4 ms·
Welcome to software and the internet. Distribution is far easier, but so is copyright infringement. If you've released your own software, 10:1 shouldn't be surp
by tumult 18y ago
Welcome to software and the internet. Distribution is far easier, but so is copyright infringement. If you've released your own software, 10:1 shouldn't be surprising. Stuff like audio software is even worse, where the ratio spirals completely out of control and small developers will often need a second job.
Would all those people have bought the game if the bootlegging weren't available? No way. But it definitely would have been better. Well, maybe? Hm.
It's a trade-off you're basically forced to make now, even if you don't want it. It also doesn't help that lots of sales still come from boxed copies for some reason (which costs money to produce..) and all of the piracy happens over the internet (where it costs extremely little to distribute over) so developers looking to increase sales of games have to pony up even more money upfront to get boxed copies into stores.
- jcl 18y agoI've seen a 90% piracy rate mentioned in several articles now; I wouldn't be surprised if it's industry standard. If so, Stardock is actually doing much better than mainstream publishers. http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/world-of-goo-has-90-piracy-rate/ http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/world-of-goo-has-90-piracy... http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/01/06/soccer-game-has-90-piracy-rate-will-not-add-drm http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/01/06/soccer-game-has-90-pi...
- req2 18y agoWorld of Goo was later revised down to a little below the 5/6 seen here. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/11/15/world-of-goo-piracy-rate-82/ http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/11/15/world-of-goo-pira... Conversion rate appears to be 1:1000 with piracy numbers this high. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17350 http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17350