I agree, I don't think it would be super effective to say "Please don't pirate", like an after school special or something. What I think they should have done

I agree, I don't think it would be super effective to say "Please don't pirate", like an after school special or something. What I think they should have done was used it as a marketing opportunity and given the pirates another opportunity to buy they game and get more value after they have already been playing it and know they like it. (Get more value by removing the severe pirating problem within the game so that they can progress farther)