In my opinion education is the key, if people understand that piracy is theft in the strictest sense then that would reduce it. They need to understand that they are stealing.
Then after understanding that it is theft, it is what makes a person think the theft reasonable, and in that regard I agree with above, but in the order of availability followed by affordability.
Availability - You won't sell it to me so I will take it.
Affordability - You want to rip me off so I will take it.
We have often had publishers delay releases across the globe by platform to try and combat both piracy and grey importation. Many in the West will import games from India so as to have a reduced price, so the release there is delayed.
PC is often delayed as it is the most pirated platform, this is to ensure Console sales before pirate PC is available.
First of all Ross... Huge props to you for being so active on these forums since it has got to be real hard work since you're a developer and all but I couldn't help but expand the above topic!
Where I live people still think that the <$1 copy of a game they buy in most shops are legal and only downloading a game is illegal... So the lack of education point you raise completely valid! Though if you would understand the main issue of "affordability" you'll find a different picture... I myself though understand piracy and try to support developers such as you as best as I possibly can. But since I'm only 16 and live off my parents money I'll have to say my parents aren't the richest people in the world and anything such as gaming consoles and PCs and others mainly come out of my own pocket,,, basically I can't afford much of these things so you can take me out of the picture of discussion... BUT! The average Joe who, lets suppose, loves video games, is gonna have a pretty hard struggle(and I use "pretty" loosely here) getting his "objects of desire"... Let's expand on that. So this individual raises some side change and finally gets a console or mid-range/high-end PC ... And he loves one of any those sports franchise's videogames (e.g. FIFA, Madden, NBA type) he's gonna have to cough up some more dough to finally get his hands on one... Now considering that MOST games aren't imported in most countries in Asia and beyond, he has to pay a huge amount of money cause of price changes, which in the end sum up to something around half of his salary! Now he can't play the same game forever can he? He's only human... And there are tons of new releases every year. But the problem here is that.. down in this part of the world there are a LOT of said "average Joes"! Sorry for the long rant but this is something that ALWAYS bothers me!
Your'e a developer and only you and all those other ones can really understand how it feels when you work so hard on something and people start to steal it and take advantage of you... But what about the guys could be barely afford a console and then when they finally struggle for one they get hit with the heart attack of unusually prices like GTA IV's when it was released...
Keep in mind that I'm talking about avid gamers... P.S. Pay-checks in third world countries is noticeably low compared to first world!
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(Exhales) Sorry for the long rant and again real thanks for keeping up with your customers on PlanetCricket! Good luck!
...Side question... is the game going to be released in Pakistan at all? And like will the prices be balanced or is it going to cost the same as it would in Australia?
Looking real forward to the game and TBH I myself hope to be a developer some day
Cheers!
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I wanted to call it BA Cricket but thought that I might get into a bit of trouble
We will reveal the name at a closer time to launch.
Some suggestions:
1. ICC Cricket 2014* (
*or whatever the the releasing year)
2. Cricket 2014 (Supposing EA didn't patent that stuff... EA Cricket is dead anyways... though can't remember the last time it lived either xD)
3. World Series/Cup/Championship Cricket
And no offense but PLEASE... Don't include Big Ant in the name cause those things sound like arcade games like Cricket Revolution... It has to feel official EVEN if it's not... Here's hoping for something that lives up to its tagline
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