Quote:
P.S. Software 'Protections' do not prohibit piracy, They like a challenge. Only by making it more costly and or less profitable will piracy finally be slowed to a crawl and let the PC Software industry florish again.
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I never said my idea would stop piracy. (See above quote)
The problem IS that making copies is rediculiously cheap. And Software protections do not change that in any way. As it is, the Software industry's only solution has been to raise the prices of games to offset the loss of sales due to piracy. Well,.. the industry WILL die if that continues. No matter how good a game is, $89 for a game is way over budget.. I just wait for it to hit the bargain bin then buy the game.
I laughed out loud when I read an article about 'Bargain Bin Sales' where they said the 'budget/old' game sales were quickly becomming a large chunk of the industries total sales.. (I believe it was approaching 20%) That's allot. What I see in those numbers is that $19.95 is a price people are willing to pay, and not that people have a fondness for 'Retro Gamming'...
Anyways, since none of you are pirates, discussing ways to curb the growth of piracy will always feel like 'YOUR' rights and liberties are suffering for the sake of fighting piracy.
The ultimate solution (which publishers will never adopt) is to lower the prices of the games to 'reasonable' levels. If you could pick up the latest games at $19.95 would you? I would. If the answer is yes for the vast majority of game players then THAT would make a difference. What the publishers lost in single unit sales would be gained in volume of sales.
The reason the prices will never drop that drastically? No Publisher is willing to take the risk. Imagine going to the bank and saying "We have a great idea we want to sell our next product at $20 instead of our usual $89. We feel we will make much more money in volume sales." LoL the banks would laugh so hard and spit them out so fast it would be funny.
Bottom line,.. Piracy is getting cheaper while Software is geting more expensive,.. That can only lead to one destination. The fact that nobody sees that, and in fact would rather the industry collapse than take the 'risk' and lower the prices of their games. This spells Doom. 'PERIOD'
My first post was a failed attempt at pointing out that the 'gap' between the cost of piracy and the retail game is getting further and further appart. Close the gap and piracy will slow down.
Nuf said.
Cheers!
P.S. At my local Block Buster renting a movie costs $5 (so what if I can keep it at home for 5 days) a 'previously viewed' DVD costs from $6.99 to $16.99. Care to guess if I rent or buy? (throw $5 out the window or make a $12 purchase and 'Own' an original DVD for life... simple choice imho.