I don't understand how some people still automatically conclude that: 700,000 piracy = 700,000 games unsold. That's like saying ID requirement for alcohol purchase will automatically lead to all or even most teenagers to wait until legal age (yeah right...).

I'm not saying that piracy is not causing any problems at all, because it is apparent from the game stores I visit where the PC games went from filling half of the store to being pushed off by console games and hiding in a small corner. So yes, PC companies are feeling desperate and they're implementing their new protection system in hopes of getting people to gradually accept the new DRM as the norm. So even if Ubisoft loses many customers for their initial games with the new OSP, but enough people eventually come to accept it as being 'normal', then Ubisoft recuperate their profits. But only time will tell if this works or not and whether people will give in or not. I for one refuse to submit to such fascist c**p.

Sadly this is all too true. People are only too willing to accept more and more restrictions in their lives, more laws, more enforcement measures. It's an ongoing process of gradual oppression, of which most appear oblivious. It's the age old case of bread and circuses, keep the unwashed masses amused, so they do not focus on their lack of freedom. But watch out, say anything against this system and you're in for a brow beating.

Reminds me of a poignant quote from Desmond Tutu:

Not implying a comparison to SH5 mind you, but still thought provoking nonetheless...

ABout 10 years ago I sold my 486 and, to make the deal more interesting for my buyer, I also threw in my games. Nothing fancy, just:

- entire Comanche 1 series :damn:
- Wing Commander 4 :damn::damn:
- Flight Unlimited 1 :damn::damn::doh::damn:
- F15 Strike Eagle 3.... :damn::damn:


Since then, I vowed never to sell another game. For example, I still have my Age of Conan Collector's edition box even though I haven't played it after the first month (almost 2 years ago). But I guess a lot of people resell their games so here's an advice if you want to protect your "not sure how legal" right to resell.

Every time you buy an OSP game, make a new Ubi.com account AND a new mail account. For example, Meo, make a MeoSH5 account for SH5 and a MeoAC2 account for Assassin's Creed 2. That's because you'll not be able to log into 2 different games with one account at the same time.

Similarly this quote by Thomas Jefferson:

Well lets start with some figures, I'll dig up the rest when I have some time and am not sick (have the flu atm).

http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=15831

That's a pretty giant drop in software sales for pc in the US, 2006 made half as much as 1999. It isn't explained by people switching to consoles, there are still far more gaming capable pc's then there are consoles.

Anyhow the companies certainly have noticed that sales of their console games drop down quite a bit if they release a pc version at the same time (and no the pc sales don't go up). This is precisely why they delay the pc release for 3-6 months. The logic is pretty simple, if its available to be pirated on pc, fewer people are going to buy it (and console sales will suffer too).

For further reading Neal posted a link to a pretty good examination of the effect piracy is having on the industry. I don't agree with everything in it but most of it is accurate by my knowledge.
PC Game Piracy Examined

Anyhow, my point is its always wrong to pirate stuff, it is stealing no matter how one tries to excuse it. If you don't like the DRM, don't buy or pirate the game. I personally never buy steam games, or anything else that will limit my ability to play the game when I want, far into the future.

@Neon

Those figures cant be just because of piracy, Xbox360 games are as much pirated as PC games. :hmmm:

Also, does that count all console sales? As in Wii, xbox360 and PS3 games combined? That would skew the figures a lot.

Yeah, but that's why I said IF I plan to resell it.

Anyway, how much could I resell a 50$ game to a friend. And how much could I resell an already used 50$ computer game on the net with shipping fee... ...maybe few bucks... but it's no drama for me.

True... and as long as Ubi doesn't force you to use the same account for all its games, I don't see how OSP can prevent reselling. And I can't find a reason to only make one account. All games will have a login screen with automatic account/password entires. The downside might appear in the future when games will have linked content or friends will try to reach you Steam-style. I'm sorry they didn't find a way to link their OSP to Steam as an option. I've just gotten used to Steam. Demos and game manuals (which are better than demos) are enough to make it worth the space.

btw, I forgot to add Red Alert 1 to that list of lost games :damn: :damn: :damn:

I happened to wonder what influence has marketing over people behaviour, and piracy.

Around games, there is marketing. Ads in magazines, on websites, on some TV channels.
Goal: let you know about the game first, and second, also tempt you. Create new "needs".

This questions is quite "out of topic", sorry for that. But It came to my mind as I've read this topic (reading about house robbery, for which there is no marketing).
Marketing is logical from a sales perspective. What I wonder is if piracy raises following the same curve as sales thanks to marketing, or if it follows another curve.
A question that will remain for sure unanswered.

Footnote: this question doesn't intent to put any doubt on the fact that piracy is illegal, bad for the industry and for customers.

No they are not pirated anywhere near as much due to the fact that you have to physically modify your xbox360 (or any other console) by soldering on a "mod" chip onto its main board to be able to play pirated (copied) games. At best maybe 5% of users have mod chips. This significantly limits how many pirate copies are downloaded (most figures put console piracy at around 5%-10% then the rate of PC piracy)

From that article Neal found (The data is just from one torrent site)
http://www.tweakguides.com/Piracy_4.html
Then there is the call of duty: MW2 case. quoted from that article again.
http://www.tweakguides.com/Piracy_4.html

Then there is the "world of goo" case which is reporting 90% piracy rates (by comparing number of unique IP addresses connecting to the leader board vs number of copies sold). Its a real original and very good game that sells for 20$.
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55906

I was going to reference a BSA study but in the end I decided not to as I consider their offered data far to flawed to do so, particularly in the amount of money they consider lost sales; they like to equate every single instance of piracy as being a lost sale at a 1:1 ratio which is beyond absurd, especially in poor countries. They also like to make other claims which also don't make much sense logically, and they are obviously heavily biased given they are the legal arm of the games industry.



Yes that figure is all console games reguardless of type, it is a comparison of sales figures from pc (which have dropped by half) to console (which have doubled). Not sure why it skews the figures though.


It is certainly possible that heavy duty advertising is driving up piracy rates by instilling a need for the person to posses the game (look at the COD:MW2 example above, that was a heavily marketed game). They may decide to pirate the game because they can't afford to get it but yet they must have it. This may then cause a slippery slope effect which leads to the person switching over entirely to piracy (why buy when I can just steal it and spend my money on other things).

You can certainly see the effect of mass advertising and hyping products just by walking along the street and seeing all the crap people have which they don't really need, yet are going broke over it to have it. But that is another topic.

It would be nice to see the proportion in each country. You might find that most piracy occurs in countries where people don't actually consider buying consoles. Even more, I'd like to point out that since the major public sites have gone down, private torrent groups are the main method of downloading. One rule is that you need to have a ratio of upload, or you risk loosing membership. You wouldn't believe how many people with P4 and 512 MB RAM download new games just to increase their ratio to be able to continue downloading porn on blue-ray formats :har:.

I saw the movie. He shoots his drill sergeant and blows his head off........Is it because Ubi added Uplay to their games?.....:o






and to put all the Hysteria about DRM in perspective, how about this oldie but goodie...

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/9/13/03945/7308

or this:

http://www.petitiononline.com/nosteam/petition.html

:ahoy:

In the end, Unless the game company gives you a mysterous man in a black suit and tie with eatch each game download/CD piracy is still gonna happen... to a degree...