How many people pirate specifically to avoid buying said game?

[DragoFireheart]

There are many reasons people pirate games, such as:

- To try it to see if it is worth buying.

- Never intended to buy it but want to try it anyways.

- A personal vendetta against the "man".

- Don't want to deal with DRM.

I'm curious about what % of pirates specifically pirates video games so they don't have to pay for the game BUT would most likely buy it if they couldn't pirate it.

 

[Menckenstein]

I'd say 90+% of people fall into category 2.

 

[DraQ]

I specifically don't buy $ony products for that reason, but as far as games go, I generally buy them if I like them, unless they feature malicious shit like egregious DRM.

 

[20 Eyes]

You forgot the "Broke as fuck" option. I pirated games when I was broke and living with my parents, several years ago. Nowadays I just wait until a game is 5 or 10 bucks on Steam or some such and buy it then.

I think the last game I bought on release was Paradox's Sengoku, and I was somewhat disappointed. If I lived somewhere where games cost significantly more (Australia), I'd probably be more tempted to pirate.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

1 and 4, but I buy so few games anyway that I can actually afford not going to pirate bay. I also have impeccable taste in absolutely everything and is very rarely disappointed by my purchases.

 

[racofer]

1. I don't want to deal with DRM. Cracks are much simpler and don't lock you out of your game because you've run out of activations or the server is down.
2. Prices are abusive for most games over here and don't drop as fast as in other parts of the world. I can still find lots of games from over a year ago being sold for their original prices.
3. I hate the concept of DLCs. I want to have the whole package, not an incomplete product that I have to keep buying its pieces afterwards. DA:O Warden's Keep, anyone?
4. Nearly every game lack some sort of a Demo, and review sites are obviously bribed to review games favorably. If I could return a game I dislike after purchase, like most other products allows you to, this wouldn't be as bad as it is.
5. Buying games here in Brazil means giving a big part of its cost to the government in taxes. Our taxes are already abusive for everything and our public services are third-worldia class at best (often worse). So, for me, buying games means giving even more money to my shitty government which I avoid whenever I can.
6. Most games are shit and bugged to hell. It's amazing we still don't have some sort of legislation of software product quality control, like every other product you buy does.

 

[Kosmonaut]

You forgot the "Broke as fuck" option. I pirated games when I was broke and living with my parents, several years ago. Nowadays I just wait until a game is 5 or 10 bucks on Steam or some such and buy it then.

This.

Paradoxically, now that I can buy more games, I just don't have the time to play as before, when I used to pirate almost everything. I have one and a half job and I'm living with my significant one, thus my free time is almost inexistent.

 

[Kosmonaut]

1. I don't want to deal with DRM. Cracks are much simpler and don't lock you out of your game because you've run out of activations or the server is down.
2. Prices are abusive for most games over here and don't drop as fast as in other parts of the world. I can still find lots of games from over a year ago being sold for their original prices.
3. I hate the concept of DLCs. I want to have the whole package, not an incomplete product that I have to keep buying its pieces afterwards. DA:O Warden's Keep, anyone?
4. Nearly every game lack some sort of a Demo, and review sites are obviously bribed to review games favorably. If I could return a game I dislike after purchase, like most other products allows you to, this wouldn't be as bad as it is.
5. Buying games here in Brazil means giving a big part of its cost to the government in taxes. Our taxes are already abusive for everything and our public services are third-worldia class at best (often worse). So, for me, buying games means giving even more money to my shitty government which I avoid whenever I can.
6. Most games are shit and bugged to hell. It's amazing we still don't have some sort of legislation of software product quality control, like every other product you buy does.

And what about digital downloads? Or you don't like Steam and related crap? Are the digital 'products' more expensive there? I had to 'cheat' with some online outlets (specifically, Amazon) to get the discounted, 'Kwan price, because as I live in México, even with a proxy, they take my billing address as the real one, and the fucking offers are denied to me.

Or do you like to have your box, discs and everything else?

In retrospective, I'm honestly surprised that I jumped the shark, and started to buy on Steam, Amazon and GOG. Maybe is that I'm getting older. I used to hate on Steam and digital purchases in general (a.k.a. non-boxed versions).

