With the recent Podtoid going into detail about favorite video game characters, spoiler freaks be damned, I began to wonder... what if the only options are to pirate a game to play it, or never play the game ever?

Of late, I felt forced to pirate a game that was released in this winter's Christmas Chlusterfuck. The pressure from this is due to constant game discussion for games I haven't played, and disparaging glances from fellow gamers, usually shaking their heads slowly, staring at me in amazement..., "You haven't play what?" My options were simple. Pirate the game, or don't play it ever:

I don't have the money to buy any new games. I purchased the Orange Box this past holiday season because it was obviously the best choice for anyone with a crippling monetary supply.

Other significant titles I have to miss out on, and I refuse to excuse myself from spoiler discussion.

I appreciate the concerns of the seemingly ailing industry, I owe you my dollars-vote for the game you made, I know this. I delayed immediately obtaining the game for that very reason. But now I am facing being completely left behind. More games will come and bury this delicious crop, and my quest for moral virtue costs me what could be the gaming experience of a lifetime! Buying used is just the same as piracy in my book. The creators get nothing, and the money goes to a company who can't even hire a salesperson who has an idea what DX10 is.

So I have your game, guys, I'm sorry. I'm going to play it, and hopefully enjoy it. I do this only so I don't have to turn in my gamer badge, ok?

Finally, I pose the question to you, community, is there ever justified piracy? If so, is there correlation with the spoiler discussion time period?