Downloading games from Kazaa - Right or wrong?

[The Shadow]

Hey fellow video-game-geeks. Haha, j/k. Several of my friends download whole video games off of Kazaa along with a CD key generator, basically getting the game for free. I tried this once to see if it would work, and surprisingly, it did. I quickly deleted the game, scared that some men in black suits would arrive at my door. Now that I don't have that fear, I still don't do it just cause I feel if perhaps I did something illegal on my computer it would come back and bite me in my ass, like my hard drive would crash or something. Do you guys feel this is wrong? Do you guys do it?

[mattjk_17]

I've done it before, I downloaded Carmageddon TDR 2000 (about 150 megs), but only because I couldn't find it in the shops and I only had a demo of it. I finally finished the download and opened it up. As it was installing, an error came up saying that a file was missing, so the game couldn't run. I think that downloading a game is just like downloading a movie or an mp3, sure it may be wrong but loads of people do it. I myself have downloaded some movies and quite a few mp3s as well.

Oh, and those guys in black suits should be appearing at your door within the next 24 hours Shadow, so watch out :D

[Moviefan1234]

It's wrong to get a game for free like that. Songs are one thing, but whole games? Not right IMO.

[Psychocandy]

I agree that is wrong. I also think it's wrong to sell something that is produced for less than the price of a packet of crisps (potato chips) for £40.00. As far as I am concerned all games should sell for about the same price as a Music CD. I know that piracy contributes to the high cost of games but in all honesty I don't think the prices would suddenly drop in the event of all piracy being stopped. Games companies are just too damn greedy.

[Mick]

I think a lot more talent goes into making a game than (most) music albums these days, and the time and effort is quite considerable.

I pay for games, but only one's I think I'll get good value out of. If I'm going to play a game for 400 hours, I think 20 quids reasonable. But stuff I think I might not play much, I might as well download.... if I get addicted, I can always pick it up later (or not)

Having recently downloaded RCT2, I played it for about 30mins and thought it was pretty crap. I might play it a bit more later, but I'd have been a bit pissed if i'd spent 24 beers on it.

The only movies I've downloaded are one's that have been on TV, that I've just happened to miss, so there's no more dilemma for me there.

As for your hard drive crashing, there's a fair risk.

[Jason Voorhees]

Part of the reason why video games cost so much is because they are so expensive. Did you know that games like MGS2 and FFX had budgets similar in size to those used in movies?

Also, the video game industry suffers because most people just pick up the occasional huge game that comes out (GTA3, FFX, MGS2, etc) while ignoring the solid games that don't have as much hype - Making it difficult for the industry to prosper.

Unfortunately, I have some cognitive dissonance on this issue. I think the practice is wrong, but I've done it before anyway. So I've no right to say whether it's wrong or right.

[CeMeTaRy_GaTeS]

I find nothing wrong with downloading games on Kazaa. But I don't do it since a lot of them have viruses.

[Psychocandy]

I've downloaded lots. Never suffered a virus from the yet. That's a falacy put about by games firm to put people off downloading them.

[Jason Voorhees]

Originally posted by Psychocandy
I've downloaded lots. Never suffered a virus from the yet. That's a falacy put about by games firm to put people off downloading them.

Yeah, the only way a game would have a virus bundled with it is if a malicious user put one there. I've downloaded a few games, no problems there; Rather, I got two virus' bundled in a what I thought was a no-CD crack...

[bankholdup]

Wrong? Yes.

Do I do it? Yes.

Will I continue? Yes.


I am pro-download.

[Bullet Tooth Tony]

Originally posted by bankholdup
I am pro-download.

Make the most of it mate, the way things are going sites like Kazaa and WinMX will soon be a thing of the past unfortunately.

I only have a 128K connection so I don't really download games or films...when I tried to download 28 Days Later it wouldnt let me do it came up in red file/user unavailable. It is wrong but thes companies charge shit loads for some games.

I agree with what Mick said a lot of work goes into games (a la The Getaway) so I wouldnt do it. I just download rare hip hop tunes and make compilations.

But different strokes for different folks.

[Draccoca]

i dl games to see if i'll like it cause where i am i can't return games that have been opened.

Of all the dls i have done maybe 2 worked perfectly all the others would fuck up either won't install, can't save, no sound etc.

is it wrong? of course

do i care? no

i also dl movies, tv shows, mp3's, and anything else i can find that i want. so call me a thief i don't care, if i get charged all they'll do is take my hdd and all my cds. oh well i can get more for free.

PS USE IMESH OR MIRC much better the kazaa and no spyware in imesh and mirc

[bankholdup]

Let's hope that Kazaa doesn't close down for a while.

But what are some programs that allow the following things to be downloaded:

Audio
Video
Software

Those are the three things I will need to be happy with a file sharing program.

[Draccoca]

imesh and mirc

and lets all hope that KAZAA gets closed down, with kazaa if you run ad aware it deletes spyware and kazaa won't run anymore

[El Bracamonti]

can you say virus?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? definitely a "NO"

[doggyboyuk]

D/Ling games is illegal so yeah its completely wrong. I have never done it and will never either. I think we should reward the guys who make these games by actually buying them instead of d/ling them for free. I hate warez and always will. I am happy to hear Kazzar may be coming to an end.

[Moviejunkie]

It's wrong to get a game for free like that. Songs are one thing, but whole games? Not right IMO.

why is DL songs okay but games is not?? both cost the entertainment industry money! i don`t see one as being more acceptable than the other!

Games companies are just too damn greedy.

no.. game companies want to make money. that doesn`t mean they`re greedy! it is a FOR PROFIT business not a charitable organization!

Part of the reason why video games cost so much is because they are so expensive.

true... games are VERY costly to produce!! it can cost as much as a major motion pictue to produce one single game! it`s much cheaper to produce audio CD`s than games!

but to answer the question, do i think it`s wrong to DL a game? yes... but i`ve never downloaded a full game. i just DL the demo and if i like it i`ll buy it... but i usually wait for a price drop now. $50 for a game is just to much money to shell out!

the industry needs to find a cheaper way to produce the games. then hopefully this would increase sales and decrease DL!!

[Jim H]

BTW people..

www.kazaalite.com

Same kazaa, no spyware. And it is wrong. I've done it and I can't say I'll stop, but ethically it is wrong. I pretty much do it if it is a game I vaguely like, but not enough to want to pay for. I don't really play a lot of computer games anyway (mostly console).

And oh yes.. The very highest budgeted games cost them around $20,000,000 (Shenmue). The market is just a lot smaller then movies. As in, games that sell a million copies are HUGE. How many major release movies are seen by LESS then a million people?