You want to talk about ethics and double standards? You want to open your mouth and say that piracy is bad; it kills the industry; and it leaves companies without money? Have you ever stopped to consider that piracy isn’t the worst thing happening in the industry?
Worst isn't so much a quantifiable element. What is quantifiable is the reach of the issue. Beta keys are limited, piracy is not.
Essentially, to use a crappy analogy, we're talking about two different felony offenses but one happens 50x more often than the other, so which do you think is going to be the primary focus for the police?
they could stop piracy very easily and simply by increasing the convieniance of their service.
NO online passes, I put in starhawk last week and I had to sit through a long download, Then I had to download the starhawk online pass then after 20 minutes wasted I finally got to play my game and im a paying customer.
Online passes are just a big inconvieniance.
More platforms need to take a look at steam.
They offer a better service than pirates, they cracked the russian market which is notorious for pirating by having a severe lack of anti piracy features.
If you push people away they will go away.
These are 2 completely different issues. I am not going to write much more but to express my opinion on the matter I will say Nitrowolf2 said it best.
Pirates are stealing practically, while the whole beta key argument is just about self entitlement.
Like Nintro said the devs were never going to see a penny of betas in the first place. Why? because betas are meant to be free anyways, so what does it matter if the publisher who has to financially push and market the end product makes a little more through beta keys.
This argument is on the redundant side. No offense.
Stupid article and heres why. These people who "obtain" beta keys dont find them under their pillows when they wake up. It takes ALOT of time and stress to get these beta keys (trust me I know) and like they say time is money.
If their providing a service which people are willing to pay for whats the problem? These people who want these betas and dont want to work to get their keys will need to pay up.
"What’s even worse to note is that Dota 2 has been hinted at a free release. A game which Valve might not make money off, players are making money off"
What is this guy talking about? Valve wont make money off? Dang LoL and HoN are making tons of money and their F2P. From Characters and costumes. Heck they might even make more money since more people will be playing and buying chars and costumes etc.
I dont think this guy is a gamer or maybe he doesnt know how simple business works... comparing selling beta keys to piracy LOL!
I swear if they wanted to stop piracy all they need to do is hire a pirate.