headshot wrote on Nov 15, 2021, 06:43:
when i pirate a game which i would never have bought anyway, is there really any damage?

No. If there is no lost sale, there is no monetary damage. Without monetary damage, the argument that the behavior is immoral or unethical becomes very shaky at best. You could argue there's some social contract that you're not allowed to enjoy for free what someone else has to pay for, in the interest of fairness. But I think that falls apart when examined from a Consequentialist standpoint since unless you're running around bragging to everyone about how you got a game for free and they had to pay, that "unfair" behavior is essentially invisible and doesn't harm anyone elses enjoyment of the game.

Someone who would have otherwise not gained enjoyment from the game, due to unwillingness to pay or inability to pay, gets to have some fun and there is no apparent impact to anyone elses enjoyment. Again, this is from a Consequentialist viewpoint where ultimately the goal is to maximize positive outcomes while minimizing negative outcomes. There are other philosophies that place more weight on intention, rather than tangible effects on the world.