Being a gamer is a very expensive hobby to have nowadays. With most systems and games costing hundreds of dollars, along with the addition of subscriptions to play online, and maybe even having to buy a peripheral just to get the game to work, it seems like having fun comes with a heavy price tag. So what do we resort to when we can’t afford the things we enjoy so much? Find deals of course. This way of thinking leads us into the topic that I am going to talk about today, piracy.

Now let’s get something out of the way before we go any further, I, in no way shape or form, condone piracy. That being said, there are two sides to every debate, and to be fair, we are going to take a look at the positive and negative effects of both of them. Let’s start with the lesser evil first, those who are against it.

The main argument against this practice, at least in my opinion anyway, is that it takes away money from developers and publishers, which in turn gives them less resources to make quality games with. Granted, anything entertainment related does cost money to make, but at the same time, developers usually take the risks themselves, because they are not sure if the product is going to be successful or not. So while this philosophy does hold some merit, as long as a quality product comes from it, I’m sure people will have no problem buying into the hype, no pun intended of course.

Now let’s move on to the more controversial side of this topic, those who choose to pirate games. Their main argument is that the price of most digital experiences nowadays are way to high, and they don’t want to spend too much money on something that might not be worth their investment in the long run. While saving money is never a bad thing, going about it in anyway other than simply waiting for a sale on the marketplace of a specific console or a trustworthy website is a risky situation to get into. One, you’re never 100 percent sure where the code or key is coming from, and two, if the person is only into it for making a profit for themselves, chances are the creators aren’t making any profit what so ever. So  if you enjoy a game and want to see more projects from this creator in the future, chances are it’s not going to happen.

So where does that leave us you might ask? Well, to be honest, I’m not really sure. Each side holds a valid argument to a certain extent. If it we’re up to me, and I was strapped for cash, I would probably go for a deal, but I  would also want to make sure it comes from a reputable place with a good track record that cares about everybody who was involved in the project. If you choose to go the other way, I can’t honestly stop you, but please remember one thing, in this industry, when people speak with their wallets, almost anything can happen.