140°

Britain just decriminalised online game piracy

The British government has decriminalised online video game, music and movie piracy, scrapping fuller punishment plans after branding them unworkable.

mixolydian_id3582d ago

Hahaha,

Law suits and the like are way too time consuming. Not only are they costly, but they'd need to bring in all sorts of evidence including ISP representatives to essentially "dob" their own customers in.

Personally, I don't believe it to kill the industry... It actually strengthens it.

The only people losing out in the music industry are the record label, the bands earn more from a tour then MP3 downloads from iTunes.

Movies... are already losing out to streaming... but to be fair... everyone hired to make a movie is contracted in.. so they're paid a sum regardless. It will just be publishers that get spanked... and to be fair... they still make a mint whether pirated or not.

Surely gaming is similar... Activision (for example) will lose money... but the developer actually making the game will get his/her paycheck regardless.

Volkama3582d ago (Edited 3582d ago )

No. The developer may never get a paycheck from that studio again, and may possibly never make a game again unless they are willing to relocate. It is quite common for a studio to close down entirely when they don't meet (often very challenging) sales expectations.

Clearly that is not solely the result of piracy, but it sure as hell doesn't support or justify piracy either.

@DJPlonker the stupid prices (and associated stupid budgets) are a big part of the problem, absolutely. I am also sure there is a far bigger philosophical question on whether poorer people are less deserving of experiencing a game.

I can probably accept "I really wanted to buy it but there is no possibility that I can". But I absolutely reject "I wouldn't have bought it anyway so they haven't lost anything". That just isn't a valid excuse.

djplonker3582d ago

When games are costing £50 / $85 each I can see why people simply cannot afford to spend that much on a game to amuse themselves...

So technically the company has lost nothing because he wouldnt buy it anyway but if he downloads and likes it they have another potential customer for the future once he get out of his financial troubles.

Atleast thats how I see it :/

mixolydian_id3582d ago (Edited 3582d ago )

It's a strange situation. The new consoles are all capable machines.

I've noted a correlation between, unfavourable development costs and quality of game.

The quicker the development process get's streamlined, the more favourable platform the device will be.

Have any developers commented on the difficulty to port games from PS4 to PC?

DX12 is supposed to allow for seamless porting?
Perhaps a windows based "app store" is on the horizon?
Maybe even a windows based iTunes?

LOL... pure hilarity

Gh05t3582d ago

@djplonker

"So technically the company has lost nothing because he wouldnt buy it anyway..."

This is factually incorrect. Piracy takes away the incentive and motivation to buy something you can steal for free with no repercussions.

Maybe that person wouldn't buy it... but if the ability of Piracy where to vanish, can you 100% guaranty that that person would NEVER EVER buy the game. Not to mention that's just one person lets take a group of 1000 people. Are you saying not one person out of that 1000 people would EVER buy the game if they couldn't Pirate it.

I do not believe every copy pirated makes a sale but to say that just because you aren't going to spend money to buy it you feel like you should be able to still play it is just wrong.

PsylentKiller3582d ago (Edited 3582d ago )

What's the difference between piracy and borrowing, trading, renting a game?

Renting means that the company doing the renting paid the publisher/developer for the rights to rent so many games.

Borrowing. How long can you borrow for? Usually it's not forever and even then the line stops with usually one or two friends. It's similar to renting but the publisher/company isn't making any money of the borrowing.

Trading. Between friends or online in exchange for another game. Selling your used game to someone else in exchange for cash or store credit. That's trading. After the initial sale of the game to the first paying customer. The developer gets no money whatsoever. Every used game purchased is a lost sale.

Piracy. The publisher/developer receives no money for they're product. Each copy downloaded is a lost sale.

Now tell me, how are the used game market and piracy different? I wonder what GameStop's used game sales figures are? Best Buy's? Your local Mom & Pop game shop?

Gh05t3582d ago (Edited 3582d ago )

@Psylentkiller

"Now tell me, how are the used game market and piracy different?"

Used game Market:
1 copy sold: Money to developer
same 1 copy resold no money to developer
same 1 copy traded no money to developer
same 1 copy gifted no money to developer

all in all still only 1 copy. and the devs made their money off that copy already.

