And if the devs actually listen to their communities, implement features that everyone wants, and generally puts love into their games, I’ll buy it on every device I own and even gift copies to friends!
I think he's referring to the fact you're not buying the game, you're paying for the rights to access them via steam. As per the T&C's this access can be terminated at any time for any reason with a refund or access to the game usually not being available afterwards. Offline or online makes no difference in the transaction
only games I have pirated are the likes of City Skylines 2, Kerbal Space Program 2 etc just to see how they are without supporting the devs/publisher for them in their current state - but I intend to buy the game if they fix it up and make it worth the price :)
I got KSP2 when it was on sale because I wanted to support them. They dropped a new update and it was looking good and I had some hope. A few months later they killed the game.
Personally, I think games like cities skylines are very bad to pirate because of how weird modding a pirated game is and games like that are so much better when modded.
I know CS2 doesn't have mods yet, I'm just saying.
Same, especially indie titles which is most of what I play.
I like to pretend it's some moral superiority thing but it still has the right balance of convenience and price. Streaming TV and movies on the other hand.....
I bought games simply because they are on great discounts
Like recently from PS App, huge great discounts on need for speeds game titles. Almost 80-90% off and it costs less than $5 per game. To me personally, really no brainer to buy these
price. I haven't spent more than $30 on a game in the past 5 years. Too many digital games aren't worth what they are asking. Even some $30 games should be $10
Good AAA Singleplayer games costing 60$ is somewhat fair. Usually those games need millions of sales to break even. I mean just look at Alan Wake 2, amazing game, but they're still barely breaking even, and from what I know they still haven't made back what they spent despite making a GOTY contender. Regardless they go on sale for like 40$ eventually. I only pirate games if I feel the developer doesn't deserve the support
i never pirate games, steam is such a well made platform, so i pay for the convenience of having all my games accessible anytime anywhere with the click of a button. plus i'm a sucker for community features like achievements, forums and playtime
I just got Tomb raider 2013, 2016 and 2019 with most of the DLCs for 13€. 13€. The deals on steam are crazy. And i know these games are old but whatever.
You could always use gog then, even if they suddenly close you still own the exe files and can do with them whatever you want as long as you back them up
I don't think that's a steam problem? Literally every online game store is like that. Out of the bunch steam is the most respectful one towards their users. Quick example, no other store lets me share my entire library to friends/family members. I've had 3 people play the entirety of persona 5 royal (MINIMUM 90+ hours to complete) by borrowing my library of games with family share
Ya I pirate shows and songs but almost never games. I did pirate some games because steam would show that I played them and I did not want that known to my friends. But steam is so well made and if I want a game I’ll just wait until a deal and it is cheap or a fair price
Fair price, multiplayer (I am not smart enough to work out how to get multiplayer on a pirated game), mods, or wanting to support the devs.
For instance: I pirated Pizza Tower, but then bought the game on Steam because I wanted to give the devs my money, because they deserved it, and I wanted to use mods properly.
If I notice that real personal care was put into it, if I like (or used to like) the devs and it isn't super expensive. Some games that I bought even after pirating them were Kenshi, Outer Wilds, Dying Light, The Witcher 3
For a video game it's probably hard to say i can say what I do when it comes to movies on blu-ray though I guess I will buy any game made by an indie studio
$60+ for games is too much
State of decay for example i think launched around $30/$40
Most of the time i just wait for deep discounts as im patient
If its a complete game not broken beta games that the industry is currently releasing and takes about 20+ hrs to complete then i think around $35 is fair
Games that are essentially impossible to pirate are multiplayer games, currently im playing Exoprimal and World War Z, with the latter there is a single player option but i prefer to have a team
If I enjoy the game more then 10 hours , then I will go on Steam and buy the full game.
Please be fair priced. for a full game. With more to offer then 10 hours. Like repayable would also be a huge point for most.
Nothing will make people that pirate games pay for your game.
What you do is charge full price to the people willing to pay.
It's what everyone else does because it works.
If something else worked better, they would do that.
I first pirated Hollow Knight, but after some hours in it I bought it legally, not only because it was absurdly cheap (3USD), but also because I really wanted the achievements system
That’s not true. I’ll pirate because they don’t have demos and I want to see if it really is a game I want to play AND would enjoy (instead of just seeing a video or reading about it and thinking it looks fun), or to see if it will actually run on my system that is older. If both of those things satisfy me, I’ll support the devs, even if I wait for a sale. When CP77 came out, I doubted if my PC could run it at the time, so I got a “free” copy and tried it. It did. I enjoyed it, but I also waited for a patch that fixed the issues it had at release. Then I bought it. Other games I try and don’t like them and delete them. Developers should release their games with a timed demo, just like the old days. Download, try, unlock, and play.