 

[racofer]

And what about digital downloads? Or you don't like Steam and related crap? Or do you like to have your box, discs and everything else?

This. I don't like digitally purchasing a game and having it tied to an account that can be closed at any time without notice. I want physical copies of my games so that I can install them anytime I want or trade them with someone else or even break the discs out of spite.

 

[felipepepe]

1. I don't want to deal with DRM. Cracks are much simpler and don't lock you out of your game because you've run out of activations or the server is down.
2. Prices are abusive for most games over here and don't drop as fast as in other parts of the world. I can still find lots of games from over a year ago being sold for their original prices.
3. I hate the concept of DLCs. I want to have the whole package, not an incomplete product that I have to keep buying its pieces afterwards. DA:O Warden's Keep, anyone?
4. Nearly every game lack some sort of a Demo, and review sites are obviously bribed to review games favorably. If I could return a game I dislike after purchase, like most other products allows you to, this wouldn't be as bad as it is.
5. Buying games here in Brazil means giving a big part of its cost to the government in taxes. Our taxes are already abusive for everything and our public services are third-worldia class at best (often worse). So, for me, buying games means giving even more money to my shitty government which I avoid whenever I can.
6. Most games are shit and bugged to hell. It's amazing we still don't have some sort of legislation of software product quality control, like every other product you buy does.

Fellow BR nailed it down pretty well. Prices in Brazil are insane, and they never fucking decrease.

GOG and Steam actually made me pirate less, now that I can buy games online and pay in dollar. Fallout: NV is being sold for R$ 100,00 here (US$ 50), but I bought it for US$ 8.99 on Steam. On the old days I would bitch about how I want to own the physical copy, box & manual, but I don't give a fuck for those cheap packages & no manual kit that games are sold nowadays.

But I still get the TPB edition of games that I do not trust and wanna give a try. If I enjoy it a lot, I wait for the price to decrease and buy it online.

This. I don't like digitally purchasing a game and having it tied to an account that can be closed at any time without notice. I want physical copies of my games so that I can install them anytime I want or trade them with someone else or even break the discs out of spite.

I gave up on that with those shitty packages of today. Besides, my Fallout 1 cd stopped working and made me rage on cd media. I still keep its glorious box & huge manual though.

 

[Destroid]

1. I don't want to deal with DRM. Cracks are much simpler and don't lock you out of your game because you've run out of activations or the server is down.
2. Prices are abusive for most games over here and don't drop as fast as in other parts of the world. I can still find lots of games from over a year ago being sold for their original prices.
3. I hate the concept of DLCs. I want to have the whole package, not an incomplete product that I have to keep buying its pieces afterwards. DA:O Warden's Keep, anyone?
4. Nearly every game lack some sort of a Demo, and review sites are obviously bribed to review games favorably. If I could return a game I dislike after purchase, like most other products allows you to, this wouldn't be as bad as it is.
5. Buying games here in Brazil means giving a big part of its cost to the government in taxes. Our taxes are already abusive for everything and our public services are third-worldia class at best (often worse). So, for me, buying games means giving even more money to my shitty government which I avoid whenever I can.
6. Most games are shit and bugged to hell. It's amazing we still don't have some sort of legislation of software product quality control, like every other product you buy does.

And what about digital downloads? Or you don't like Steam and related crap? Are the digital 'products' more expensive there? I had to 'cheat' with some online outlets (specifically, Amazon) to get the discounted, 'Kwan price, because as I live in México, even with a proxy, they take my billing address as the real one, and the fucking offers are denied to me.

Or do you like to have your box, discs and everything else?

In retrospective, I'm honestly surprised that I jumped the shark, and started to buy on Steam, Amazon and GOG. Maybe is that I'm getting older. I used to hate on Steam and digital purchases in general (a.k.a. non-boxed versions).

Cheating online sellers about your location is just as bad as piracy.

 

[Kosmonaut]

Cheating online sellers about your location is just as bad as piracy.

