658 replies to this topic

[CheapyD]

Recently, some CAGs have been posting early impressions of games which were obtained via piracy. I want to poll the community to see if your fellow CAGs should be allowed to post reviews/impressions from pirated software. Please vote via our built-in polling system!

Note: Only CAGs registered for 30 days or more will be eligible to vote

Edited by CheapyD, 11 September 2008 - 02:59 PM.

[darthbudge]

Yes.

As a gaming site, early impressions could cause more or less people to buy the game depending on how good it is, instead of having to wait until the release date and then reading reviews.
Also, despite common sense, you can't exactly say that said people are indeed pirating the game, they MIGHT have actually purchased it early somewhere.

[Salmonday]

If you allow it to be posted, you reward piracy. Simple as that. They get to be "first," and enjoy the attention they get (which they will try to leverage into getting people to get them Xboxes via referral services or some other stupid b.s.). Some of them will try to claim that they are "doing the community a service by letting people know if the game is worth buying before it comes out in order to save them money." This is a shameful lie.

A.) They are doing it to try to bolster sympathy for their shameful practice.
B.) They have already stated their position on whether someone should buy it because they DIDN'T see fit to buy it.
C.) Their opinion holds no more weight than any other review a CAG could use to determine their purchases.


In short: pirates suck, and should be driven out like filthy beasts.

[lordwow]

No.

[NegativeZero]

Nope, unless said person can prove that its not pirated and was actually purchased early. But often that is unlikely.

[manthing]

First of all, you don't know for sure if the games were pirated to begin with, as I don't believe anyone flat out stated they pirate games on this site

Second, what happens if the community decides 'no'? Will there be penalties for any mention of any game prior to release date? What release date would you use in the case of games released in Europe or Japan first? Will you start cracking down on import impressions as well?

Finally here is a question for the CAG community:

Is there any difference if someone pirates a game or buys it used from Gamestop for the games publisher?

[contej85]

Not a chance.

[kingsoby1]

Yes. Piracy is illegal, but reporting your impressions of a pirated game isn't. Simple as that.

[darthbudge]

If you allow it to be posted, you reward piracy. Simple as that. They get to be "first," and enjoy the attention they get (which they will try to leverage into getting people to get them Xboxes via referral services or some other stupid b.s.). Some of them will try to claim that they are "doing the community a service by letting people know if the game is worth buying before it comes out in order to save them money." This is a shameful lie.

A.) They are doing it to try to bolster sympathy for their shameful practice.
B.) They have already stated their position on whether someone should buy it because they DIDN'T see fit to buy it.
C.) Their opinion holds no more weight than any other review a CAG could use to determine their purchases.


In short: pirates suck, and should be driven out like filthy beasts.

Could you link to somewhere where someone was using them playing a game early to leverage referrals or something else like that? I have personally never seen this before...

Also, I believe the terms used in the original post are misleading, that would be stating that ALL people who got the game early pirated it. That is simply not true.

[TripMasterMunky]

I'd say yes. Why not? Yes, the act of piracy is illegal and no one should do it, but simply talking about it doesn't matter. If people want to give their impressions on games early, then why not let them.

[robosheep]

Maybe, Anyone that claims a pirated copy should have their post deleted because piracy should not be rewarded. However there is also what Darthbudge said, not every early release is a pirated copy.

[contej85]

Is there any difference if someone pirates a game or buys it used from Gamestop for the games publisher?

Yes, there is one less used copy on the market. Less used copies on the market increases the likelihood that the next purchaser will have to get a new copy, even if only by a tiny amount.

[crystalklear64]

wtf?

Yes. If someone has already pirated something why not at least make it useful to others?

[Danimal]

No. Piracy hurts the industry and by no means should it ever be encouraged in any way, shape, or form on this site. There are plenty of places online to find reviews for games prior to their release, so reviews from someone pirating software does no service to anyone.

I do, however, agree with darthbudge's point that it can be difficult to tell whether a game has been pirated if the reviewer doesn't come right out and admit it. Stores do break street dates.

[Dual45s]

If they want to review in their blog, so be it. I would certainly be interested to read impressions of a game as early as possible. I can't , however, see it as anything but tempting fate should it become a site advertised practice. For example, if the blog in question is only visited for the time it remains on the "new blog" page and then falls to the wayside, fine. If an early review from a pirated copy is chosen for the front page announcements, probably not the best call.

[shrike4242]

If you allow it to be posted, you reward piracy. Simple as that. They get to be "first," and enjoy the attention they get (which they will try to leverage into getting people to get them Xboxes via referral services or some other stupid b.s.). Some of them will try to claim that they are "doing the community a service by letting people know if the game is worth buying before it comes out in order to save them money." This is a shameful lie.

A.) They are doing it to try to bolster sympathy for their shameful practice.
B.) They have already stated their position on whether someone should buy it because they DIDN'T see fit to buy it.
C.) Their opinion holds no more weight than any other review a CAG could use to determine their purchases.

