The (un)surprising role Steam places in piracy?
I wanted to share a few quotes from readers who have submitted their stories about piracy—sometimes for, sometimes against—and one common thread I found: Steam.
Here’s one…
“I’ll admit that (maybe…) I pirated a game once (As I might have with 1 movie, for the same reason). The sole reason was that I couldn’t find it for sale anywhere in Australia, and it wasn’t available on Steam. I couldn’t easily find an import copy either. Pirating looked like my only option to play the game. I did feel pretty bad about it and luckily managed to buy the game when I was visiting overseas a little while back. So, it made me feel better about it. Thank goodness Steam has such a large catalogue now and it’s so much cheaper than in stores.”
And another…
“The last one was Doom 3 when it leaked before launch. Before that, I downloaded whatever I pleased and didn’t feel remorseful, but for some reason my reasonable brain kicked in and I felt horrible when I played the game. Maybe it was the fact that the game put me on edge, but that’s when I stopped pirating. Years later, I own all the games I pirated (even if I never played them, thanks in part to Steam sales) and all the music I also stole in my youth. Honestly, it’s like a weight was hoisted from my shoulders. Conscience + 1, I suppose.”
I probably received at least a dozen or so responses that quoted (and thanked) Steam.
