Limiting Piracy of Cricket Games

[angad]

On a different note, request folks on this forum to raise awareness about the upcoming cricket games on any other cricketing or video gaming forums you are part of. I know there are a bunch of cricket fan forums for Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Aussie, English, NZ, WI and B'desh cricket fans. If you are part of those pls let other members of those forums know about the Ashes and Big Ant cricket games as hard-core cricket fans are more likely to purchase those than casual gamers.

A thread is already up for both the games on Indianvideogamer.com (heck, there were threads for previous titles too), but not much action on those threads (specially AC13) since not much info has been released yet.

 

[MattW]

Earlier someone had talked about EA C07 sales. It didn't sell pretty much anything in India(legally), but it was being played in almost all the households I knew. Infact even college professors play it during their break time. At that rate, its even safe to assume that about a million copies of the game were existing in India.

So what's your basis for the assumption that more advertising creating more awareness of the game would result in more legal sales?

"Oh wow, that new FIFA game looks great, I've seen that street vendor with it on the corner! I'll get it tomorrow."

A small scale distribution with minimal marketing means at least if it fails to catch on you haven't thrown huge money after promoting the game; and it makes it easier to lower prices as you're not trying to recoup promotion costs on top of everything.

What was the rate of EAC 07 during release?...Rs.999

A few have mentioned 500-1000 as the zone where people will buy games, so is that just a matter of 5 years passing changing the norms, or is 999 still to high?

 

[kingoffuel]

Personally I believe the reason that EA Cricket 07 is so popular is because it provides authenticity, is easy to run on 99% of PCs thus adding to the convenience, and also the longevity is improved by user created mods, etc.

Let's face it, if a market can't afford the price of original games, how is it going to afford the price of hardware upgrades every time a new game is released. EA Cricket 07 runs fine on my PC and I am able to use the mods to keep the game current that way. My PC can't even run Ashes 09 so I bought it for the console.

At the end of the day there are a number of reasons why a game wouldn't sell in certain markets. If it doesn't run on your PC and your National Team isn't licensed you probably wouldn't bother getting the game because of those limitations (you are limited to modding on console also).

Also, marketing is very important, if the game focuses on a tournament in which your national team has nothing to do with, it's not going to appeal to you. Case in point, Rugby League games sell in Australia, take the game to South Africa who love rugby but don't play rugby league and the game doesn't sell.

Bottom line is, if your team is marginalised (not included) you won't have an emotional attachment to the game. Why do people purchase Batman games? Because they are emotionally attached to that character, that game will sell regardless of how "buggy" it may be. Same with cricket and that's why EA Cricket 07 is so popular because it is very convenient to run and easy to customize/mod so that all teams are included in the game not just a handful.

 

[Bevab]

It's popular, but how many own a legitimate copy in India?


Not many, the thread is about discussing piracy effects, not why the game's popular.


And so, Indians wouldn't have bought FIFA 12, because it had no Indian team and they'll flock to buy this year's FIFA, just because it has an Indian team, right?

They wouldn't care on how on earth the game is, all they care is whether there's the Indian Team or not.

 

[angad]

It's popular, but how many own a legitimate copy in India?


Not many, the thread is about discussing piracy effects, not why the game's popular.


And so, Indians wouldn't have bought FIFA 12, because it had no Indian team and they'll flock to buy this year's FIFA, just because it has an Indian team, right?

They wouldn't care on how on earth the game is, all they care is whether there's the Indian Team or not.

Lol...There surely was a lot of excitement about that fact....thought not sure if it did affect the sales !

 

[kingoffuel]

It's popular, but how many own a legitimate copy in India?


Not many, the thread is about discussing piracy effects, not why the game's popular.


And so, Indians wouldn't have bought FIFA 12, because it had no Indian team and they'll flock to buy this year's FIFA, just because it has an Indian team, right?

They wouldn't care on how on earth the game is, all they care is whether there's the Indian Team or not.

