On Spore Piracy

Spore's Piracy Problem on Forbes is one of those forays into trying to evaluate the extent of game piracy, in this case for Spore, by looking at peer-to-peer statistics. This is particularly interesting in light of the controversy over Spore's digital rights management, which is upsetting many gamers in order to theoretically curb piracy, but in spite of anti-piracy measures described by some as draconian, the game is apparently getting even more action on bit torrent than one might expect according to Big Champagne, a firm that analyzes such activity. The article indicates a popular sentiment among those pirating the game is that they are protesting the DRM in the game, and it also quotes Brad Wardell on how Stardock has managed to protect its intellectual property without pissing off its user-base. Thanks nin.
View : : :
1.
 
Piracy Protest
Sep 14, 2008, 11:13
1.
Piracy Protest Sep 14, 2008, 11:13
Sep 14, 2008, 11:13
 
One of the Spore devs or pubs stated that he understood why people would be upset, but had no sympathy or respect for people who pirated the game "in protest" of the DRM.
For the most part I agree with him, but there is a small argument to be made to the contrary:
If a DRM scheme is sufficiently draconian to the point where a user would never purchase the product (say, StarForce), then the dev\pub loses nothing if that user downloads the game. It's a pretty weak argument that's easily abused ("Oh, I'd never buy this...or this....or this..."), but I think it's worth mentioning.

Avatar 13818
Date
Subject
Author
 1.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
Piracy Protest
2.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
3.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
4.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
5.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
8.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
9.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
17.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
34.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
     Re: No subject
35.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
      Re: No subject
36.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
      Re: No subject
18.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
19.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
14.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
15.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
6.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
10.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
13.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
7.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
11.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
12.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
16.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
20.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
21.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
22.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
24.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
33.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
23.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
25.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
32.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
26.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
28.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
29.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
30.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
31.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
37.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
39.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
40.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
52.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
53.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
55.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
56.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
     Re: No subject
54.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
57.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
59.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
60.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
69.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
27.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
38.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
41.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
42.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
43.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
44.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
45.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
47.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
46.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
48.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
49.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
50.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
51.
Sep 14, 2008Sep 14 2008
58.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
61.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
62.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
64.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
63.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
75.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
65.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
66.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
67.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
68.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
70.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
71.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
72.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
73.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
74.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
76.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
78.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
77.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
79.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
80.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
81.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
82.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
84.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
     Re: No subject
86.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
     Re: No subject
87.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
      amen to that
83.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
88.
Sep 16, 2008Sep 16 2008
85.
Sep 15, 2008Sep 15 2008
89.
Sep 16, 2008Sep 16 2008
90.
Sep 20, 2008Sep 20 2008
91.
Sep 20, 2008Sep 20 2008
92.
Sep 20, 2008Sep 20 2008
93.
Sep 20, 2008Sep 20 2008
94.
Sep 20, 2008Sep 20 2008
95.
Sep 20, 2008Sep 20 2008