FourZeroTwo Blog Update

[Chris_Redfield]

Ok then... is it ok to steal a copy of COD 4 from Best Buy, then go back and pay for it when you decide you like it?

Youre not stealing it.

Best Buy has paid for the copy and the copy holds actual monetary value, and Best Buy is directly losing dollars if you steal the game.

By pirating, IW and publishers are indirectly losing money.

So far, your kind of point of view on the matter, the conventional "thief" look on piracy has done just as much good as war on drugs. As I said earlier, videogames have the unique potential to have specific extra value added to them.

Just an example. You cant play on BF2 ranked servers with a pirated copy. Which means that the ranking system itsself, is the "added value" Im talking about. Considering how little numbers play on unranked, and how many play on ranked, you can calculate losses and gains.

"Added value" is such a wonderful concept. Its like making the criminals surrender on their own free will, and everyone being happy. Youll have a small number of people pirating the game, but the number would be small enough for you to view it as additional promotion.

[GrossKopf]

(bunch of unread stuff here)

You keep defending the criminals. Good bye.

[thekillerjud]

^^^^^^^
100% agree with Chris! I do the exact same thing and I will never buy a game unless I try it first. I'm tired of wasting my money on garbage that was rushed in order to be release in time to make a certain quarter.

[=98=]

Not many people seem to take into account the potential lost revenue through piracy.

I'm not saying a company would lower it's prices, but having a higher turnover gives people like EA and Activision the ability to lower the price of their products.

Although, the problem lies in the fact that retailers and producers are not interested in price wars, and thus, they would continue to sell their items at a normal RRP.

[Chris_Redfield]

Not many people seem to take into account the potential lost revenue through piracy.

Actually, not many people are ignorant to that. Potential revenue is exactly it, potential. But if I buy a game that is craptacular in its quality, its a real loss for me. Not potential.

[GrossKopf]

I still don't understand why it's so hard to understand. Piracy is a crime, just like shoplifting, assault, urinating in public... no matter how much you want to justify it, it's a crime, plain and simple. If you pirate software, you commit a crime. Magnitude of the crime, or how many people you hurt, or "potential" monetary loss is all moot.