Piracy ‘could kill Mac-gaming’

Stridder44

Stridder44

Universal Traveler
Check it out here! A very good article explaining how stealing Mac-games might cripple, or even slaughter over time, the mac-game industry (which is a given).
 
It is a smoke screen. They are trying to divert attention away from why they aren't making more Mac games.

If piracy was an issue for them, they would have dropped the PC market long ago as that is where it is most prevalent (per user). The Mac platform doesn't have nearly as much piracy (or piracy resources) as the PC platform.

What is actually happening is that they are getting tons of calls about Mac games and are looking for something to say in response as they plan on phasing out Mac games.

It is completely disingenuous if you ask me... and this isn't the first time they've said it.
 
Macs never had games. Sim City, Sim Tower, sure it had the classics, but Macs will never be up to scratch with the PC in terms of games. I say don't even bother.
 
Veljo said:
Macs never had games. Sim City, Sim Tower, sure it had the classics, but Macs will never be up to scratch with the PC in terms of games. I say don't even bother.
Click to expand...

Yeah!
Since Unreal 2004 runs just as well on my G5 as it does on my Dual Athlon 2.6 I can see where you are coming from.

I just don't play that many games... I have work to do.
 
Macs have never been known for their games. What is there to cripple? :)

It used to be basically Maxis and Bungie and the MacSoft ports. Of course, Maxis doesn't do much other than The Sims anymore and Bungie was bought out by Microsoft because of Halo (which was supposed to be Mac/PC from the beginning). Then you may have got a big-name PC game a year later if you were lucky but it would usually run like crap even on a fast Mac. I used to spend most of my time with Myst, Myth, Sim games, and Ambrosia classics... but now there's really nothing that interesting for the Mac. I use mine for work (and playing Apeiron), the PC's collecting dust until the good games come out this summer. :)

As far as piracy on the PC (or of music for that matter)... while it is obviously illegal and wrong, at least it may filter out all the over-hyped junk that makes it to the store shelves. :)
 
I see where you guys are comming from, but lets say MacSoft ports games and spends 22,000 on devlopment and media (and shipping). and they make 22,100 back on, do you really think they want to port the games anymore? This isnt about the 'Game industry' as a whole. There are low funded Mac devlopers porting theses games. I think there was a report a few weeks ago that said Halo was stolen more times than it was bought, wouldnt that make you stop porting game right away?
 
RacerX said:
It is a smoke screen. They are trying to divert attention away from why they aren't making more Mac games.

If piracy was an issue for them, they would have dropped the PC market long ago as that is where it is most prevalent (per user). The Mac platform doesn't have nearly as much piracy (or piracy resources) as the PC platform.

What is actually happening is that they are getting tons of calls about Mac games and are looking for something to say in response as they plan on phasing out Mac games.

It is completely disingenuous if you ask me... and this isn't the first time they've said it.
Click to expand...

The article is talking about the porters like Aspyr and MacSoft, not about the industry in general. In this respect, I would happen to side with the porters on this, because if I port a product to the Mac that someone else wrote, I am already on leaner margins because of the licensing fees. Couple that with the much smaller market, and a smaller amount of piracy has a bigger effect on my income. While I can't confirm the numbers for piracy of Halo, if they are true... it does not bode well for them getting income in the amounts required to afford to port MORE Mac games next year than they did this year.

While those of us coughing up the money for the games feel like we are being accused of some sort of wrong-doing, we aren't the only ones who have an effect on the amount of resources a company has available to expand.
 
To publish a popular title such as Halo, developer/publishers must customarily pay the owner of the PC version of the product a licensing fee. They must then sustain development costs, packaging and distribution costs – and are often required to pay a certain royalty to the original publisher on sales. In many cases, even a minimum royalty payment is set, and Mac publishers may have to pay the balance due under that agreement if a game fails.
Click to expand...
That's the key. RacerX is 100% right on. Can someone, anyone, name one pirated Mac game that they own? Or that they know someone owns? What about a pc game? Different story, right?
 
Randman said:
That's the key. RacerX is 100% right on. Can someone, anyone, name one pirated Mac game that they own? Or that they know someone owns? What about a pc game? Different story, right?
Click to expand...

I could easily name a couple people. The problem being, how many people who participate in such activity are likely to hang out here talking about their piracy? Taking a sample of a group like this is not going to do anything but prove your point. There is a reason why piracy rings/etc are referred to as 'underground'... mostly because they know exactly how illegal what they are doing is, and minimize their chances of getting caught by staying out of the limelight or being anonymous whenever possible.

