for people with no money argument. . yeah gaming is a privilege not a right. . . if you have the computer the run it there will be a steam sale later. plus you can enter to win here.
If you like the game you are screwing over the dev you like..

If you don't like the dev. . then why are you "stealing" their game?

Other issues are:

most pirated copies have Trojans that turn your PC into a zombie

every stat of a pirated game marketers use that to bump the game price. . . regardless if the person buys the game or not. . . all and all piracy hurts everyone who legitimately buys the game.

Fly all the reasons you want at piracy. . it's still not legit and hurts everyone. . . Many people will grey area argue that they are god's right hand by pirating said game. . . but they are only doing it for righteous guilt.

For the people with the demo scenario . . .why not read a review. . . watch a let's play. . . you know do research if you really must play.

If you say you buy the game later you still added a mark to the pirated count. . . thus bumping up the need for marking up the price later. . .

I once pirated a game. . . and still regret it. But that was to play and old version of the game that I owned. . and still was wrong. I'll never do it again. which is why I have 600+ in my steam account.

1. I absolutely hate pirates and 99.9% can burn in hell for all eternity. If you can't fucking afford it, that's your own damn problem; wait for a sale, get a job or don't play it. I can't afford a Porsche, but I don't go and steal one. For other things, songs are cheap as shit and you can rent movies/TV or borrow from the library.
2. Twice (Bit of a hypocrite? Not really anymore)
3. 4-5 years ago
4. The Need for Speed and Need for Speed II SE
5. No idea if it would even work since it's old, but not old enough to run on DOSBox.

What is your stance on pirating video games, or anything for that matter?
Well i pirated most of the games till some years ago (except multiplayer games ofc).
But since then i often buy games cheap, mostly because of the prices in Russia. :D

Have you ever pirated a game?
:D

When was the last time you pirated a game?
Three weeks or more

What game was it?
Metal Gear Rising

Why did you do it?
Found no cheap key to buy :(

Well, I dont mind that people in countries with small wages pirate. It crossing the line when a games cost 1/4 of a minimal wage.

They should all walk the plank.
Kidding aside...

1. Pirating is bad. We all know it. To me, I see it as an equal to shoplifting. You take something that you should pay for, but you don't pay for it. Many are against my way of thinking about this, but I am who I am. On the other hand, though, I think that it's okay for people to pirate a game to test it on your system before purchasing it, even thought I still don't think it's a good thing, and never do it.
2. Yes and no... I pirated a game, but then had remorse and deleted it before finishing the installation.
3. Long ago... well, about three years ago.
4. It was Dirt 3.
5. I did it because I didn't have money, and because I didn't quite realise the bad side of doing it.

The whole story is, I downloaded a pirated skidrow download of Dirt 3, then when I was nearly finished with the installation, I had remorse and realised it was kind of stealing. I deleted everything and never pirated again. My dad is the one who made me do that, I guess... When he heard that I was pirating, he told me that it was like stealing. He didn't stop me from doing it, he just told me that. Later that day, I thought about it, and decided not to pirate.

I'm personally against the "If it was bad, then I don't have to buy it."

I go into a restaurant that served me stale pizza. I am not going to walk away without putting money on the till. That would be stealing. Why is it suddenly justified just because it's a game?

Anyway, yes I have pirated a game once. Just once. It was Portal. Then I got it for free. Then I bought the greatest sequel ever, and every other game I have ever wanted to play.

1. I think Piracy is a double-edged sword, it is bad, no doubt about that but in the same time, it's a great marketing and commerce thing. If someone will download game from torrent, maybe he/she will like it and will try to play multiplayer and probably then, he/she will buy the game because of that.
2. Unfortunately, yes.
3. Around last year.
4. Metro: Last Light.
5. To be honest, I've done this because I wanted to be sure that game will be polished as much as possible, I've played not even one hour when I decided just to buy it, because it was awesome.

1. Don't have an issue with Pirating Software/Audio/Video
2. Of course
3. Last year I downloaded a copy of BF3 to see if it ran on my PC. Ran perfect. Bought a copy later on for Origin (Already bout it on 360 on launch)
4. Above
5. Above

Honestly, STeam is the biggest reason not to pirate. I know Im not alone when I say this ...
I can't count how many times I look at a game thats out .. and check steam for a demo. Not to find one. And end up buying the game or attempting to win it .. forgetting completely about dl'ing it from the internet. Steam has completely changed my frame of mind.

ARRRRRGH, THERE BE BOOTY IN THE PIRATE BAY OVER YONDER!!!

But I used to pirate games like crazy, even things like anti-virus and WinRAR. I found out that I just like downloading new things.

1. I accept them as seeing that I still rarely do for testing reasons.

2. Yes. So much game.

3. A while ago, like back in '13

4. Starbound

5. I wanted to try it, and I like downloading things.

But I don't really do it anymore. I got money over Christmas, and purchased many games and deleted every game I pirated. Felt good ;)

What is your stance on pirating video games, or anything for that matter?

I have no problem with it, mostly because I know a lot of people who do this because the y don't have money to pay some games. I, myself did it when I was a kid, didn'd have money and I knew my parents weren't going to buy me the games

Have you ever pirated a game?

Yes, a lot maybe. Don't remember the games. Thought I have bought some of them that I enjoyed a lot as a kid now that I can

When was the last time you pirated a game?

2013, ac4, don't have enought money to pay a $60 game, also, too good I didn't buy it

Well, the global decline of piracy has been accompanied by an inverse reaction in the average global temperature. So I am generally in favor of pirates. Additionally, they make oceanic travel more exciting and could be the salvation of the cruise line...make it an adventure holiday rather than a bland and tasteless two weeks followed by legionnaires disease.

If it comes from Infinity Ward...i pirate every of their games 'cause i've got as much respect for those people as they have for me doing that shitty products!

I am fine with pirating as long as they aren't pirating an indie title or something like that. If they just want to try the game and there is no demo that is fine too.

Pirating is a gray area to me as well, and there are times when it is a good idea, such as if you just want to see if it runs properly. The only game I've pirated was the original Alice game, because it's not on Steam and I wanted to try it, but honestly, I haven't even played it yet. I thought about pirating Dark Souls just to see if I would even be able to run it on my craptop but it went on a big sale during Christmas so I just bought it regardless.