Save the Internet: The SOPA/PIPA thread.

[Sol]

I didn't care anywhere near enough to read most of that, but it seems like that guy is just kind of pulling statistics from nowhere

Not to mention that the argument that "if you pirate a game copy the original file is still there so the business doesn't lose money" is kind of garbage. You are using their product for free, instead of purchasing it. That is where they lose money. "I wouldn't have bought the game anyway" Big fucking deal. Digital distributors like Steam deal ENTIRELY with downloads. The idea that people pay money for those downloads is their bread and butter.

And the whole thing about people liking a game they pirate and then recommending it to friends who will buy it? That is also garbage. I find it really unlikely that they would tell them to play the game, without also saying "here, I'll give it to you for free! it's really easy!"

Nonono, they're sitting their in their chair feeling proud of themselves, thinking about how much they're doing for the game industry by getting all their piracy-oblivious friends to purchase that title. What a bunch of bullshit.

I do think DRM is terrible a lot of times, and there are other ways to maaaybe reduce pirating that aren't so crazy and awful while also allowing the interested gamer to try the game, (hint: demos, release demos of your games) but arguments like that are just very very slanted and irritating. When you pirate a game, you are stealing. You're utilizing a service that you did not pay for. You are stealing. That's it.

also laughing about how the guy felt the need to specify that the guys were black and asian in his examples LOL

Edit: To be a bit more on topic, SOPA and PIPA are terrible, and everyone should be emailing congress and signing these petitions that are everywhere like the one on Google in an effort to destroy them.