Piracy in the gaming industry: Am I the only one seeing a pattern here?

[Isengard]

So you're essentially looking the gift horse (in the mouth) that you get 90% of the time and bitch about the 10% of the time some random distributor pushes the price up?

If you are not happy with the price, don't make the purchase. Don't play the game. Simple. No one is forcing you to buy it or even play it. It's not like you need to play the game in order to survive or something. It's a damn hobby.

Jeez. Start you might have the right to moan a bit if you where ever faced with a R800 price tag of a standard edition game.

You're missing my point. Those games that are R500 are not the distributers doing but the publishers. It's their test to see if we are willing to fork out more money (so that their profit margins can go up). Now I'm not saying go out and pirate the game if you think R500 is too much, I'm saying don't buy it, don't play it, send them a message that you won't pay such high prices for games. If we all start buying games at those ludicrous prices the publishers will all start asking that price.

A problem I find with console gamers is their lack of principle. Console gamers are the ones giving publishers the idea that we will pay whatever price no matter what crap you shove down our throats and I don't say all console gamers are guilty of that, but the large majority are. I'm tired of console gamers being so self-righteous all the time.

The PC gaming community seem to be the only ones who stand up for their beliefs (however misguided it might be sometimes). Someone has to take a stand. If we always just accepted everything as it is in this world, nothing would improve.

[tpex]

No Larch you're not the only one, unfortunately this is a very real problem, if only devs/pubs would find a more innovates way to combat piracy


And FFS people stop comparing Copyright infringement to violent and physical crime, thats just plain retarded

[Azimuth]

A problem I find with console gamers is their lack of principle. Console gamers are the ones giving publishers the idea that we will pay whatever price no matter what crap you shove down our throats and I don't say all console gamers are guilty of that, but the large majority are. I'm tired of console gamers being so self-righteous all the time.

Look, it's a choice of R600 or so, or not playing it. I'd rather pay the R600. And really, I don't think it's too much for a 10+ hour game. A trip to the cinema for a 90 minute movie usually costs in excess of R70. Works out around the same in the end.

The way I see it, PC games are cheap. *shrug*

[larch]

The PC gaming community seem to be the only ones who stand up for their beliefs (however misguided it might be sometimes). Someone has to take a stand. If we always just accepted everything as it is in this world, nothing would improve.

You mean moan so like the cry wolf fairy tail when PC gamers start moaning at some point the developers start ignoring you guys. It is rather ironic how much the PC gamer has gotten himself into a corner he cant get out of.

[Tsar]

They will truly never stop games being pirated and that is a fact. If I am going to want to play a game I will pay for it. Sometimes the games I pay for are utter crap.(Due to the fact it really is the moment.)

[Isengard]

Look, it's a choice of R600 or so, or not playing it. I'd rather pay the R600. And really, I don't think it's too much for a 10+ hour game. A trip to the cinema for a 90 minute movie usually costs in excess of R70. Works out around the same in the end.

The way I see it, PC games are cheap. *shrug*

Don't get me wrong I think R600 for a console game is a fair price and when I buy mine later this year that's what I expect to pay. Your really paying for the convenience and I understand that. But what if devs start testing the waters with R700-R800 game prices (are they already?)? Are just going to go "oh well can't be helped, MUST have that game"? What kind of message does that send?
This is the type of mentality I'm fighting against.

BTW R70 for a movie? Avatar in 3D cost me R65, normal movies are like 12 bucks round these parts.

You mean moan so like the cry wolf fairy tail when PC gamers start moaning at some point the developers start ignoring you guys. It is rather ironic how much the PC gamer has gotten himself into a corner he cant get out of.

Which is why I mentioned that the moaning is often misguided and those misguided moans are whats hurting PC gamers reputation. Don't complain about everything, but complain when you're being done in.

[Azimuth]

Don't get me wrong I think R600 for a console game is a fair price and when I buy mine later this year that's what I expect to pay. Your really paying for the convenience and I understand that. But what if devs start testing the waters with R700-R800 game prices (are they already?)? Are just going to go "oh well can't be helped, MUST have that game"? What kind of message does that send?
This is the type of mentality I'm fighting against.

There was a brief period about 18 months back when the rand collapsed and games were around R800. It lasted about a month, though, then games went back to R600 or so.

Generally speaking, however, EA games are a bit cheaper than other publishers'. Take2 and Kalahari sell them at R530, which is a great price.

Also, console gamers have the option of trading in and/or buying secondhand, which is also a nice way to save some cash. And as you've pointed out, there's no DRM to fuss with. That's worth quite a bit.

BTW R70 for a movie? Avatar in 3D cost me R65, normal movies are like 12 bucks round these parts.

Jeez, where do you live? A ticket at most cinemas in Cape Town will cost you R40-50 or so. Add on petrol expenses the extortionate parking costs of any local shopping centre, and you're out about R70. And that's excluding popcorn. ;P

[Isengard]

There was a brief period about 18 months back when the rand collapsed and games were around R800. It lasted about a month, though, then games went back to R600 or so.

Generally speaking, however, EA games are a bit cheaper than other publishers'. Take2 and Kalahari sell them at R530, which is a great price.

Also, console gamers have the option of trading in and/or buying secondhand, which is also a nice way to save some cash. And as you've pointed out, there's no DRM to fuss with. That's worth quite a bit.



Jeez, where do you live? A ticket at most cinemas in Cape Town will cost you R40-50 or so. Add on petrol expenses the extortionate parking costs of any local shopping centre, and you're out about R70. And that's excluding popcorn. ;P

Ouch at that price I'd have gone on a new game hiatus till the prices normalised. The game trading option does really set console game buying apart (PC games a pain to sell usually). Problem is I get attached to some of my games and can't let them go. I have a draw full of PS2 games that I don't play but am still holding onto (classics ).

Yeah I live like 4 minutes drive away from the nearest Sterkinekor junction so petrol is cheap and so are the movies and I hate popcorn .

[Azimuth]

Yeah, I've also got loads of games I just can't bring myself to trade in, even though I know I'm never playing them again. :P

[Tsar]

Pffft all of you don't have my mighty stash of games. I still have most of my games. My hole chest of draws(six draws)are full of games, from heart of darkness(pc game) To S.T.A.L.K.E.R Call of pipyat(Must say best stalker game ever.)