Pirates are (not) cool!

So I was just bouncing around IGN when I found out that the chaps over at Greenheart Games have taken a cunning approach to game pirates by pirating them in return for pirating first do read: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/04/29/the-best-anti-piracy-measure-ever?abthid=517e3e9d10e870267a000003

So what do you guys think of this idea?
Have you pirated before?

OR would it just make you feel more tempted to get the cracked one and try to beat it?

DISCUSS, etcetera.

Pirate -> (illustration purposes only)

Brilliant idea! Much better than all this restrictive DRM rubbish. I like this one (from Fire Red/Leaf Green):



I've emulated a couple of games. Two I couldn't get in this country (Mother 3 and Ouendan 2), and Elite Beat Agents, which I wouldn't have bought anyway and still wouldn't. I will buy either of the first two if they make it over here though.

Best videogame piracy ever, though:

I always enjoyed the anti-piracy measures for Earthbound that result in your game being terminated right before the final boss.

I sadly have emulated a fair few GBA games. Some of which I own, so that's okay, and some of which that are so damn hard to come across. If I ever happened upon those games though, I'd more than likely pick up the games I enjoyed.

The only time I've ever pirated are weird hack Pokémon games, which are basically piracy anyway.

I'm the annoying friend who lectures everyone else about pirate games/ films/ tv shows.

YOU WOULDN'T SHOOT A POLICEMAN
AND THEN STEAL HIS HELMET
YOU WOULDN'T GO TO THE TOILET IN HIS HELMET
AND THEN SEND IT TO THE POLICEMAN'S GRIEVING WIDOW
AND THEN STEAL IT AGAIN

...to be fair, I'm That Guy, but with used games.

beemoh wrote:

YOU WOULDN'T SHOOT A POLICEMAN
AND THEN STEAL HIS HELMET
YOU WOULDN'T GO TO THE TOILET IN HIS HELMET
AND THEN SEND IT TO THE POLICEMAN'S GRIEVING WIDOW
AND THEN STEAL IT AGAIN

...to be fair, I'm That Guy, but with used games.

I want to do this now, roll on GTA the fifth...

Yay! It crowd reference!

I had a chipped Playstation. Should I go to prison now?

Bake 'em away, toys.

NintenDUCK wrote:

beemoh wrote:

YOU WOULDN'T SHOOT A POLICEMAN
AND THEN STEAL HIS HELMET
YOU WOULDN'T GO TO THE TOILET IN HIS HELMET
AND THEN SEND IT TO THE POLICEMAN'S GRIEVING WIDOW
AND THEN STEAL IT AGAIN

...to be fair, I'm That Guy, but with used games.

I want to do this now, roll on GTA the fifth...

Me too...

Try before you buy. I have 'a friend' that may or may not have pirated a few games, but they buy them anyway about 99% 95% 80% of time time... unless they're rubbish!

(I also approve of IT Crowd references! Woo and yay!)

I will say that I didn't have many copied Playstation games, despite being able to get them for a quid each. I knew what I was doing was wrong...

I've only ever emulated one game ever, and that was Pokémon Blue Version. As soon as I realised I liked it, though, I marched out and bought it (at the same time, my brother bought Pokémon Red Version). Since then, I've bought every main Pokémon adventure that's been released (and most of the spin-offs).

I don't agree with piracy at all, but mine is an example where it paid off for the developer.

It's good to see developers approaching such issues with a sense of humour about it.

Dusty Knackers wrote:

I will say that I didn't have many copied Playstation games, despite being able to get them for a quid each. I knew what I was doing was wrong...

I never bought copied games either on my chipped PS1. The main appeal was being able to play NTSC PS1 games on my PAL PS1.

If game piracy mandated a eye-patch, talking parrot and impressively sized hat it would be much cooler.
As it is, it's something I avoid. Have no problem streaming TV I can't buy anywhere though (seriously entertainment industry: I pay for Netflix and LoveFilm and visit the cinema far more often than my relatives. If you don't give us a valid way to get stuff, where else are we meant to turn?!)

This is definitely the most effective way to combat piracy - make it easier and simpler than piracy. There will always be a group of people who would rather steal than support, but look at Steam, Netflix, Spotify... these are services which I happily pay for and use regularly as opposed to stealing. Steam's regular sales is a brilliant example of making purchasing games a tempting option.

I'll sometimes pirate games that I cant buy new anymore, nobody is losing any money then and if anything it might get me interested in newer sequels (and I always buy them if they get released on Virtual Console or something like that). And I usually pirate some of my old games when I cant be bothered to dig out my old games and consoles.
And I have quite a few times pirated PC games straight after I buy them just because the pirated versions have all the annoying anti piracy crap removed. Because that clearly makes sense.
Generally I dont like pirating games though, I have no motivation to play games I haven't bought.