Top 10 Most Pirated Games of 2008

As 2008 is slowly moving toward its end, we start taking a look at the most pirated titles in various categories. First up are games. As expected, Spore is by far the most downloaded game on BitTorrent, in part thanks to the DRM that came with the game.

[Rick AstIey]

Next up: GTA IV

[chrisgay]

If PC gaming were to go down the pan, I wouldn't be suprised at all if so many PC "gamers" steal all the games they're so fond of. I know if I were a developer I would definitely not give these cheapskates more entertainment to steal.

[Sharpshell]

spore getting pirated BECAUSE of DRM, I think its basically prooof that companies should say look, we arn't doing anything to hinder you guys stealing, casue you can always beat us, so please return the favor of not fing up your pcs by buying the game... thank you

[Brock Danger]

And PC gamers think they're the real "hardcore" when so many of them have no problem stealing from the industry they "love" so much. At least we're not in a recession.

[Rob0g0rilla]

85 million dollars that EA should of had. I heard it's a great game. Damn, what a bad way to show your appreciation for all that work that went into such a good game. What a waste. It's like these guys want them to stop making PC games. These guys are going to ruin it for the people that actually buy the games & upgraded their computer to play them when companies abandon the PC.

If they don't find a solution for this then we will probably see more people pirating the game more then people actually buying it(if that isn't happening already).

[Yi-Long]

Most of the downloads are from people who wouldnt be buying the game anyway, and just download it to quickly check it out.

Also, it isnt piracy that is killing the industry: It's the developers and their whole attitude towards the consumer.

Would I wanna buy a product from a company that will come running after me when I just bought their product and left the store, just so it can sell me additional stuff that probably could and should have already been included in the deal!?

There are a few developers who are treating us, the gamers, the customers, the RIGHT way. They keep supporting their product and adding to it through DLC, instead of abusing that opportunity to get more money from our pocket.

Criterion is doing a GREATTTTTT job with their Burnout Paradise, so many MANY people are very willing to buy their product (and they're creating a whole lot of good-will for their upcoming games).

On the other hand, you only have to look at EA and their Dead Space, as a prime example of how it should NOT be done!

So would I rather buy Dead Space, or Burnout Paradise!? Gee....(!)

You want to 'stop' piracy? Offer good value for money, so people dont feel they're getting the short stick of the bargain! (and even when you do everything right, there will ALWAYS be piracy.

[Yi-Long]

.... seeing if and how it will work on their hardware, any conflicts, any bugs, if it runs smoothly, etc.

With a console game, you just read reviews and pretty much everyone's experience is the same, when it comes to these issues. With a PC, you just never know for sure. So people download the game to check it out first.

Obviously, many people who download it will never pay for the game. Either they will just play the pirate cause it's a better version than the one that's in the store (No DRM, no-cd crack, etc), or they have checked the game out and didnt like it enough to buy it, or to keep playing it.

Plus, it's pretty hard to feel sorry for developers that include DRM into their product, or are trying to rip you off with DLC moments after the game comes out...

I'm not much of a PC gamer, and I dont have a modded console, but TBH the more and more of this DLC crap we are getting hit over the head with time and time again, the more I'm starting to get an attitude of 'screw them!'.
I dont want to 'support' a game that tries to scam us like that, and on the other hand I do want to play the game. I can see why some people will choose piracy for some games.

[FantasyStar]

Agreed, I wished that I downloaded Gears of War PC before I bought it.

[TheIneffableBob]

If developers want more PC game sales, then they will have to put out more demos. I don't know why so few demos are released of games. A lot of downloads are done just to try out a game so why not let gamers try out a game legally instead of having to pirate?

[darkjanus]

while a i hate DRM with a passion, im paying $60 for a game i want to own it not rent it, i still hate pirates even more. There are no legitimate reasons to steal a product just because you dont want to pay for it.

DRM is a useless idea as it only affects legitimate customers. I have nothing against a cd-key required for instal or a disk check, but anything more is pointlesss as pirates simply remove these anyway.

If you want to play a game pay for it like the rest of us.

[Electricear]

I will never support draconian DRM games. That being said I'm also not a pirate. My feeling is that downloading software illegally is just another way of supporting DRM. Yes the download is DRM free, but it doesn't make the company's remove DRM, instead it pressures the company's to look for more and more invasive forms of DRM. If I desire a DRM ridden game so much that I feel the need to download it, then I would rather buy the game and deal with the DRM; however, I prefer to protest in a way that doesn't encourage DRM at all. It's my opinion that if a person downloads a game because they don't want DRM, then they should also pay for the game with DRM as well, because both actions support DRM in some fashion, but only one helps the people who made the game make more.

[Silvia007]

game companies are the victims. Please people, the only drive for them to make games is... "TO MAKE MONEY". You think they "CARE" about you? WTF are you people smoking? As long as there is money to be made, there will be games. Even with this many pirates, the games industry is not going to die any time soon, it's still a multi billion dollar industry. If you can't protect your product, expect people to take it for free. Regardless, you'll still make money and because of that fact, there will "STILL" be games. Where did the idea that companies exist solely to provide for the customer come from? They will never stop using DRM because if it prevents even just a couple people from downloading it, then it's doing it's job just fine and probably, in their eyes, is worth every cent it cost to implement. I buy most of my games but when I purchased one that suck deep sh!t, cough *Blazing Angels* cough, I do get ticked off, it's like I just wiped my @ss with $60 that I could have given to charity. In the end, every company is out to get your green and will do anything in their power to get it in any way it can.

The way I see it, if someone makes a game available for download, why not. Even if it's the "wrong" thing to do. I have yet to see one truly righteous person out there. If it bothers you people so much about doing the right thing... why not go out and help a family in need this Christmas, donate your PSP like I did. So a million or so people downloaded a game that belongs to a company, now they can't take home that $50,000,000 dollar bonus anymore or the CEO couldn't get that new Yacht to add to his collection of 50. In my eye's... Big F'ing deal. The truth is, those who pretend to be hurt so bad could care less about people outside their family so why pretend like you care. I say, stfu people.

[led1090]

wierd spore still sold more than 2 million copies....and crysis it wasnt pirated as much as yerli said.....certainly not 4-5 times as much.....even that game has sold almost 2 million.....plus most of the piracy comes from countries like india...that get games like a month or two late........its not as bad as ppl think......