I'd say it depends, really. Stealing is neutral on its own. There are cases where it's bad and cases where it's good. Piracy is just good on its own merits. There is no way in my mind that I can possibly frame it negatively.
Furthermore, bananas are good and so is peanut butter, but despite the fact that I often eat them together, they are not the same thing. And differentiating between them is hardly a petty semantic argument, though technically it is semantics.
You can't convince me pirated films don't affect movie sales at all. It doesn't make any sense. If it didn't affect their sales at all (or even helped them as some argue), why would they even care to spread propaganda about it? I don't give a fuck if Disney or whatever makes less money and I'll keep pirating everything because it is awesome, but maybe don't pirate something by random indie developer/director who makes $5 made.
If it didn’t affect their sales at all (or even helped them as some argue), why would they even care to spread propaganda about it?
Because they're fucking stupid and they think it does affect their sales, despite all evidence to the contrary. These companies are not made up of infallible AI superhumans, they're made up of dumb out-of-touch boomers. They fuck up all the time.
What evidence? Somehow I doubt all the mega-corporations whose sole purpose is making money and figuring out ways to do it better are all just completely stupid and none of them have ever figured out that piracy doesn't affect sales. Because it definitely does and the only reason it doesn't dent sales more is because there's people who don't know how to pirate stuff, people who are afraid of doing that, and people who chose not to, and all 3 groups are shrinking. It makes no sense to argue it has 0 effect on sales. How does it make sense to say that if something is also available completely free of charge, it somehow doesn't affect sales??
Somehow I doubt all the mega-corporations whose sole purpose is making money and figuring out ways to do it better are all just completely stupid and none of them have ever figured out that piracy doesn’t affect sales.
most of them dont think piracy affects sales, because it doesnt
At this point you are being incoherent. First you say there is a massive propaganda campaign by businesses, then you say most don't really believe it affects sales. If they don't think it affects their sales, why don't they just make paying optional?
It just makes no sense and I have no idea why people still insists it does. It seems like a weird stupid reddit myth that stuck because they would feel bad for pirating stuff if they thought it hurt sales. Something is literally available for free instead of having to pay for it, of course people will prefer free shit than paying for them. To argue that it somehow doesn't affect sales is like saying that none of the people who pirate things would buy them if piracy wasn't an option, which is such a weird argument and patently false. I guess they just don't remember the time before all the piracy websites?
because that would affect their income. piracy, on the other hand, does not.
It is literally the exact same shit with piracy, if someone is willing and knows how to pirate something, paying is practically optional for them. And again, the groups unwilling or unable to pirate something are shrinking. I can't believe this is something that has to be explained, if people can get something for free, they will usually try to get it for free instead of paying for it. You're just making stuff up. Businesses know and understand it affects their income, that's why they freak out about piracy that much. I'm not sure why so many people are willing to act like piracy doesn't affect profits at all, it's just such a dumb idea.
the venn diagram of people who would buy your thing and people who will pirate your thing has practically no overlap
In what sense is that true? This is such a ridiculous take. Why would that be the case? Do you think the only people who pirate stuff are extremely poor and would never buy it unless they could get it for free? Almost no one wants to pay for something they can just get for free and as time passes, more and more people learn how to pirate stuff and are less afraid to do so. Especially movies. Do you remember DVD rental clubs? Because I do. Do you remember people buying DVDs to watch? Because I do. Guess what all these people are doing now. Even subscription services take a hit, why would I pay money for Netflix and Apple TV and this and that when I can just pirate all the shit they play?
The first bit of flavor text in the game is someone complaining (justly) about how the Soviets give everyone free healthcare while the Americans have the privatized Trauma Team™ that's pretty likely to just let you die and harvest your organs.
Now I really want a Cyberpunk USSR where you just use your cyber strength to help build rockets and venture towards the stars.
The "American" (USA no longer exists) healthcare is even funnier than that IMO. If you have enough money for private health insurance, the health insurance implant in your body will automatically calculate the cost of curing you when you get sick or injured. If you can cover the cost, a private flying ambulance will swoop down and pick you up, and if not you just die and somebody comes by later to harvest your implants.
Thesis: cyberpunk is trash fuck cd projekt
Antithesis: cyberpunk is good you should buy it
Synthesis: cyberpunk is good you should steal it
piracy is not theft
Stealing is good so it’s really just semantics isn’t it
I'd say it depends, really. Stealing is neutral on its own. There are cases where it's bad and cases where it's good. Piracy is just good on its own merits. There is no way in my mind that I can possibly frame it negatively.
