Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolf_Rider
well, there ya go, you made the point for us... piracy = loss of profit
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I'd argue that piracy actually increases profits, and that DRM of any kind decreases profits.
Why? Free marketing and ease of use.
First of all, you will never stop the pirates. No matter what kind of DRM you put on something, the pirates will crack it. Just look at Silent Hunter V.
Second of all, because you can't stop the pirates, any kind of DRM will actually cost the company money. Legitimate customers will turn to cracked versions than give them less of a hassle while installing or playing.
Third of all, many pirates download a game illegally to try it out or to hold them over until they are in a financial situation where they can pay for it. Not all people who pirate a game will never pay for it.
Lastly, the more people that can get access to your game, the more money you will make off of it. If someone buys the game and shows it to a friend, the friend might buy the game. If someone pirates the game and shows it to a friend, that friend might buy the game as well. Not all pirates who never pay for games hang out with strictly like-minded people.