MyGaming sister publication, MyBroadband recently conducted an online piracy survey among its readers, completed by 5,230 broadband users in South Africa.
Those surveyed were typically tech savvy consumers with a good knowledge of the Internet and broadband services (see demographics below).
The survey revealed that 58% of tech savvy broadband users in South Africa have pirated content over the last 12 months, and 28% of respondents have pirated video games.
The breakdown of broadband connections of users who completed this survey are as follows:
- ADSL – 63%
- Mobile broadband – 30%
- Wireless broadband – 4%
- Other – 3%
The survey results revealed that 58% of respondents have pirated copyrighted movies, TV series, music, software or games over the last 12 months.
The most popular content to pirate was TV Series, followed by movies, music, software and games. Answers for the question “What type of content do you pirate” are provided below:
- TV Series – 80%
- Movies – 70%
- Music – 53%
- Software – 38%
- Games – 28%
- Other – 6%
The majority of people who pirated ‘other’ content indicated that they download e-books.
MyBroadband demographics
The following MyBroadband readership demographics are provided by the Digital Media and Marketing Association of South Africa (DMMA) and Effective Measure:
Age of MyBroadband’s readers
- Under 20: 1%
- 20 to 45: 72%
- 45 to 60: 20%
- Over 60: 7%
Where MyBroadband’s readers live
- Gauteng: 48%
- Cape Town: 25%
- Durban: 6%
- Other: 21%
Monthly household income of MyBroadband’s readers
- Under R9,000 per month: 9%
- R9,000 to R20,000 per month: 17%
- R20,000 to R40,000 per month: 28%
- Over R40,000 per month: 37%
- No answer, other: 9%
Occupation of MyBroadband’s readers
- CEO, COO, CFO, senior management: 15%
- Managers and SME owners: 15%
- Professionals: 45%
- Other: 25%
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What I do:
Pirate a game –> test it for about an hour or till you get into the thick of it –> if it is good I buy it –> if it sucks I uninstall and my life goes on.
With the amount of money that gets charged for games it is impossible to blindly buy games and still have money to live and be happy with all the games.
I own 144 games on Steam and that might not be a lot, but I support a game if it is worth it. If you they made them more affordable then piracy will decrease.
Things needed to decrease piracy for any medium:
1.) Cheaper
2.) easily accessible