 

[Cassidy]

Mostly the ADD consoletards who can't resist pirating their feces at release date would do that, and that is the only case where sometimes DRM works.

Also...

Funding Jews to lie and deceive the masses is worse than piracy.

 

[Achilles]

I don't pirate games. If I don't like something about a game, I don't buy it. If I'm not sure I'll like it, I wait until it's offered at a price that I consider risk-free.

 

[DraQ]

Besides, my Fallout 1 cd stopped working and made me rage on cd media.

That's what making backup copies is for.



Oh.

 

[Yeesh]

If shit's available for free, I have a really hard time paying for it.

 

[damicore]

Buying games here in Brazil means giving a big part of its cost to the government in taxes. Our taxes are already abusive for everything and our public services are third-worldia class at best (often worse). So, for me, buying games means giving even more money to my shitty government which I avoid whenever I can.

Grab a good newspaper every now and then, FFS.
If Brazil (or any other third world country) supressed their taxes on imported goods then that country's industry would explode leaving thousands of unemployees. Taxes to imported goods sounds like the most logical thing to do. We can't let the first world cannibalize our economies any further. If those goods aren't creating jobs in our countries then we must force the industries to leave some taxes. The problem is the companies will obviously transfer the taxes to the clients, that's the way of the bussinessmen.
Is that what you call a shitty government? A government that protects the jobs of its population?
Prices are insane over here at Argentina too but I won't complain about my government, which I support highly in these kind of matters. It's not like it's our governments fault, it is the fault of the model the gaming industry (or almost any other multinational industry) works with. Or simply the fault of the capitalist system if you want to go extreme marxist.
You are totally missing the point if you think latinamerican governments are to blame instead of the corporations and their modus operandi.

As for the question posed by the OP: I'm a totally broke student living in Argentina, I need no excuses to pirate

 

[turn_based_fanboy]

I stopped the moment where i got my first salary paid Since after that time became limiting factor instead of cash

 

[villain of the story]

Sounds like a bootlicker.

 

[villain of the story]

I don't pirate games. If I don't like something about a game, I don't buy it. If I'm not sure I'll like it, I wait until it's offered at a price that I consider risk-free.

Don't you live in Greece, man? Are you rich or something? How can you even know whether you will really like a game before you can demo it?

 

[felipepepe]

If Brazil (or any other third world country) supressed their taxes on imported goods then that country's industry would explode leaving thousands of unemployees. Taxes to imported goods sounds like the most logical thing to do. We can't let the first world cannibalize our economies any further. If those goods aren't creating jobs in our countries then we must force the industries to leave some taxes.

HERMANO, while what you said is true in most cases, the main reason why game prices are insane in Brazil is cause dumb goverment thinks console & pc games are like gambling games, so they apply a insane 125% tax over it. There is no game industry oin Brazil, so there is no game industry to explode either.

 

[damicore]

Sounds like a bootlicker.

I just support a liberational movement.
Isn't calling that bootlicking like... bootlicking bussinessmen?

 

[villain of the story]

Businessmen don't wear boots, son.

 

[damicore]

If Brazil (or any other third world country) supressed their taxes on imported goods then that country's industry would explode leaving thousands of unemployees. Taxes to imported goods sounds like the most logical thing to do. We can't let the first world cannibalize our economies any further. If those goods aren't creating jobs in our countries then we must force the industries to leave some taxes.

HERMANO, while what you said is true in most cases, the only reason why game prices are insane in Brazil is cause shitty goverment things console & pc games are like gambling games, so they apply a insane 125% tax over it. There is no game industry oin Brazil, so there is no game industry to explode either.

I don't think they would impose taxes just because they see gaming like something frivolous, it's because of echonomical balance (protecting the price of the real) and balancing with the taxes imposed to exported goods from brazil in foreign countries for the government to have enough resources for different stuff (like social welfare, etc). It's a rather complex matter.

 

[damicore]

Businessmen don't wear boots, son.

You sure have taken a close look at whatever it is you are licking of bussinessmen.
Or may be you're just sucking their cocks and drowning in bussinessmen cum.