MW2 pirates "the biggest orgy of theft in the history of humanity"

[ManaByte]

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle/articleid/3753969

$304,149,300 Stolen From Activision

That's right, over 300 million dollars stolen just of the one game, Modern Warfare 2, in 2009. Obviously Activision had much more stolen from them with other titles, but MW2 is by far the worst affected. According to TorrentFreak 4,100,000 copies of the PC version of MW2 were stolen and 970,000 copies of the Microsoft Xbox 360 version.

Thieves using bit torrents are indulging in the biggest orgy of theft in the history of humanity. When they can steal with no chance of getting caught then they will. How they justify this appalling lack of moral fibre to themselves is beyond me. I have heard a whole litany of empty excuses from the thieves to try and justify their actions but the fact remains that they are benefiting from other people's labour that they should have paid for but haven't. So they are thieves.

And they are stupid because they damage that which they love. Activision are not about to go out of business because of this particular frenzy of stealing. But in the past plenty of other game companies have gone bust because of game theft. And many top creative game developers have left the industry for ever. We have lost a huge number of potentially great games to piracy. It doesn't even need for the company to go bust, they can just allocate their resources elsewhere. There are nearly as many Nintendo DS consoles in the world as Wiis, PS3s and Xbox 360s combined. So where are all the great DS games? That's right, piracy stops them even being written.

The fact is that if you want people to work for you creating great games then you have to pay their wages, they have to pay for their food and rent just like everyone else.

There are a number of possible solutions to this massive stealing problem:

    * Educate the thieves. Explain their low morality to them and the harm they do to the development of games. I think this has no chance of succeeding, they have proven, on a massive scale, that they are perfectly happy to steal.
    * Technical protection. This is the best solution. A game console's main purpose in life is to serve as an anti piracy dongle. All three current generation home consoles succeed at this, the PS3 works best, followed by the Wii with the Xbox 360 putting up a distinctly average performance.
# But open, multi purpose platforms like the PC and the iPhone lack this technical protection and so piracy is rife.  Alternative business models. Monthly subscriptions and in game items are increasingly popular alternatives to up front game purchase. Many people are perfectly happy to spend thousands of dollars on a simple browser game like Evony for instance.
# Using the ISPs to stop peer to peer distribution of stolen IP. This is probably the main viable route. Already implemented in France and proposed for the UK and most other civilised countries. The scale of thieving is so enormous that the thieves are not directly punished, instead they get a warning letter. If they continue to steal they get another warning letter. Then if they ignore both these warnings they are disconnected from the internet. A very mild course of action against thieves, many of whom have stolen thousands of dollars worth of stuff they should have paid for.
# Publisher activism. The publishers can go after the thieves that are stealing from them directly. However the thieves don't like this and indulge in massive online activism to stop it. So the publishers, even though they are morally right to protect their property, are loath to take this sort of action for fear of Streisand effect.
# Government action. There are millions of thieves out there that the government is turning a blind eye to. In fact government authority is being totally usurped. If I fancied a new Ferrari and went and stole it the police would show a great interest. However is someone steals a game that I publish, using torrents, they aren't interested. Yet the Ferrari and the game are both the result of people's labour.

Eventually something will be done, stealing on this scale is unsustainable whatever way you look at it. In the meantime game development suffers and the thieves are too stupid to realise it.

[WrikaWrek]

Nobody spends 1500$ on a PC and then buys games for it. The budget is over.

[OptimoPeach]

"Stolen" lol

edit: Oh lord, this dipshit actually uses the "You wouldn't steal a car" example.

And what's this about the Wii being a formidable obstacle for pirates? Isn't that the easiest system of this generation to mod?

[duckman2000]

Not surprising. Piracy is basically the norm in, well, any nation I've lived in other than the US.

[archie4208]

Biggest game release ever, biggest pirated game ever, biggest number of camp friendly levels ever. Is there no statistic MW2 can't obliterate?

Largest number of dedicated servers.

[Third]

I'm sure 90+% of the pirates wouldn't have bought the game anyway.