In short: pirates suck, and should be driven out like filthy beasts.

Very well stated.

[NegativeZero]

Finally here is a question for the CAG community:

Is there any difference if someone pirates a game or buys it used from Gamestop for the games publisher?

My opinion on that is:
if everyone pirated MvC2 and sales were slow, wouldn't that seem like the demand for the game was low and thus make us less likely to get a sequel? So because the 1st game doesn't sell I think it woudl in fact affect publishers as they'd be less likely to produce something that it seems there is no demand for. Sadly , I'm pretty sure Gamestop's sales numbers matter in some way. whether used or new its a game sale and definitely matters in the end. Used game sales reflect the popularity of certain games (not being able to keep any stocked/on the shelves) Don't you think so?

[ddrpower]

Yes, but with an addendum:

If an early getter decides to get the game and praise the game, fine. Let him. People can see how he's enjoying the game and might feel elated to buy the game to experience the same thing. Heck, if the pirater is enjoying it, it leads to buying the game(in some cases, I understand it's not everyone).

If an early getter decides to criticize the game, then he must post a warning that any problems he has encountered with the game may be a result of pirating the game. No-CD cracks, security workarounds, all of those may cause issue with the game. This is necessary. In reference to the old THQ game Titan Quest, they had a security feature where they checked for legitimacy at the first dungeon. If you did not have a legit copy, it would just boot you to the desktop, no warning. As a result, piraters complained about "random crashes" and it killed the game's PR. If piraters want to criticize the game, they must indicate that they have pirated it. If they don't want to indicate piracy, but still want to criticize the game, then allow reporting him for fraud and someone jumping on the bandwagon of hate, regardless of whether he actually pirated the game or not(since it's impossible to tell).

In this way, you take the title of pirater, but can give your evaluations on a game. Or, you can avoid the title, but must shut up about the game until release. The question is whether your influence outranks how people interpret you. This is the best system I think.

[CheapyD]

Recently, some CAGs have been posting early impressions of games which were obtained via piracy.

Also, I believe the terms used in the original post are misleading, that would be stating that ALL people who got the game early pirated it. That is simply not true.

[Orion_of_Chaos]

Most definitely no.

[GuilewasNK]

No.

While not exactly the same, this is too similar to Speedy getting in trouble for getting Circuit City ads early.

[NegativeZero]

nice catch

[darthbudge]

SOME CAGs, yes. However, it leads people into believing that the only way said CAGs could get games early is through illegal means. I see my local Walmart break street date fairly regularly.

[robosheep]

Is there any difference if someone pirates a game or buys it used from Gamestop for the games publisher?

Buying a preowned game helps the publisher in that Gamestop is a publicly traded company so publishers have detailed reports on their earnings. They see that Gamestop is profiting from used games so they start producing DLC and even whole downloadable games that become locked into the purchasers system.
Plus, the distribution of a preowned game to a pirated rom is much smaller. So the original purchaser to end owner is more of a 1:1 ratio vs the 1:XXXX ratio of online piracy.
That all said, of course you should buy new if you want to encourage the developer to continue to make similar games. Buying used or piracy both send the message to the developer that 'this isn't worth my money'.

[goomba478]

I say absolutely not. I realize it's not quite the same scale, but you wouldn't allow people to steal cars to write early reviews for them...why would games or anything else be okay?

[MusicNoteLess]

Nope, unless said person can prove that its not pirated and was actually purchased early. But often that is unlikely.

Guilty until proven innocent?

Unless the reviewer flat out states they got their copy via piracy, there's no way to prove how a person got their copy early. And everyone has their right to their own privacy, to ask how one got their copy is instrusive and really nobody's business but their own. If they want to share, fine. But this site does not have to go the way of martial law.

Also, If Speedy1961 is leaking ads early to help benefit CAGs and customer's alike, I don't see it any different as one obtaining an early copy of a game. If you are going to punish one for posting a review early, you might as well have speedy stop posting ads early as well.

[NegativeZero]

No.

While not exactly the same, this is too similar to Speedy getting in trouble for getting Circuit City ads early.

Very true, but the ads are free and are gonna promote sales anyway.

So whether or not we get the ads early or on time isn't going to affect my decision on whether or not what retailer gets the sale. Best Price/promo wins

[manthing]

Recently, some CAGs have been posting early impressions of games which were obtained via piracy.

Also, I believe the terms used in the original post are misleading, that would be stating that ALL people who got the game early pirated it. That is simply not true.

How would you know definitively who would be considered a pirate?

Or would you be using inference in the place of proof?

[Number83]

Via Piracy? No. Obtained through a broken street date and purchased legit? I see no problem with it.

[robosheep]

How would you know definitively who would be considered a pirate?

Or would you be using inference in the place of proof?

You look for the eyepatch, peg leg, hook, and parrot.