FIFA sells because of the emotional attachment and gameplay. It's not about whether India is in the game or not. If you support Manchester United you'll play as that team. In India most people support the Indian cricket team as their FIRST choice. If someone doesn't like chocolate ice cream are they going to buy it if there's no vanilla flavour? NO!

And my comment is related to piracy! The fact that many people didn't buy it (Cricket 07, Ashes 09, IC 2010) and the reasons why "Emotional Attachment". If you wanted to buy EA Cricket 07 and saw it didn't include your cricket team, you'd probably say "why buy it when I can download a modded version with all the current teams and kits?"

Now if you take into account the reason people are not purchasing the game (hardware, licensing, the list goes on), then you can implement measures to assist with piracy prevention. IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE Look at the problem and work out the solutions!

 

[SibiNaayagam]

So what's your basis for the assumption that more advertising creating more awareness of the game would result in more legal sales?

"Oh wow, that new FIFA game looks great, I've seen that street vendor with it on the corner! I'll get it tomorrow."

A small scale distribution with minimal marketing means at least if it fails to catch on you haven't thrown huge money after promoting the game; and it makes it easier to lower prices as you're not trying to recoup promotion costs on top of everything.


A few have mentioned 500-1000 as the zone where people will buy games, so is that just a matter of 5 years passing changing the norms, or is 999 still to high?

Its like how 7 colors form the spectrum. We are left with 4, I was asking for the rest, together. If you are suggesting that advertising(alone) is not going to boost legal sales, then yes. You need advertising, a perfect price range and availability covering every zone, not just 3 or 4 in the city to fight piracy.

You gotta ask yourself, how many people will buy the game(legal or illegal) in a region? If the numbers are large then it is always worth investing. But, you are up against the devil himself in piracy. All problems have a solution; to fight of piracy, you gotta have the intent. Battles are won over months of efforts.

We are here to help, lets start a campaign headed by an industry giant. EA or even Reliance would do. Let us try to fight it with something sensible. Like Clarke said, Nothing is gonna get better sitting on the couch. Neither should we run, cause we ain't quitters.If the company can't make such marketing possible, its fine, plan it for the next release.

What I am witnessing here is a horde of messages talking about how hard it is to release a cricket game in India and the solution being suggested is BUY THE GAME, like none of us know that.
We have done enough analysis on the situation in India, now why can't we talk about possible and sensible solutions?

And yes 500-1000 is comfortable now, not then.

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Let's face it, if a market can't afford the price of original games, how is it going to afford the price of hardware upgrades every time a new game is released. EA Cricket 07 runs fine on my PC and I am able to use the mods to keep the game current that way. My PC can't even run Ashes 09 so I bought it for the console.

Ah common, colleges provide high-end laptops to all its students, the govt. provides free laptops(medium end) to all senior high school students. The system is there with many. Its the casual gamers who don't own a powerful PC. And they don't require mind boggling visual effects. All they require is a game that lets them relax.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Its like how 7 colors form the spectrum. We are left with 4, I was asking for the rest, together. If you are suggesting that advertising(alone) is not going to boost legal sales, then yes. You need advertising, a perfect price range and availability covering every zone, not just 3 or 4 in the city to fight piracy.

You gotta ask yourself, how many people will buy the game(legal or illegal) in a region? If the numbers are large then it is always worth investing. But, you are up against the devil himself in piracy. All problems have a solution; to fight of piracy, you gotta have the intent. Battles are won over months of efforts.

We are here to help, lets start a campaign headed by an industry giant. EA or even Reliance would do. Let us try to fight it with something sensible. Like Clarke said, Nothing is gonna get better sitting on the couch. Neither should we run, cause we ain't quitters.If the company can't make such marketing possible, its fine, plan it for the next release.

What I am witnessing here is a horde of messages talking about how hard it is to release a cricket game in India and the solution being suggested is BUY THE GAME, like none of us know that.
We have done enough analysis on the situation in India, now why can't we talk about possible and sensible solutions?