I pirated Bioshock 2 the other day. Game was shit. Will not buy.

Oh no!!! 2kGames lost €55 thanks to me!!  

[OptimoPeach]

I'm sure 90+% of the pirates wouldn't have bought the game anyway.

I pirated Bioshock 2 the other day. Game was shit. Will not buy.

Oh no!!! 2kGames lost €55 thanks to me!!  

No, you STOLE THEIR MONEY OMG

[demi]

"Stolen" lol

edit: Oh lord, this dipshit actually uses the "You wouldn't steal a car" example.

And what's this about the Wii being a formidable obstacle for pirates? Isn't that the easiest system of this generation to mod?

DS for sure

[Vizzys]

the way that article is written pisses me off

im sure Activision likes to imagine the potential money they would have received if every pirate bought their game but the odds are simply that less than half would have ever considered buying it

There were ZERO PC deals at all, it was at 59.99 throughout the the entire steam holiday sale and stayed at the number 1 spot the entire time despite this

also the fact the pc version was heavily butchered feature wise compared to mw1,
 
50 player servers?, Nope.
Custom mods and maps? Nope.

do these justify piracy, probably not, but it gives some pretty obvious reasons why so many people did it

[OptimoPeach]

DS for sure

Oh yeah. I love my AceKard 2

[maxy]

Nobody stole anything,they are just enjoying something for free.Also using torrents is  ,who the fuck is using them,not to mention that they are full of viruses and fake releases.
Its very funny how industry blames everything on torrents.

[Great Rumbler]

Technically, every single person that didn't buy the game stole money from Activision. So they really lost about $360,000,000,000.

[Third]

That's a cute defense to hide the fact you're still committing a crime. DIRTY THIEVING POOR

Piracy is legal here. As long as you don't sell pirated copies.

And we can't rent games. So I'm not buying a game just to "test" it out.

And don't tell me you never downloaded a mp3 or watched pirated porn.

[Stoney Mason]

Honestly who cares. The game sold a crazy amount. Made a lot of money.

People pirate and steal on the PC. (And 360 if they know how). The more popular your game is the more it will be pirated. Half the people on this board and on GAF are pirating games whether they want to admit it or not. Real Talk.

Popular games (and music and movies) get pirated. You can go to any site on the internet and pirate every popular PC game. Which dents sales. And discourages some people from making some PC games. This is nothing new and has been going on for years. Might as well have a story about explicit rap lyrics while we are at it.

[OptimoPeach]

the way that article is written pisses me off

It's almost like a parody of the anti-pirate moral crusaders. I bet this guy fingers his anus to stories of the RIAA's court victories over single parents and the elderly

[The Fake Shemp]

Young people are morally bankrupt, news at eleven.

[Flannel Boy]

Young people are morally bankrupt, news at eleven.

I'll torrent the news and watch it at 3:00 AM.

[The Fake Shemp]

 

[Trent Dole]

[youtube=560,345]JC5tp9OzXc8[/youtube]

[treythemovie]

I don't pirate games myself and don't really condone the act to be honest, however I have a hard time feeling sorry for these companies when it does happen. Especially considering how much they benefit from the idiotic copyright laws. The two issues seem to counterbalance each other.

[The Fake Shemp]

I can get behind that.

Zero tolerance!

[TripleA]

The only solution to piracy on the PC is to stop releasing games on the PC.

[Bebpo]

So MW2 didn't make enough money to pay the staff?

If only people had the sense not to pirate MW2, we could've actually had a MW3 in a few years.  Unfortunately, it now sounds like we will not.  Just not enough profit from game buyers in there to make another 5 hour campaign.

[The Fake Shemp]

I don't pirate games myself and don't really condone the act to be honest, however I have a hard time feeling sorry for these companies when it does happen. Especially considering how much they benefit from the idiotic copyright laws. The two issues seem to counterbalance each other.

Moral bankruptcy versus corporate greed may seem like a good way to look at things, but the reality is that piracy negatively impacts the industry. This type of widespread piracy just leads to publishers focusing on "core" franchises to minimize lost revenue due to piracy and expediting the industry transition towards microtransactions and episodic content. Nobody will have anybody to blame but themselves.