Furthermore, bananas are good and so is peanut butter, but despite the fact that I often eat them together, they are not the same thing. And differentiating between them is hardly a petty semantic argument, though technically it is semantics.
Ok yeah I guess you’re right if you wanna be a fuckin NERD :cringe:
There are reasons. As in, in some cases it hurts creators because they lose money. Though to what extent that happens really depends.
No one loses money as a result of piracy. Not gaining money from a specific person is not the same thing as losing money.
Some people who would otherwise buy it don't because they can get it for free.
Negligible amounts of people at worst. This is a non-factor, and ridiculous propaganda spread by giant corporations.
You can't convince me pirated films don't affect movie sales at all. It doesn't make any sense. If it didn't affect their sales at all (or even helped them as some argue), why would they even care to spread propaganda about it? I don't give a fuck if Disney or whatever makes less money and I'll keep pirating everything because it is awesome, but maybe don't pirate something by random indie developer/director who makes $5 made.
Because they're fucking stupid and they think it does affect their sales, despite all evidence to the contrary. These companies are not made up of infallible AI superhumans, they're made up of dumb out-of-touch boomers. They fuck up all the time.
What evidence? Somehow I doubt all the mega-corporations whose sole purpose is making money and figuring out ways to do it better are all just completely stupid and none of them have ever figured out that piracy doesn't affect sales. Because it definitely does and the only reason it doesn't dent sales more is because there's people who don't know how to pirate stuff, people who are afraid of doing that, and people who chose not to, and all 3 groups are shrinking. It makes no sense to argue it has 0 effect on sales. How does it make sense to say that if something is also available completely free of charge, it somehow doesn't affect sales??
most of them dont think piracy affects sales, because it doesnt
You're saying that based on what?
At this point you are being incoherent. First you say there is a massive propaganda campaign by businesses, then you say most don't really believe it affects sales. If they don't think it affects their sales, why don't they just make paying optional?
It just makes no sense and I have no idea why people still insists it does. It seems like a weird stupid reddit myth that stuck because they would feel bad for pirating stuff if they thought it hurt sales. Something is literally available for free instead of having to pay for it, of course people will prefer free shit than paying for them. To argue that it somehow doesn't affect sales is like saying that none of the people who pirate things would buy them if piracy wasn't an option, which is such a weird argument and patently false. I guess they just don't remember the time before all the piracy websites?
You know that even one giant business which believes wacky shit can pump out ridiculous amounts of propaganda, yeah?
because that would affect their income. piracy, on the other hand, does not.
It is literally the exact same shit with piracy, if someone is willing and knows how to pirate something, paying is practically optional for them. And again, the groups unwilling or unable to pirate something are shrinking. I can't believe this is something that has to be explained, if people can get something for free, they will usually try to get it for free instead of paying for it. You're just making stuff up. Businesses know and understand it affects their income, that's why they freak out about piracy that much. I'm not sure why so many people are willing to act like piracy doesn't affect profits at all, it's just such a dumb idea.
the venn diagram of people who would buy your thing and people who will pirate your thing has practically no overlap
that's why it doesn't affect profits
In what sense is that true? This is such a ridiculous take. Why would that be the case? Do you think the only people who pirate stuff are extremely poor and would never buy it unless they could get it for free? Almost no one wants to pay for something they can just get for free and as time passes, more and more people learn how to pirate stuff and are less afraid to do so. Especially movies. Do you remember DVD rental clubs? Because I do. Do you remember people buying DVDs to watch? Because I do. Guess what all these people are doing now. Even subscription services take a hit, why would I pay money for Netflix and Apple TV and this and that when I can just pirate all the shit they play?
and yet, despite piracy being hardly a barrier at all, video games and movies and tv shows still profit
hmmmmmmmm
I literally explained that a thousand times already, jeez.
blargthesis: the workers get direct pay bonuses from you buying it though most of the profit still goes to ghouls
The first bit of flavor text in the game is someone complaining (justly) about how the Soviets give everyone free healthcare while the Americans have the privatized Trauma Team™ that's pretty likely to just let you die and harvest your organs.
Now I really want a Cyberpunk USSR where you just use your cyber strength to help build rockets and venture towards the stars.
The "American" (USA no longer exists) healthcare is even funnier than that IMO. If you have enough money for private health insurance, the health insurance implant in your body will automatically calculate the cost of curing you when you get sick or injured. If you can cover the cost, a private flying ambulance will swoop down and pick you up, and if not you just die and somebody comes by later to harvest your implants.