Is game piracy ethical.

[ThomasD]

7 minutes ago, Matt100HP said:

Property is defined in S.4, if I remember correctly. I know it includes "intangible property", so intellectual property is quite possibly covered, unless there is case law from since the introduction of the Theft Act which states otherwise. 

 

However, it's the "permanently deprive" bit where it all falls apart. By illegally downloading copyrighted material, you aren't depriving the owner of it, permanently or otherwise.

 

If you're interested in the English Law regarding copyright etc, give this a read:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/intellectual-property-crime-and-infringement

No, but thanks for the link.  I just found it amusing that your notion of theft was so strictly limited to the English legal definition.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theft

[WkdPaul]

2 hours ago, Paralectic said:

That's an invalid comparison, books from a library aren't digital.

it's actually a very valid comparison. Paper is just a "medium" onto which the words are "held", just as much as a hard drive is a "medium" onto which digital files are "held".

 

Not being able to hold something in your hands doesn't make it "free" in the sense that you can copy it and do what you please with it.

[Matt100HP]

1 minute ago, ThomasD said:

No, but thanks for the link.  I just found it amusing that your notion of theft was so strictly limited to the English legal definition.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theft

Laws differ from country to country, I couldn't care less what the law on theft in, for example, Japan, is. It'll never affect me. 

 

Also, only know anything about English and Welsh (they're the same) criminal law. Commenting on anything else would be somewhat irresponsible guesswork at best. 

[ThomasD]

Just now, Matt100HP said:

Laws differ from country to country...

And you did notice that the OP was from the Maghreb, while the people you were engaging were from central Europe?  Any idea what their thought are on the strict English legal definition of theft?  Any thoughts on whether that definition bears on an international ethical discussion?

 

 

[Squirrel724]

18 hours ago, TripleTen said:

So the legendary piracy group 3DM announced that they will quit cracking games and said that cracked games have NO future whatsoever it got me thinking.
90 percent of the games that i ever played are pirated (i feel horrible for it) but i had an excuse since i live in a country (Tunisia) where there is NO paypal and NO other ways for online payment let alone a videogame retailer, it's nearly impossible to find genuine copies of games, and even if you found one it would be extremely overpriced, here's an example most AAA games cost 60$ at launch to put it in perspective it would cost me around 300$ relative to the average monthly income here.
So tell me what do you guys think should i just quit gaming or should i stick to cracked games until they are gone and do you think pirating games is ethical or not in my case.
FUN FACT: Linus himself used to pirate games way back in his teenage years.

I am usually fully against piracy however I am more lenient when there is no legitimate way to get the product such as your case. If you are feeling guilty about it or want to support the developers I would look into a way to purchase the games from another country, using a vpn or a service that doesn't divide by region.

[phillychuck]

I wish there was more of a used scene for PC users, we spend just as much money as a console user, but they can trade/sell all their games.  I enter a battlefield code, and regardless if I like it or not, it's mine forever.  I never thought that was fair.

 

Not counting the return policy, I'm talking about games you may like, but in 30 days you'd just move on.

 

[online_olympian]

Wait, people PAY for games? haha all your bases are belong to us!

[Paralectic]

2 hours ago, wkdpaul said:

it's actually a very valid comparison. Paper is just a "medium" onto which the words are "held", just as much as a hard drive is a "medium" onto which digital files are "held".

 

Not being able to hold something in your hands doesn't make it "free" in the sense that you can copy it and do what you please with it.

That's your opinion yeah.

[WkdPaul]

59 minutes ago, Paralectic said:

That's your opinion yeah.

no

[Neokolzia]

I think for the most part.. least I'd like to believe most people are like me and use piracy very very selectively as a oh that game looks neat, but I don't really have the money to try it, oh.. kinda bored of it within few hours (god forbit over a 2 hour steam return policy!) meh wouldn't want to buy it anyway.

 

I was excited for fallout 4, ended up really not liking it at all.

 

And I'd purchase any game I like happily, I would not have been happy purchasing fall out 4 since I wouldn't want to play it anyway.

