Ever since the internet’s conception, online companies have had issues with modern digital pirating. Pirating acts as a way for players to try out a game before buying it. There have always been questions on the morality of pirating or using digital copyrighted content, specifically video games.
When games can cost upwards of $60 with no free trial or demo, one can wonder if it’s really worth the price. Pirating video games allows one to experience the game without having to spend so much money on something they may not like without refunds. Triple A game studios release games only on digital, so you can resell them to others to get your money back or buy them for a cheaper price.
When a game is pirated, it is an issue of service not price. “Piracy is almost always a service problem and not a pricing problem,“ said Gabe Newell, owner and founder of Steam. Nintendo is a famous example of this, in which their old games are low in stock and heavily desired.
Buying these games second-hand can cost up to $500, with examples being Yo-kai Watch 3 and Final Fantasy 7. Although these franchises may have loyal fanbases or great interest, the $500 price tag scares off the majority of players, excluding many from potential hours of fun. On the other hand, Steam has a generous refund policy, allowing users 14 days or less than two hours of playtime to return a game for a full refund. Steam is also the most popular market place for developers and gamers alike, proving that a marketplace that truly cares for its users would provide a better service than pirating.
From the Triple A to the indie developers, many argue that video games are an art and the artist should have a say in what happens with it. The people have invested their time and effort into making a product; so why should someone have the right to use it for free? Morality is a big part of pirating because, while the Triple A developers have become bland in their video games almost making the same poor product again and again, they’re still making a product. Triple A games have budgets more than $100 million for dozens of developers, actors, and writers.
On the other hand, indie games are made by one individual or just a handful of people. They are the backbone of the gaming industry and are often the most overlooked, with a great example being Undertale. These developers spend their time and effort to make a product that reflects themselves while Triple A games are forced to be bland with little experimentation. Taking from one of these small artists, who rely on video games to make a living, is a much bigger deal than pirating from a big corporation.
Big Triple A companies that make the most obstacles that users have to jump over are most responsible for games getting pirated. When there’s no better option, people look to pirating video games for a solution. Indie game developers have a closer connection to their audience and care more about their game than big triple A games. Although anyone can pirate a video game, it should only be okay when pirating from a corporation and we should still give smaller developers the buck they deserve.
