| News | Features | Interviews |
| Blog | Contact | Editorials |
| Dead Trigger for Android free due to high piracy rates |
| By Thom Holwerda on 2012-07-23 12:57:06 |
| Without giving any detailed information, Madfinger Games announced that because the piracy rates of their game Dead Trigger were so high on Android, they made the game available for free. This sucks balls. I'm interested in more detailed statistics, especially where, exactly, the piracy rate is highest, considering you can only get paid Google Play applications in 31 countries, and then, often only with a credit card (which many people outside of the US don't have and/or use). It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if those piracy rates mostly come from places without paid applications support and/or with lousy payment options. In any case, Google needs to get its act together with the Play Store. |
| RE: The rumour is true - automated file sharing of apps sux |
| By WorknMan on 2012-07-23 17:26:12 |
|
> But true, credit cards are a no-go in most parts of europe, e.g. here in Germany, we pay with debit cards. But I don't think that's the problem here. No, it isn't. I read a study not too long ago where it was estimated that over 80% of the Android piracy happens in the US. But when talking about movies/music/whatever, people will insist that piracy would go away if prices were lower, which, as we've seen with these 99 cent apps and games, is a bunch of BS. Whether anyone wants to admit or not, the reason why most people pirate is because they want free shit. That's the way it is, and that's the way it's always going to be. |
| RE[2]: The rumour is true - automated file sharing of apps sux |
| By Thom_Holwerda on 2012-07-23 17:27:25 |
| Link please. I'd be very interested. |
| RE[3]: The rumour is true - automated file sharing of apps sux |
| By WorknMan on 2012-07-23 17:49:57 |
|
> Link please. I'd be very interested. It was actually here on your site: http://www.osnews.com/story/2385... And I was wrong, the figure was actually 70%. Still though... does it really surprise you that many people (probably the majority of them) pirate for no other reason than because they want free shit, and would do so no matter what the price was? Is it a fact you're willing to concede? Here's another article on the subject: http://www.wired.com/gamelife/20... |
| RE[4]: The rumour is true - automated file sharing of apps sux |
| By Thom_Holwerda on 2012-07-23 17:55:29 |
|
> It was actually here on your site: Heh, I usually remember what I link to :P. Thanks though, I need to dive back into that. Edited 2012-07-23 17:55 UTC |
| RE[2]: I'd like to call BS on this............ |
| By OMRebel on 2012-07-23 18:07:47 |
|
> Obviously since the firms who want to benefit intellectual property must only be evil right? If the game was only pirated 10% then would that be OK? How about 25%? 50%? 80%? 99%? I can make up numbers too. I am asking how many times was their game pirated? They didn't post any stats at all - which is telling in their motives. They are getting their free advertisement. |
| RE[2]: Comment by ephracis |
| By Soulbender on 2012-07-23 18:20:18 |
|
> Our banks set a precedence that Debit Card purchases are "final" online. So, if we want any kind of security and "come back" when a purchase goes wrong, we need to use Credit Cards. I was going to say "that sounds a bit odd" but then I realized who have the most to benefit from credit cards.... |
| RE[6]: What about kids? |
| By gan17 on 2012-07-23 18:26:32 |
|
> Play wants a credit card, not a debit card. Eh?! I use a Visa Debit tied to a regular savings account for my Google Wallet/Play, Paypal, iTunes, etc. No problems here. Singapore, btw. Edit: Google Wallet's main FAQ page also states that it accepts Debit and Electron cards, fyi. Of course, it might be dependent on your bank's policy. Edited 2012-07-23 18:35 UTC |
| Clarification |
| By SVPirate on 2012-07-23 18:40:58 |
|
Firstly you don't need a credit card, you need a valid payment card i.e. credit or debit card to pay for the Play Store, any Visa, Mastercard etc. is fine. No need to go into debt for Google. World finance lesson: Every UK bank account for over-16s comes with a Debit Card included (although I think for 2 years they are in-store only) so everyone in the UK prettymuch has the means to pay for Play Store stuff. Also dreaded debt incurring credit cards are common in the UK, not so much in mainland Europe so it's totally not the case that not many people use them outside the US. Basically, pretty-much everyone in the developed world (and a lot of people outside it too, including lots of stolen ones ;) ) has some kind of Visa or Mastercard that works with the Play Store. Secondly you only need a payment card to buy paid apps. Free ones will download without any payment details. As for who's pirating 99p games? Well the usual suspects, people who have grown up on the idea that they can freeload everywhere and it doesn't matter. Steal music, steal games, steal movies, no-one cares right? Stick it to the man! Well no, what you're actually doing is sticking it to the hardworking people who create all this stuff and basically saying 'we don't care about your stuff'. They might only get a tiny share but that little scrap is what they live off. |
| Piracy Rates |
| By Alfman on 2012-07-23 19:08:42 |
|
Can anyone tell me how they go about measuring software "piracy" in the first place? Even if a publisher had a way to track software installs, it seems difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal copies. Is there a fudge factor to compensate for legitimate transfers and fair use rights, or is every install per unique device above the number of copies sold considered a violation whether it is technically a copyright violation or not? I ask this question generically since like Thom has remarked, this publisher has released no numbers and we're left to take them at their word. |
| RE[6]: What about kids? |
| By Savior on 2012-07-23 19:20:50 |
| I live in Hungary, and (for the time being, while one is free :)) I own two debit cards, one Mastercard and one Visa. I've yet to find a page that does not accept them. And they are debit cards alright, I can't pay with them if I don't have money on the associated bank account. I'd be very much surprised if the Dutch system was different. |
| News | Features | Interviews |
| Blog | Contact | Editorials |