 

Overall, statement I'd make towards it is sort of like some of the mixed outcry of a few developers after Steam Refunds came about, seeing so many copies of games be refunded since more people were able to try a game decide they don't like it, then not pay for it.  I don't see torrenting as anything different, and theres people out there that hardcore abuse it, definately.  Which is definately wrong.   But they can't look at the raw numbers of copies torrented since many of those people may not have ended up enjoying the game to even consider thinking its worthy of purchase.

[Paralectic]

On 18-3-2016 at 7:41 PM, wkdpaul said:

no

ethicality isn't a fact, it's opinion.

So I don't get what you're implying

[Seireitou]

Support good developers, pirate bad ones.

 

 

Ubisoft and EA wanna play dirty, I'll play dirty as well. Morals be damned. I really don't care. Alas, this is just my opinion and belief. When you have a really good game and you can tell the studio isn't trying to do you up the butt. Then yes, pay your hard earned cash because they worked hard to give you a COMPLETE game. When they don't, just pirate. I believe its a good way of getting cake and eating it too. Make them suffer and learn from their mistakes. NEVER PIRATE INDIES though. That's just rude....

[WkdPaul]

9 hours ago, Paralectic said:

ethicality isn't a fact, it's opinion.

So I don't get what you're implying

???? Why are you changing the direction of your argument?

 

You said copying copyrighted material wasn't theft, @A/C asked what was your opinion on copying a book, you replied it was an invalid comparison since books aren't digital (though you're wrong, most books have digital versions now).

 

This whole back and forth was about theft, I replied saying that the fact that something is digital doesn't make it "free", that's not my opinion, that's a fact, now if you think it's an opinion then I would LOVE to see you arguing that in a court, that would be hilarious.

 

Completely flawed logic.

[1Revenger1]

It really depends. I am mostly against piracy. While, like in your case, it is understandable, I still wouldn't try to support it and possibly try getting it through more, legitimate ways.

[Hilite24]

On 17.3.2016 at 10:20 PM, TripleTen said:

So the legendary piracy group 3DM announced that they will quit cracking games and said that cracked games have NO future whatsoever it got me thinking.
90 percent of the games that i ever played are pirated (i feel horrible for it) but i had an excuse since i live in a country (Tunisia) where there is NO paypal and NO other ways for online payment let alone a videogame retailer, it's nearly impossible to find genuine copies of games, and even if you found one it would be extremely overpriced, here's an example most AAA games cost 60$ at launch to put it in perspective it would cost me around 300$ relative to the average monthly income here.
So tell me what do you guys think should i just quit gaming or should i stick to cracked games until they are gone and do you think pirating games is ethical or not in my case.
FUN FACT: Linus himself used to pirate games way back in his teenage years.

I sometimes pirate games to test them. If I like them I'm most certainly going to buy them. Latest was NBA 2k16, which I really wasn't sure if I'm going to like since Gameplay videos on youtube don't give you the same experience as testing them on your own.

To answer your question if it's ethical? I'd say no as piracy is by definition theft. To take the example mentioned above, you don't take the train for free to climb out after and say you didn't like it.

Definetly don't quit gaming dude!

 

[A/C]

11 hours ago, wkdpaul said:

???? Why are you changing the direction of your argument?

 

You said copying copyrighted material wasn't theft, @A/C asked what was your opinion on copying a book, you replied it was an invalid comparison since books aren't digital (though you're wrong, most books have digital versions now).

 

This whole back and forth was about theft, I replied saying that the fact that something is digital doesn't make it "free", that's not my opinion, that's a fact, now if you think it's an opinion then I would LOVE to see you arguing that in a court, that would be hilarious.

 

Completely flawed logic.

Thats why I tried to make the analogy about ebooks and music in digital form, but his point of view remained the same, so I agreed to disagree with him.

[Zodiark1593]

According to law, stealing is a crime, regardless of whether the goods can be obtained legitimately at all.

 

As for whether or not it is moral to steal, as morality has no legal basis, I suppose it may vary depending on circumstance. Stealing food or medicine for someone in need could be seen as morally good. Robbing a bank, on the other hand, could be seen as morally evil. Both actions are still in violation of the law however, and thus potential consequences should be taken into account accordingly.