Bootleg games. Your feelings

[lerath666]

I have a couple old system emulators on my computer (snes, N64, GB) but I dunno if that's considered playing bootleg games.

If the system, NOR the game is being produced New any longer, then no, it's not.

Only when the game is still available retail is it stealing.

What'd you expect from starting this thread Lerath?

It's impossible to discern between the people who honestly don't pirate things and spout platitudes and diatribes about right and wrong and the people who don't necessarily pirate games but do illegally acquire one or two mp3 songs on occasion or a movie here and there. The latter group of folks think they fit in with the former crowd but in essence they are just hypocrites.

There will be people who openly profess to pirating games on this thread, but will be instantly jumped on by those who perch themselves on the proposed moral high ground.

Then there are those who disagree with piracy, but also disagree with the prices of which the video games industry is charging for their products. This dichotomy generates a sense of apathy about piracy. I'm not saying it's the same thing, but stealing a BMW because you think it's an overpriced, glorified Volkswagon is still wrong.


So what is this thread for, exactly?

Curiosity, and personal intrest. ithe topic kinda invaded the RE5 figures thread for a bit, so i figured I'd give it it's own thread.
There is another reason, see below.

I think it is wrong, unless the system and games are no longer produced.

agreed, see above

Voting for "It's stealing and it's wrong" may sound like I'm getting on a soapbox, but that's just where I landed on the issue. I don't have any bootleg games, nor have I in the past. If I were an artist making my living through the sales of my work, I would probably be pretty vocal about paying money to the person who created something and not to the person who distributes it illegally.

This is the Other reason I referred to as to why I started this thread, This is going to be me in a year give or take.

Voted for 'Stealing.' Way I look at this: people buy less legit copies, publishers lose money and refuse to make new and unique IPs.....I mean, I don't want Resident Evil 29 and Gears of Wars 13....

Well, if they're GOOD and the storyline warrents it sure, bring me those sequels, but there does come a point where it gets redundant. I don't mind them playing in the same universe, so long as they can keep the originiality flowing

 

[dr_teng]

1. No, it's not irrelevant at all. Sony and Microsoft still have to make a profit on the games from third-party developers, and those developers have to adjust their prices accordingly.

Yes, it is irrelevant. Sony and Microsoft charge a licencing fee that varies per company. Nintendo also charges this fee and does not engage in having their console be a loss-leader. However, PC games do not have to pay this fee. Why do the vast majority of them launch for $50? Why, if Nintendo makes significant profit, would they not lower this fee and have the cost of top of the line new games fall to $45? Hint : It's because companies love money.

2. What is the "max market price" exactly? Any why don't you believe that piracy has an effect on the pricing of games? Think about it for a sec. If corporations didn't suffer any significant loses/revenue due to piracy, then why would they waste so much of their time and millions (upon millions) of dollars campaigning against it?

The max market price is the max price the market will bear for a particular product. I know it doesn't have any effect on the pricing because all it takes is looking at every single console or PC game out, now or in the past, to see that pricing does not change based on piracy or lack thereof. I didn't say that corporations didn't lose money to piracy, I said that zero piracy (which is impossible regardless) wouldn't cause a reduction in prices, as is seen in consoles with zero piracy, or console gaming prices before piracy enters the picture. It's pretty simple.

One would think, given the range of consoles and PC games released, some which were damn difficult to pirate and some which were incredibly easy to pirate, there would be some real world proof of your assumptions, but I know that's not possible, since it doesn't exist.

Edit : This whole thing is veering a bit off topic so I'll let the thread get back on course, I'm out for the evening!

 

[hairlesswookiee]

^^ exactly. i remember a couple of the Genesis games that were $80. of course they didn't sell well so the price dropped down to $50 after a couple months. i think Super Street Fighter II was one of the first ones because i remember my parents saying "hell no" when i asked for it for my birthday one year .

 

[darthviper107]

However, PC games do not have to pay this fee. Why do the vast majority of them launch for $50? Why, if Nintendo makes significant profit, would they not lower this fee and have the cost of top of the line new games fall to $45? Hint : It's because companies love money.

Most PC games are ports of console games and take significantly less money to produce. (although that isn't the case for PC exclusives). And I also, they aren't getting that much money from PC sales, since most people have turned to consoles and PC games are easy to pirate (consoles require hardware modifications to be able to play pirated games).

 

[plasmid303]

^^ exactly. i remember a couple of the Genesis games that were $80. of course they didn't sell well so the price dropped down to $50 after a couple months. i think Super Street Fighter II was one of the first ones because i remember my parents saying "hell no" when i asked for it for my birthday one year .

I remember paying $80 retail for Turok: The Dinosaur Hunter for the N64.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

yeah IMO game prices are WAY too much right now. especially while we're in a recession. gaming is a frivolous hobby right now. i'd much rather buy food than a $60 video game. i think $40 or 50 is the perfect pricepoint for games. look at stuff like SOCOM and what not. they could just make some games completely downloadable and i think they'd be fine. this is one of the reason's i love the PS3 over the 360...swapable hard drives. they are getting really cheap (picked up another 500gb for $95 last week) and it literally takes 15minutes to swap them out.