And yes 500-1000 is comfortable now, not then.

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Ah common, colleges provide high-end laptops to all its students, the govt. provides free laptops(medium end) to all senior high school students. The system is there with many. Its the casual gamers who don't own a powerful PC. And they don't require mind boggling visual effects. All they require is a game that lets them relax.

Which country do you stay in? I am sure not India as I have heard none about it

 

[SibiNaayagam]

Which country do you stay in? I am sure not India as I have heard none about it

Chennai, India.
Its that way here. Its the state government's choice. And I'm pretty sure Gujarat is better of.
And the colleges force the students to pay obviously. But not all make laptops compulsory, though most of the good ones do and there are a lot.

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If you still don't believe about the free laptops, here:
Configuration and availability


Some pictures too:

 

[Biggs]

I think I would prefer to purchase a computer myself than get a free one that has an indian lady staring back at me...

...it's like she's judging me.

 

[SibiNaayagam]

I think I would prefer to purchase a computer myself than get a free one that has an indian lady staring back at me...

...it's like she's judging me.

Don't even get us started about the political situations and awful leaders we are having here. The previous government had provided free televisions, iron boxes, and a lot of stuff too.
Freebies to lure votes! #shameful

 

[shubham1]

When Laptop is free why would people care to buy Software.

On more serious note:
We really need to be able to get rid of things getting in free from government as it is going to hurt everyone in long run

 

[Prithvi]

The best way to control piracy is by making it available at very low cost- and the higher the cost user puts, he gets good graphics- if any feature is missing, people want those features and they'll again look into piracy. Reducing the graphical quality will help because most of the computers who pirate has not so good graphic supporting drives. That is the only way we can put a full stop to piracy.

 

[SibiNaayagam]

The best way to control piracy is by making it available at very low cost- and the higher the cost user puts, he gets good graphics- if any feature is missing, people want those features and they'll again look into piracy. Reducing the graphical quality will help because most of the computers who pirate has not so good graphic supporting drives. That is the only way we can put a full stop to piracy.

You gotta be joking. Even children of millionaires pirate here, but depends on the game. They give respect to those pop fps games and buy only original.

 

[cricket_online]

FIFA sells because of the emotional attachment and gameplay. It's not about whether India is in the game or not. If you support Manchester United you'll play as that team. In India most people support the Indian cricket team as their FIRST choice. If someone doesn't like chocolate ice cream are they going to buy it if there's no vanilla flavour? NO!

And my comment is related to piracy! The fact that many people didn't buy it (Cricket 07, Ashes 09, IC 2010) and the reasons why "Emotional Attachment". If you wanted to buy EA Cricket 07 and saw it didn't include your cricket team, you'd probably say "why buy it when I can download a modded version with all the current teams and kits?"

Now if you take into account the reason people are not purchasing the game (hardware, licensing, the list goes on), then you can implement measures to assist with piracy prevention. IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE Look at the problem and work out the solutions!

Don't agree with you fully. FIFA series sells coz footie is the most popular sport in the world and not due to "emotional attachment". If I love footie I will buy the game and add a team in case it's not there. Same with cricket and EA Cricket 2007. Indian team was in the game and fans could easily tweak the players to update or correct the rosters if they so desired.

Difference between FIFA/Madden and Cricket is that Soccer and American Football are played in countries which has a critical mass of people who can afford to purchase these games. In case of cricket, the only nations who play are England (where the sport is way behind footie and possibly rugby), Aus (where Aus rules football & rugby compete with cricket and also Aus doesn't have the population of say US), NZ (negligible consumer base), SA (not sure about demographics but based on what I have heard footie is the popular sport and most people wouldn't be able to afford the console version of the game) and sub-continent (which has the consumer base but not the purchasing power at the moment. Hopefully India is close to generate enough paying consumer base and then we should have annual cricket title. Or maybe it's just that attitude of majority of sub-continent folks change and they deem it fit to purchase games legally).