[INTERESTING ARTICLE; See Page 8] Discussion: Thoughts on Piracy

[bloogleford]

Bottom line for me, and I have felt this way since games became big enough to be pirated:

Software costs too much, that's it. A thing like a game should not cost 60$. I don't really care that much about the economic arguments related to it...as they are the same arguments that various industries have always made with technological advancement that allows. The truth is that it is so easy now, there is no returning to the previous way of doing things, companies will have to make their money on a different model I think.

Seriously, charge less for your stuff, don't have bloated budgets and put out garbage recycled products for 60$. Steam weekend sales probably do more to discourage piracy than any anti-piracy measure ever could. I really respect small devs because some put out exceptional products for a fraction of the money charged by larger companies..for this reason I have been happy to pay for Frictional stuff, Mount and Blade etc.

Think about stuff like Photoshop, music sequencing software is another.. how the hell can the cost be justified when you can get comparable freeware products?

Music is a complicated thing, while you could say the artist loses money by piracy, especially with lesser known artists the exposure through cost free downloads is worth it. Some of the more underground stuff I listen to, I know for a fact the artists don't mind their stuff being free, even though obviously they want you to pay if possible.