Pirates of the Game World

Software piracy has been with us for a long time. It is now is possible even to copy PS2 games or copy Xbox games. Companies around the world are looking for new ways to stop this but they have been unsuccessful.

Software piracy reaches 22% even in the United States where law is actually enforced. It is 90% for countries like Vietnam, China or Ukraine.

What Is Software Piracy?

It occurs when an individual (or group of individuals), makes a copy of a software program and sells it. Since they sell it at a much smaller price than the original, they sell thousands of copies, affecting the sales of the company who made the software. They sell it at such a low price as they only need a computer and a software package that can copy the program. That's why a suite like Microsoft Office, which costs $400, can be bought at 30 cents at many parts of the world. That's less than the 1% of the original price.

Something similar happens with video console games. You can buy pirated versions of Playstation 1 and 2 games at markets in different part of the world. You can even buy them through the internet and ship it to your address in the US. Of course, this is completely illegal.

Legislation in the USA isn't very clear about it. Each state has its own law about it and each gaming company has its own rules. A good rule of thumb is to buy your game and read the post-sales information. The document is long but it will instruct you on your rights as the owner of the game.

What Are The Effects Of Piracy On The Game Industry?

The main effect of piracy on the gaming industry is that software companies have to raise their prices so they can protect their investment. Manufacturers have to invest money in research and development of counter-piracy measures.

Unfortunately this affects consumers who buy original software not those who copy PS2 games. Some experts indicate that this isn't a wise choice since it doesn't solve piracy problem. According to them, prices should be reduced. More people are attracted to buy original games. The argument of software companies is that the vast majority of people who pirate software will never buy original games since they don't have the money or don't want to do it.

One of the positive things about piracy is that there is a new movement around the world for open source games, shareware and trial edition of games. This allows people to try the software before buying it. Many console companies are using their gaming networks for storing trial editions of their games like Xbox Live.

Continue to: What Should You Consider before Buying Xbox Games

How to Cheat and Beat Your Video Game Console
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Play Console Games on Your PC
Top Ten Games for Portable Console Gaming

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Pirates of the Game World

What Is Software Piracy?

What Are The Effects Of Piracy On The Game Industry?

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