[demi]

So MW2 didn't make enough money to pay the staff?

If only people had the sense not to pirate MW2, we could've actually had a MW3 in a few years.  Unfortunately, it now sounds like we will not.  Just not enough profit from game buyers in there to make another 5 hour campaign.

Activision > NIS

[Bebpo]

So MW2 didn't make enough money to pay the staff?

If only people had the sense not to pirate MW2, we could've actually had a MW3 in a few years.  Unfortunately, it now sounds like we will not.  Just not enough profit from game buyers in there to make another 5 hour campaign.

Activision > NIS

you are funny

spoiler (click to show/hide)

you are not funny

[close]

[Third]

I've never downloaded a NIS game because those games are not worth a download.

And guys, don't act like you never downloaded anything that's illegal in your country.

[duckman2000]

I'm sure I'll pirate games like crazy when I live in a place that lacks any rental option, has a shitty resale market and where a new game costs about $100.

[archie4208]

So MW2 didn't make enough money to pay the staff?

If only people had the sense not to pirate MW2, we could've actually had a MW3 in a few years.  Unfortunately, it now sounds like we will not.  Just not enough profit from game buyers in there to make another 5 hour campaign.

Activision > NIS

vs Guitar Hero.  That is a tough one.  Even I would have to side with Activision. :/

[duckman2000]

I'm sure I'll pirate games like crazy when I live in a place that lacks any rental option, has a shitty resale market and where a new game costs about $100.

Sounds like whole of Europe!

Yeah. I mean, I like ripping on my brother for being a dirty thief, but honestly... we're pretty damned spoiled here in the US.

[The Fake Shemp]

bu bu bu i stole it becuz the game sux

[duckman2000]

It's not the piracy that bothers me, more the defenses these filthy poor pc gamers some up with to justify shit.  You stole it.  Who cares?

For sure. In Sweden, there are even movements for this shit, with representatives of the piracy party coming up with all sorts of reasons as to why it's totally alright to pirate stuff. When it comes down to it, you're enjoying something for free that was most certainly not free to produce. If you're going to do that, then at least have the decency to be straight about what you're doing.

[The Fake Shemp]

But its not stealing and its legal Cohen.

It is stealing, regardless of whether or not you can be prosecuted by state laws. That's like saying that if you had an apple farm and sold apples, and I stole apples from your farm - but could not be prosecuted - I'm not stealing from you.

Really?

You guys are just morally bankrupt. Just 'fess up.

[The Fake Shemp]

p.s. ur apples suck i wasnt going to buy em anyway lol

[The Fake Shemp]

It's more like fraud...

Not really.

[The Fake Shemp]

The guy who is seeding the game might be making a copy, but anyone who downloads a game without right and with intent to keep or make use of wrongfully is - by definition - stealing.

Nice try, though. Like I said, this generation is morally bankrupt. I have a lot more respect for the people that are honest about it, at least.

[Flannel Boy]

It's more like fraud

Fraud? Where's the false statement intended to deceive.

And you're not helping pirates, by the way, because fraud tends to be punished more severely than simple theft, at least in Canada and the US.

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, fraud is some serious shit.

[The Fake Shemp]

I say we start an insurance fraud bracket.

[duckman2000]

Enjoy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Party_(Sweden)

[Flannel Boy]

also think a lot of the money is mismanaged

Relevance?

[The Fake Shemp]

Main Entry: steal
Pronunciation: \ˈstēl\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): stole \ˈstōl\; sto·len \ˈstō-lən\; steal·ing
Etymology: Middle English stelen, from Old English stelan; akin to Old High German stelan to steal

1 a : to take or appropriate without right or leave and with intent to keep or make use of wrongfully

... How is that not stealing?

[The Fake Shemp]

also think a lot of the money is mismanaged

Relevance?

JUSTIFICATION.