Piracy:
1 Copy sold: Money to the developer
∞ copies downloaded: no money to anyone

all in all an ∞ (potentially) number of copies out there and the developers only got paid for one of them.

All the scenarios you mention other than pirating is still only one copy of the game that was originally purchased. Once you buy the game IMHO you should be allowed to sell or trade it as the developer already MADE their money off that copy.

But to take something and copy it and give out copies your are Stealing sales as that copy should never exist. Since you can still have one and now your friend can too buit you only purchased one copy from the devs not two... hence the problem.

If I buy a hammer and use it to build a house and sell the hammer when I am done the person that made the hammer doesn't see any money from that sale, they also may have lost a sale since the new person now doesn't need to buy a new one. This is common and natural.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3582d ago
Gh05t3582d ago

Those are some pretty bad ethics you have there.

Its okay to take property from a publishers/labels as long as the artist still gets some money??? Even though the publishers and labels are the ones that usually front the money and take 100% of the risk (financially) they don't deserve to make as much because you think they made enough.

Not to mention they are the reason you even get the game/movie/music but screw them and their "Big" business right?

"...It actually strengthens it." Really? They are actively trying to STOP themselves from making more money. I would say that it does not strengthen anything.

You remind me of a colleague I knew in college who pirated the book for our ethics class and didn't understand the irony.

Stealing is stealing no matter how you want to dress it up. Regardless of if its a "Copy" its still not yours. If they wanted you to have it for free they would give it to you.

mixolydian_id3582d ago

I'm a musician bro, I understand the ethical background on the situation.
I studied it through College and University.

Yeah, I should feel differently... but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I give my music away for free. I'd rather people heard it and added it to their digital music collection.
I consider it an advantage that you can get your work out to a potential listener so seamlessly. I don't want it streamed for free with a counter.... I want it listened to in the car etc.

Yeah... it cost me years of development... practise... student loans... studio fees... band practises...

The listener/consumer decides the value of the product. Up until the point people listen/play the product, there is no value to be associated with it.

Gh05t3582d ago

"I give my music away for free. I'd rather people heard it and added it to their digital music collection.
I consider it an advantage that you can get your work out to a potential listener so seamlessly. I don't want it streamed for free with a counter.... I want it listened to in the car etc."

I totally get that however, that doesn't mean every artist wants to give their music away for free. Maybe they value their music higher and maybe it wont even sell but that is their choice as owners of the music.

ramiuk13582d ago

the problem is we are lied to by companies.
every is advertised with tricks to usually con the public into wanting film,game.

half of the stuff i used to download i would never of bought anyway as its overpriced crap.
what i do is download a film(bluray) then if its good i buy it and support the artists.
although some i trust and will auto buy it,same with games i will download some games as there is no demo.
if the game is shit i wontbuy it.

with game piracy on consoles i see it liek this.
Include the content that should be included instead of planning sell it to me later with DLC and i would buy more games new at full retail.

it seems its ok for the mucic,game and film industry to scre the consumer but were not allowed to do it back?

the RPAA etc are greedy scumbags that are in it for there profit,they dont care about the thing htere protecting,jut the money they can make from screwing people.

i will support devs,i always have but it isnt the consumer shafting them ,half of time its publisher that doesnt pay them right

brish3581d ago

@mixolydian_id

"Surely gaming is similar... Activision (for example) will lose money... but the developer actually making the game will get his/her paycheck regardless."

Tell that to the employees who lost their jobs because the game they worked on didn't make a profit.

It's true the people who made a game are paid before its release but it's also true that companies that lose money can't afford to pay their employees and are forced to let them go.

Just look at how many game companies are closing or how many layoffs there are.

From wikipedia:
"Video game developers and publishers work in a volatile market with demanding customers and slim profit margins. As a result, many spring up and go out of business quickly.

Some of the companies on this list have been purchased by larger companies, and their brand names and legacy games continue to be used, but the development and publishing operations of the original company itself no longer continue."

The following link lists the first 200 companies in the list. There is a next button at the bottom. At the time I posted this the list has 603 game companies that went bankrupt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3581d ago
Clown_Syndr0me3582d ago

This cannot be a good thing. IM guilty of pirating movies, but it doesn't mean I think its right, it isn't.

If people are allowed to pirate everything why will developers/publishers/director s etc even bother?