 

[plasmid303]

The amazing thing is how games are still selling, almost undaunted by the recession. A lot of analysts and NPD mongers purport that video games are recession proof. While I don't think that is entirely true, I do see the reasoning behind it. However, I think that only applies to big name, franchise games like GoW. Smaller games don't have that kind of market penetration (good side to that is they're often budget priced). Games like World of Goo and Braid deserve the attention of retail space that generally isn't comparable on a DLC market. The soccer mom that goes to Walmart to pick out a game for her kid isn't going to be privy to what's available on the 360 Marketplace or PSN.

Gaming might be frivolous, but when it comes down to tightening the budget, you'd be surprised how many people find ways of fitting in video games. It makes sense in this tough economic climate, who has got the money to go on vacations or spend money every weekend on things like movies and eating out?. Games help people forget the situation they're in, and a $60 investment in a game can last a long time.

Every time I feel like the recession has put video game purchases in a corner, I remember how well Wii Fit is selling, or how many people are playing Halo 3 and GoW2 online (Halo 3 just reached its 1 billionth game played a couple weeks ago, omg).

 

[lerath666]

depends on the person i guess. My games were the first thing i cut back on. i think the last game i bought for my consoles was Web of shadows. then again, i don't buy that many games to begin with. a friend of mine likes to sat that " I don't buy games that suck" as it seems I never get a "bad" or "crappy" game. meh, it's more that my personal tastes are kinda picky with my games i guess.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

well i just watched something on CNN the other night. movie ticket sales are up since this time last year, movie rentals are also increasing so its not that far of a stretch to see people buying games too. the "analyst" on the show says that people want to escape from the recession by going to see a movie with the family. i really cant see how people are thinking its cheaper to go to the theater than it is to Netflix or Blockbuster. where i'm at right now its $10 a person on the weekends and because its a college town they only do student discounts on wed. nights.

 

[darthviper107]

well i just watched something on CNN the other night. movie ticket sales are up since this time last year, movie rentals are also increasing so its not that far of a stretch to see people buying games too. the "analyst" on the show says that people want to escape from the recession by going to see a movie with the family. i really cant see how people are thinking its cheaper to go to the theater than it is to Netflix or Blockbuster. where i'm at right now its $10 a person on the weekends and because its a college town they only do student discounts on wed. nights.

I'm thinking it's more that we haven't had a really great movie to be excited about since The Dark Knight back in July (and Quantum of Solace in November). I know I was ready for a big movie like Watchmen.

 

[Jamal]

I dont care, games are too expensive and that is why this happens.

Im sure you all have done it once.

 

[Havok]

I don't agree with it at all, it's wrong and I can wait for a game to hit retail shelves. And no I've never associated with bootleg games the entire time I've been gaming.

 

[bagelsncheesey]

I dont care, games are too expensive and that is why this happens.

Im sure you all have done it once.

Nope, never have and never will.

$60 really isn't that bad of a price for a video game if you ask me. We are all on the same forum here... do people forget the prices for collectibles these days? For something that sits on a shelf, come on.

Also, companies need to pay people to make the games we enjoy. I think a lot of people forget that as well.

 

[The Josh]

Yup, never done that either. Won't ever either. Its wrong and if you get caught then you deserve whatever comes your way.

 

[Mighty_Jabba]

The discussion about the price is pointless. I can't afford a brand new luxury BMW, so does it mean I should go and steal one? What kind of thinking is that? The games are to expensive so I'll just steal them? WTF?

 

[LordAzrael]

I'm of the thought, that if you do it, you do it. You shouldn't be called names or vilified for it. It's kind of funny, the companies are complaining that bootlegging are ruining their bottom line, etc. Well, this maybe true, but don't complain that your industry is so easy to pirate.

And what is your opinion on recasting ? ;-)

 

[KitFisto]

And you claim to be a capitalist (a supporter of the free market) with those kind of ideals?

I state facts. If you can't handle them I feel sorry for you. If I were one of those corporate executives I would not lower my prices either. I'd suck every penny of profit I could out of the market for the product I offer and that's exactly what these guys do. I am not saying there is anything wrong with it at all. I am just saying that it's what they do and will continue to do.

 

[Karma]

I dont care, games are too expensive and that is why this happens.

Im sure you all have done it once.

I call BS

then join gamefly & for $22.95 a month you can have all the games you want (2 games at a time)

 

[KitFisto]

I dont care, games are too expensive and that is why this happens.

Im sure you all have done it once.

I have never owned or played a bootleg game, but I have seen a few bootleg DVD's. I have never created one or paid a cent for one, but I have seen a few.

 

[tma1c]

If you downloaded a song without owning it is just as bad as a bootleg game. I'm sure most of you are guilty is some way. Price shouldn't matter.