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 living the dream since March 16, 2006 |
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This is a good point and one that doesnt really come up in the piracy debate too often. I buy used games and try not to pirate simply because I like having the box. I do care about the development companies but not enough to spend 60 quid on something I can get for a lot cheaper second hand. This is a far bigger threat to developers than piracy. I know a handful of people that pirate games but everyone I know buys used games.
Likewise. By used games, when you can. Eventually, devs will get a slice of all re-sales, just like artists do. Don't sweat it, I've been there and second hand or saving for yonks were my only options. I'm from NZ so I also know your pain. lol.
I say used games are worse than piracy, because used game sales actually DETRACT from new game sales, all while propping up business like EB, who make 500% profit on the things, without any of it going to the developer. EB is a leech on the video game publishing industry. New games are a mafia front to sell used games and warranties. Nothing more.
I'm Aussie too, so I know your pain.
I support my local independent game store by buying used stuff there. I guess buy a not R4 and buy new games when you can. I buy new games every once in a while (Cooking Mama, Puzzle Quest) but for the most part I buy used stuff too.
I think when I have a more steady source of income I'll definitely buy new games, it is nice having the box and manual that another person's greasy fingers haven't soiled.
Buying used games shouldn't even be compared to piracy. For one, while you aren't exactly paying the developers a cent, at least you're not stealing from them right?
Besides, there are a lot of ways to obtain used games. You don't necessarily have to go to a shop who makes a profit on these games. If you've bought it from someone, it enables them to buy a new game for their own if that's their preference.
Commercial piracy (selling pirated goods) is a lot worse than used games. Downloading stuff for free isn't.
Downloading for free is definitely worse that buying used games. Even if just one time, one person buys the last copy of a used game and forces someone else to buy it new, that's a few more bucks for the developer than if both people had downloaded it.
Most people have it right. Downloading for free is essentially stealing. Buying used CDs, movies, games, these are not stealing. Sure, they don't help the developer, but if the FBI* shows up at your house, they're not going to fine you if you bought them used. Only if you got them through less than legal purposes.
Substitute FBI for whatever your country has.
I wrote a blog recently about why you shouldn't buy or trade used video games. However I was posing an argument between buying new and buying used. You have posed a different argument between buying used or piracy.
When it comes straight down to it Piracy is stealing. Would you walk into a store and steal? Would you walk into a strangers house and steal? Probably not, so why does that make stealing on the internet any "less worse"? It doesn't. So if you have to choose between buying used and pirating, you should buy used.
As a gamer there is a sense to own and collect. Buy what you can. Pirate what you cant.
Everyone makes very valid points, I especially agree with thefil in that if at least one person bought the game, the devs benefit. I guess now I'll just stick to buying new games, then mostly everyone wins.
Of course I never actually owned an R4 in the first place. This was all hypothetical.
I used my R4 to try games before I purchased them, and when I did like a game I tried to buy a new copy (which for the most part I can afford cause I have a job), but there were a few games that I could not find new anymore (Touch Detective for one), and I bought a used copy to "assuage my guilt."
I think the R4 is something Nintendo should have released but didn't.
I don't really like the idea of buying used games unless they are old games that are unattainable new. Used games here in the UK don't cost that much cheaper than new copies especially new releases. I think on average they are about £5 cheaper which is $10 and to me that's not enough of a saving to warrant buying it used at all. If it's a good game worth owning a copy then I'd take the plunge and buy it used. If it's something I just want to play for a bit and not bothered about keeping it I'd not pirate
SilverDragon1979 says: "When it comes straight down to it Piracy is stealing. Would you walk into a store and steal? Would you walk into a strangers house and steal? Probably not, so why does that make stealing on the internet any "less worse"? It doesn't."
well actually it is less worse.
if i stole from a store, or stole a car etc somebody loses out because i stole from them, and they no longer posess what i stole. if i download a game or a movie, the owners and creators still have their product, but i have a copy of it. since i wouldn't pay for most games and movies i download, most copyright owners are never going to make any money out of me anyway, so nobody loses, and i win.
piracy = win.
on top of that i buy games and movies that i really like even after i pirate them. if i bought second hand then the developer or whatever would never see a penny of my cash.
This has always been my point. Used games are far WORSE a problem for the industry, as this means the person is willing to purchase the game, but will be take the cheaper version the illustrious retail pawn shops offer, which results in pure profit for the used reseller and squat for the publisher. Generally speaking, when someone pirates a game, it's something they never would or could have afforded.
It'll all be moot anyways, once everything moves to digital distribution though. PC is well on it's way there, and I guarantee it'll be a focal point of the next generation of consoles.
@Psycho_Terror: You arguement is always the same one everyone uses when they try to explain why piracy is not a bad thing. Just because you are not "taking" the item from someone else does not mean that you aren't stealing from someone. In this case you are either stealing from the developer who worked their ass off to create the game, since you aren't paying for their hardwork, or you are stealing from a story that sells new and used games, buy not purchasing their game.
There is no way around this. When you pirate a game you are taking something from someone. People make themselves feel better about this, and blanket their guilt, by trying to tell themselves that they aren't actually taking anything from anyone so it's "not bad". That's just a plain out straight lie.
Look if you are going to pirate a game I can't stop you. Hell I used to pirate all the time back in the day when I was younger and poor. But don't try to sugar coat it and act like pirating is a good thing or that "pirate=win", because that is just not reality. Pirating=stealing.
Piracy is wrong, I buy CD's of bands I like, I buy games I like.
If you tell me you have never once had a pirated copy of anything, you are lying. Your friends will have sent you an MP3 over MSN, you'll have watched a copyrighted clip on Youtube which isn't by a user licenced to broadcast it. That's piracy. Everyone has done it atleast once, even unintentionally, so no-one has a right to take the moral highground. I bet record executives who try to sue torrent sites and such even have pirated materials on their computers. It's largely unavoidable.
When I'm going to buy a game that has been out for a while, I always aim to buy a new copy, I recently bought Odin Sphere, There was pre-owned for £10 and new for £20. I bought it new because it supports developers and I'm getting the game in better condition. I want to buy Zone of the Enders 2 and Final Fantasy 6 Advance, I'm not going to buy those brand new because they're incredibly hard to find brand new, and if you do find them, the prices are extortionate. Why should I pay £60 for a game I can probably get at around £15 if I find the right place? Would I pirate ZOE2 if I had a chipped PS2? Probably, but I don't so I won't. Would I pirate FF6 Advance if I didn't have it on the PS1? Yes, because you don't need to have played it to know it's legendary.
btw
Wall of text crits you for 9999
Yeah well when school finishes at the end of this year that's the first thing I'm going to do. Bit difficult to handle a job and the suicide six subjects at the moment.