As for games this may force more developers into pricing games more like a continuous subscription, like a service.

djplonker3582d ago (Edited 3582d ago )

I think this is a good thing considering if you buy a dvd here in the UK it comes up with an fbi warning saying you could be prosecuted and get fined $200,000 for distribution of pirated media LOL

I only download the american tv shows that decide they will wait a few months to air it in the uk and keep us a season behind...

I wont download any games though the only reason I will download tv shows is that I probably wont want to waste £30/$50 on season one of game of thrones so I wouldnt buy it regardless.

@clown

Yeah most pirates actually buy lots of legal entertainment but we cant buy everything I have well over 300 dvds and more than 200 games all legal but there comes a point where I cant justify spending another £30 on the next season of the walking dead (ages after the us gets it) when I have already spent £200 that month on entertainment.

Clown_Syndr0me3582d ago

I use streaming services for series.
To be honest the only movies I download are fresh releases (only BR Rips no cams) and 80% of the time I buy them at a later date when the price comes down as Im a bit of a horder/collector.

Volkama3582d ago

I don't think this decision makes it easier to pirate, or removes any currently laws and restrictions. It just means they aren't going to implement these new measures that were being discussed.

And yes, micro-transactions, season passes, DLC, subscriptions, connection requirements and such are a very direct response to piracy and legal game trading.

M_i_c_h_e_t_3582d ago

I'm sure data caps will keep those pockets lined!

Volkama3582d ago

Those aren't really common in Britain

MTROB3582d ago

Shops selling second hand games is basically the same thing

Show all comments (22)
100°

Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider pours scorn on EA's AI dreams.

"They want you to believe the devs under them are super stoked to work generative AI into their processes," continued Gaider, "but I assure you what they took as excitement was really a veiled wail of despair not unlike the time that team was informed of their new 'really cool' live service mandate.".

LordoftheCritics1d 14h ago

Publishers see gaming as another stock market.

isarai1d 13h ago

I think anyone with some common sense knew this, im glad i don't support their games anymore, what a sh!t company.

Psychonaut8522h ago

Friends don’t let friends buy EA or Ubisoft.

Chocoburger21h ago

I said this yesterday. AI isn't what we want when it comes to crafting artistry. Alas, these soulless corporate morons don't care about their work, only about cutting corners as much as possible.

120°

Phil Spencer and the Battle for Xbox’s Soul

Has the rapid growth of Xbox made the ship too heavy? Following the closures of Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and Roundhouse, we explore what the future of Xbox could look like.

LG_Fox_Brazil1d 19h ago

This ship was never meant to sail, this ship was made from the get go to sink as fast as possible. It almost feels that they want to lower the standards of quality in the industry so that they can fit in

rlow11d 1h ago

I disagree, Xbox from the get go innovated and changed the industry. They did a lot of firsts and standardized a lot of others. It wasn’t till the beginning of the Xbox1 era that things started to go south.

Stevonidas21h ago

Yep, although I’d argue it started going to shit when they tried to hock Kinect on their audience instead of continuing to invest in their studios and IPs. 2001-2010 Xbox was peak gaming, though.

rlow119h ago

@Stevonidas
I agree they never should have focused on it after the 360 era. But you do have to remember they were faked out by the huge volumes of Kinects sold. To quote info on Wikipedia, “Project Natal, It was first released on November 4, 2010, and would go on to sell eight million units in its first 60 days of availability.” So if your Xbox and see these huge sales on a peripheral where are you going to put some money? Criticism in hindsight is worthless…..if only we could all see our future. In other wards they had no way of knowing. Plus they had engagement numbers and a lot of signs pointed to people wanting it.

Their biggest mistake wasn’t the Kinect, but unlike Sony after the PS3 debacle. They didn’t double on down on exclusive good games. The other huge mistake was letting Call of Duty go to Sony.

Hedstrom1d 4h ago

Phil wants Xbox to be as soulless as him!

Tacoboto1d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

Xbox has no soul and Phil has no confidence, and it's impossible to say either do when they killed Tango and Arkane Austin.

Everything they've said since has only made them look worse to a point that they're actually less competent than Embracer.

