Backward companies, region codes, DRM argggh!

[AntonyF]

I finally decided to watch some DVDs I bought ages ago. In they go to my new PS3... oh, I can't play them. Not the right region. So I'm hitting illegal download sites so I can watch them. Is this some how a 'win' for the studios?

Reminds me recently I wanted Game of Thrones. Went to buy it on Kindle... oh not available. So I hit the illegal download site, got it and voila.

And recently tried to buy a game through an online download system... that particular game wasn't available in my region, so I went and downloaded it illegaly.

It's like..... WHHHHHHHY! I have paid, or am willing to pay. Let me GIVE YOU MONEY to buy the product.

No? Okay, let me get it illegally.

Seriously... it's just... makes me so angry!

Now excuse me while I go download things.

 

[Count Zero]

This reminds me of the stupid copy protection music CDs had for years, which made the discs unplayable in most car stereos and in some other CD players. Of course, you could get all those albums for free on the net at the same time.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Valve's Steam system ruined PC games for me. The last straw was when Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Portal's offline modes were disabled in a (mandatory) update. They want you online while you play single player games.

I was given Crysis for my birthday. It's disc key code was invalid, and I have to be issued a new one before I can install the damn thing. The EA website is disagreeing with my computer at the moment, and because I can't register on the site I can't be issued a replacement code. I have a nice box with a shiny coaster inside.

I have no interest in pirating these games. In fact, I no longer have any interest in playing them or buying any more in the future. Videogames are meant to be fun, but they've become a chore. My money and time are better spent elsewhere - my DVD collection has more than doubled in size this past year, and my book collection isn't far behind.

 

[Mr. B]

Sooner or later, companies are going to realize the paid product needs to be better than the pirated version.

 

[RoJoHen]

I feel like you should give yourself a warning or something for advocating illegal downloads.

 

[Sephiroth]

*looks up from the SNES emulator on my android* its all in decline, (PC)game, music and DVD sales, (mostly due to piracy) so, extra measures are being taken, which is further alienating customers and pushing them towards piracy

 

[Marc]

*looks up from the SNES emulator on my android* its all in decline, (PC)game, music and DVD sales, (mostly due to piracy) so, extra measures are being taken, which is further alienating customers and pushing them towards piracy

but there's also ample evidence that the claims about the loss of sales due to piracy is grossly exagerated and that many of the lawsuits they've brough in the U.S are based on unmitigated bullshit (which unfortunately the courts and juries are buying).

They are also refusing to consider online sales and downloads. I haven't bought a CD in years but I've still bought some music - it's all been digital download from the artist. Okay sometimes it's not quite CD quality (they were encode at 128K) but others have been encoded at 320K and at half the price of a CD I'm not complaining and the money goes direct to the artist (an no being arse raped by Canadian customs and the import duties).

 

[Sephiroth]

^it starts as exaggerated claims to push their copy protection crap, which makes it an enormous hassle to legally purchase something turning more people to pirating, which leads to more copy protection, lawsuits ect. turning more and more people away, and ignoring online sales is just stupid