[Flannel Boy]

Main Entry: steal
Pronunciation: \ˈstēl\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): stole \ˈstōl\; sto·len \ˈstō-lən\; steal·ing
Etymology: Middle English stelen, from Old English stelan; akin to Old High German stelan to steal

1 a : to take or appropriate without right or leave and with intent to keep or make use of wrongfully

... How is that not stealing?

It is stealing. I hope merriam-webster goes after you!  

[Third]

If I made a game, and people would download it for free, I wouldn't like that.

But I don't make games. And I only buy games that I like. I download stuff, who doesn't.

[Flannel Boy]

also think a lot of the money is mismanaged

Relevance?

Less with games but more with movies, I dont feel bad pirating at all when some Farell gets 20 million to start in it.

I don't feel bad committing insurance fraud knowing the CEO of the insurance company makes tens of millions of dollars!  

[duckman2000]

Kosma should back out now before the annihilation gangbang.

That's not really Kosma's M.O.

[maxy]

Good games don't have to be afraid of piracy,shitty games on the other hand...once leaked,usually some time before official embargo ends,uh oh...web is going to be flooded with videos and people impressions
No embargo can stop that...
There will be "good" games that will bomb,but that is because games are entertainment product,if people don't find it entertaining...

PC(PSP also) gaming is in deep shit not because of piracy,but because of general apathy towards those platforms.
PC developers should ask themselves how is it possible to release games that need patch on day one to be playable at all,not to mention constant patching that is needed to finish the game at all.

Few years ago some PC developer on beyond3d basically said that the game he was working on was released despite it was known that the game didn't work at all on about 40% of configurations.
Imagine somebody buying that game,coming home and...

[The Fake Shemp]

What don't you understand Willco? If I steal you money you can't buy anything. But if I copy your money, uuuh?

This doesn't even make any sense. Once again, you're confusing FRAUD with STEALING.

[The Fake Shemp]

Good games don't have to be afraid of piracy....

GTFO

[Third]

You know what's worse than being morally bankrupt?

Being a hypocrite.

[The Fake Shemp]

You're not even making sense anymore. I already gave you the very definition of "steal", which is EXACTLY what you do when you download a game without right and intend to keep it or make use of wrongfully.

This is like arguing with am nintenho, or Roman Polanski.

[Third]

DOWNLOADING GAMES IS BAD

goes home and downloads 10GB of copyrighted porn.

[The Fake Shemp]

And if you're going to drag the film industry into this discussion, Malek's question of relevance comes into play again. Because nothing you said is relevant, it's just a pitiful attempt at trying to justify something that's morally wrong.

It also negatively impacts the industry, but people don't have the foresight to see that - oh well.

[The Fake Shemp]

I wish drewsy was in here. He, at least, is honest about his dabblings in piracy.

[duckman2000]

If I steal someting from you, you don't have it anymore.

But if I copy something you have, thats not stealing. Copyright =/= property rights

I've heard this argument before, and it's just as ridiculous now. It seems to rely on some idea that only material objects have a value, and that all ownership and distribution is based on subtraction of stock. It's critically outdated for the information age, and it's definitely an argument of desperation. If you come across a product that is only available for a fee, and you decided to use said project without paying the fee, then you're doing something bad. That's all there is to it, and no nitpicking of definitions is going to change that.

[Don Flamenco]

I would be more outraged if it was a theft of orgy

[The Fake Shemp]

I am pretty sure that's not the law in the Netherlands. There's a difference between what a state might prosecute, and condoning outright copyright theft.

[duckman2000]

What do you mean download it without right? Copyrights are only as valid as the state you live in deems them to be, and my country says its ok and it's not theft and I can download all I want as long as I dont sell it.

And this from the dude who regularly rips on other cultures for having the wrong attitude about, among other things, crime and punishment.

Enjoying a commercial product without paying for it is a universal wrong. Whether or not your regional lawmakers deems it acceptable is sort of irrelevant. It's also completely unsustainable, which is a bigger problem.

[Third]

Uuuh yeah it is mate.

But we can also smot pot freely, have legal prostitution and gay marriage.

Holland