Markdn1d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

Whe you release something like the series S and expect it not to hurt your business model, and developers have to have parity with games. Then you know Microsoft don't care. Series s is the final nail that broke developers,

Show all comments (12)
360°

Sarah Bond dodges questions on Xbox studio closures

While on stage with Dina Bass at The Bloomberg Technology Summit the President of Xbox, Sarah Bond, was asked about the Xbox studio closures of Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios

2d ago
ApocalypseShadow2d ago

Of course she did. She's part of the problem and will just tow the company line.

VenomUK2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Bloomberg’s Dina Bass could barely read her scripted question without looking at her notes, whilst Sarah Bond who WAS expecting the question spoke without saying anything of substance or answering the question in any meaningful way. Clearly she’s had the same expert PR training as Phil, but this avoidance was disrespectful. In time the short-sighted decision to shut down Tango Gameworks will be seen as of the most notorious examples why Phil Spencer messed up his tenure in charge of Xbox. That’s a fully built out talented team that could’ve been put to work on any project.

Additionally, Phil Spencer should not be using Sarah Bond as a patsy for his mistakes- he should be answering that question.

gleepot2d ago

I think you are all really overselling Tangos value. Hi-Fi rush was a lot of fun. Ghostwire was incredibly dull. Evil within 1 and 2 were just okay.

lucasnooker2d ago

Evil within 2 was incredibly under rated. I thought that game was surprisingly good

NotoriousWhiz2d ago

Someone else said it best. I don't think it was a Phil decision. It was most likely a Satya decision. I think Microsoft is done giving out free money to Xbox.

Cacabunga1d 23h ago

people please boycott Activision Bethesda next release and support Hellblade.
these people mus understand that they cannot treat their fans and employees that way.
scumbags.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 23h ago
XiNatsuDragnel2d ago

Yikes you don't help Sarah 😬 making a problem worse

Christopher2d ago

She's playing her role. There's absolutely nothing any of them can say other than the truth, this is about profit margins and not quality, so they just don't answer anything and wait for gamers to forget.

shinoff21831d 20h ago

I think news is coming of more ps5 release but they gotta be careful cause Xbox is still sitting on store shelves. They can't get left holding all that stock

Lightning771d 19h ago

Come next month they'll flash nice looking games in our faces and expecting us to forget.

The only thing that'll be going through my mind at their showcase is how many of those studios will get shut down after release.

I'm not joking around either. MS probably expects every game to be like COD and do COD numbers. What a way to destroy gaming for the entire industry because they're dumb af at being realistic in what success means for each game.

-Foxtrot1d 18h ago

Always feels she was brought in / promoted for this. Happened just before things started to be out in motion.

Phil and co have someone to throw under the bus and share the blame with

zaanan1d 22h ago

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

darthv721d 13h ago

....won't get fooled again

Hofstaderman2d ago

Like a deer caught in the headlights.....

notachance2d ago

I always wondered why xbox had multiple leaders with similar titles like Phil Spencer, Matt Booty, and Sarah Bond, like, how many heads do you actually need?

Seems to me it would be more cost efficient to cut 2 of them instead of all those studios.

DarXyde2d ago

Frankly, I suspect she is the most competent of them. I don't mean that I like her more, I mean that she's the best at articulating herself and giving the talking points MS wants to give. The others are starting to sound more like her than her sounding like any of them.

Are any of these people "responsible" for what's happening? No. This reeks of Nadella. But that being said, I don't see any of the Xbox heads stepping down in protest.

"Don't shoot the messenger", sure, but at the same time, the messengers don't seem to take umbrage with the message. Not enough to remove themselves from it, anyway.

CS71d 18h ago

I disagree. Nadella is looking for profit as a CEO should in my opinion.

The problem is Dr. Phil & Co. had 10 years to bring Xbox back on track and have been failing woefully.

Phil needs to sell to Nadella that if we are to make a profit, we need to make great games. And to do that we need employees here for the long haul and the freedom to work on creative projects.

But as Phil said himself he doesn’t believe great games sell consoles.

RpgSama1d 23h ago

Dude, 100%, forgot Major Nelson and Aaron Greenberg, like what is the point for all these suits? They have more C-level executives than games released in a generation.

This is just so they can all pass along the hot potato one at a time and in between all of them can say a lot without actually saying anything, misinformation at its finest.

Show all comments (46)