Here is my Spoken Word in both video and written formats on the topic of Video Game Piracy. I used Davinci Resolve to create my video.
A Pirate’s Life for Me
Now you’ve heard of pirates,
I’m not talking about the ones with eyepatches and a peg leg.
I’m talking about video game pirates.
Downloading a game file for free
from some website without a fee
rather than getting it officially.
Is it right?
Is it wrong?
What if I download a game I own?
Do I have to still atone?
Well while it is still piracy, legally if you own the game you’re downloading it is no different from ripping the game from the cartridge yourself.
other than the guilt you may feel, nothing bad will happen.
Now I’m not here to tell you to pirate all your games
but despite video game piracy being illegal, the most companies do to crack down is taking down the websites providing them
You can’t get in trouble for emulation
But can get in trouble for distribution
So, why would someone pirate a game?
without the slightest bit of shame?
With no-one but themself to blame.
Views on piracy are very split
Most people doing as they see fit
Some argue that it’s not right
While others look at them with spite.
Not everyone has the money to spend
Or a game to borrow from a friend
Most people that pirate games do it because they cannot afford them
You’re maybe thinking “well what about me?”
I really don’t care about piracy.
Piracy is like a double-edged sword
It has its benefits
It has its detriments
And without a doubt it has its sentiment
A Primary reason people pirate games is nostalgia
To play the games they grew up with
I do not blame them in the slightest
Although their methods aren’t the brightest
Many people only pirate games that are no longer for sale
But all the hard work that went into that game
Just for someone else to claim
If you ask me, that’s kind of lame.
Don’t you think the same?
People argue that by pirating a game you take away potential sales from the company that made the game.
However, that isn’t always the case as the company isn’t really losing anything it just isn’t gaining.
It really depends on the way you look at it
Sometimes hardware is sold to pirate
Which in the past has caused a riot.
Back in the era of the Nintendo DS, there was the R4 card
A game cartridge being sold that allowed illegally downloaded games to be played directly on the Nintendo DS
It was even sold by mainstream retailers and yet nothing seemed to be done about it.
Around 35% of gamers actively pirate video games and about 90% admitted to doing it at least once in their life.
They all had their own reasons