Unfortunately, I see your argument as saying 'If I don't know anyone who has done it, and nobody I talk to knows anyone, it isn't a problem'... Here in the US, I have yet to see anyone attack/shoot/rape/kill/etc anyone else... but it doesn't mean it isn't a problem that needs to be addressed.
 
People like to claim that Mac users do not pirate as much proportionally as PC users. This may be true, but I have yet to see any evidence of this. I think it's wishiful thinking. I would love to see any actual report, chart, anything...

I can assure you that there are gobs of Mac pirates out there. I used to be one of them. The community is alive and well (and growing rapidly). There are PLENTY of tools for Mac users to pirate. Not that I'm endorsing it.

I know dozens of people with nothing but pirated Mac games. Yes, it's shameful. I could name names, but I'm not going to. Mainly because there is no point given that nobody would know who I'm talking about. I can name myself for one (formerly). I am now all legit. Of my peers, I am in the minority.

I think the developers (porters) should absolutely be concerned. The Mac game market is so pathetic to begin with. Any additional hit from piracy will be devestating. And yes, it is a legitimate argument IMO. And when games go away from Macs forever (the big games that is), I will laugh in the face of all the pirates who made it happen. If you don't believe me, go to versiontrakcer.com and read the reviews of Halo for Mac. There are several idiots who say right there that they will heretofore pirate all Macsoft games simply because MacSoft provided an update that requires the CD in order to play. Yeah, it's annoying, but does that somehow justify rampant piracy? These people deserve what they get.

The PC market is a copletely different story due to sheer volume. You can still make money even if half your audience pirates your game.
 
I think everyone knows our Rules here at Macosx.com regarding pirarcy/warez.
Anyone posting info on where to get warez or serials or any boards to go to, will have the thread edited and that info taken out, THE FIRST TIME. Second time you'll be banned, depending on who the Mod is.
 
well, I wasn't serious about naming names. :) But I am a little surprised to hear people say it is so rampant. I'd still like to hear some figures from these companies. I still say if more companies supported Mac users with their titles, more people would buy games. There's no solid reason other than the bottomline why Macs can't be good gaming machines.
I love Halo on the XBox. I'm addicted to it right now. And if it had come out for the Macs early on, I'd be all on it. I may still get a copy (legally, of course) just to support Mac gaming but it's not a crucial need because I was able to get it on a different platform I own.
The computer-gaming industry needs to do more to support the platform and build the bottomline and less whining and threatening to withdraw what feeble support exists. /end rant.
 
RacerX said:
It is a smoke screen. They are trying to divert attention away from why they aren't making more Mac games.

If piracy was an issue for them, they would have dropped the PC market long ago as that is where it is most prevalent (per user). The Mac platform doesn't have nearly as much piracy (or piracy resources) as the PC platform.

What is actually happening is that they are getting tons of calls about Mac games and are looking for something to say in response as they plan on phasing out Mac games.

It is completely disingenuous if you ask me... and this isn't the first time they've said it.
Click to expand...
when you have only 2% of the total PC market, each and every sales count. If 10% of the games get pirated on the PC market, and the game sells 1 million, then they still have 900k sales. If the Mac was 2% of that (total sales), then a 10% piracy would damn near equal no sales. Not enough to cover costs.
 
speedfreak said:
buy an xbox already!!
Click to expand...
You can't hook up a keyboard and a mouse to an Xbox. We have a GameCube, and while it's fun and everything, I much prefer playing games on my computer.
 
MDLarson said:
You can't hook up a keyboard and a mouse to an Xbox. We have a GameCube, and while it's fun and everything, I much prefer playing games on my computer.
Click to expand...

and I sorta like sharing the experience of playing video games with my friends around my much bigger television at times.

doesn't really matter now which system you get; they're all up for newer iterations here shortly.
 
<Aspyr has been forced to examine copy protection for Macs.>

Better late than never... instead of crying, they could implement copy-protection schemes just like I've seen on the PC in the past 5 years. Serious thieves will keep on stealing (I know people on the PC who don't own a single piece of software, starting from XP) - casual, hobby-level people will start again buying games.

And if these games will be ported in 3 months (or even better, simultaneously, just like Blizzard masterworks) the chances I'll buy them will increase ten-fold.

<<<BTW, the Mac is a wonderful games-machine, and there are TONS of great games on the Mac. What doesn't arrive on our platform is usually crap. trust me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top