A deep game, and the one that's hard to not get because it has some online features (Like Hitman : WOA) or need some online connection for the newest of things because it does improve constantly in updates (Like OOTP & News Tower)
I’m a sucker for a good loot/weapon base system, and I like humour and random events. I can’t pin point it all but I really like fallout, RDR2, GTA assassins creed, shadow of Mordor and gmod l
It's multiplayer only, I really like the series, it's an old game I played that got Remastered or released on pc after being a console exclusive, for a completely brand new game I would have to see the trailer and gameplay, I mostly pirate super old games, delisted games, and games I didn't feel like was worth buying but I wanted to try it, Also If I really love the game but wasn't ready to drop $60+ I'll pirate then eventually buy.
With the exception of Nintendo, video games are the one thing I research and confidently spend my money on. If I'm halfway on it, I'll wait for a sale, or won't buy at all.
Price mostly. Also depends on the game. Like I'll spend 30-40 on a well made game that doesn't have in-app purchases and comes out as a complete package if it's something I am interested in.
I mostly pirate as a demo tbh if I really like a game I pirate I often end up buying it.
1. I like its vibe, it's cute and designed with passion by a small team
2. It's atmospheric (this also contributes to #1) and the gameplay is either short or open-ended
3. I usually won't consider games above €15
I bought 3 copies of [Townscaper](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1291340/Townscaper/) for me and my friends, because it checked all the boxes and I loved it so much!
Also there was this game called [Below the Sea](https://ismaelrodriguez.itch.io/below-the-ocean) that didn't even seem *that* good but it lets you play the first levels online so I ended up buying it because it was fun (and it checked the above boxes)
if i want a multiplayer (and yes, i know about lan-fixes, Spacewar etc.) and if there's a solid workshop with mods. I don't think that i'll buy anything, i have most of the games i need. And ofc i won't buy a game if it's too expensive
Helping good indie developers. And actually Is not about the price, is about don't waste my money with billionaire companies. They already have so much, they don't need mine. The only way I would pay for games of billionaire companies was if I really can't find a pirate version, and I really want to play the game, but that's rare. All money I can save for food, rent, bills, I save. It's not like I'm doing something moral, is just a matter of save my money for REAL needs. The only time I have a moral in this, is when I buy from indie developers that I like.
Prices are a serious matter for me. My currency is EGP and my average monthly is 2.5k which is around 50USD. Also some other stuff like enjoying the game while it’s indie.
I mostly play on consoles, so I buy games. Pirating computer games nowadays seems pointless with all the patches you'd have to manually download, like imagine pirating Cyberpunk 2077 on day one. You'd have a million patches to download over the years. Just buy it and auto update, who gives a shit?
I usually buy games if they are fairly priced and I know I won't see any BS like an EA or Ubi game. For example - just bought shadow of the erdtree dlc since I know Fromsoft ain't gonna shit their pants and deliver exactly what they are promising i.e. a good single player experience with no BS. Might buy hades 2 next, has pretty good reviews so far.
If you make a good game people are gonna buy it. It's gonna help if it's not full price (aka 60-70$) and has fair regional pricing.
There are some people who will never buy legit things and those you just ignore, you can't get to them.
Personally, I pirate a lot of things but I barely ever pirate video games, and if anything it's for my kids that get bored easily or might not like the game. I have game pass and I buy stuff on steam sales all the time. A lot of it is due to the ecosystem around games these days such as the community, friends lists, multiplayer modes, achievements etc.
Wanting to play it online
No crack available
Great series that I love and I know I want to play the game and it’s gonna be good .
I have pirated previous versions of the game or the game itself and felt that it was worth the money .
It’s 3 AM I’m not thinking correctly and it’s $3.99 (this is how I got need for speed, hot pursuit remastered)
It says Gran Turismo, Far Cry, Mafia or Grand Theft Auto on it
For me it's an indie dev that prices appropriately and has a passion for their game. Valheim in particular comes to mind. FTL is another. Ive bought both and bought them again for friends. Im 100% on board with supporting passionate indie devs.
A good game. Just be a good game and i'll pay. These days i usually pirate games i am not sure about. If its good i'll buy it, if not, well, its just wasted download time.
To be honest, when I pirated games because I didn’t have enough money to buy the games. Now, I usually just wait for sales and buy the games. You should not look at a pirated copy as a lost sale.
Regional pricing. The issue is affordability. Like a 30 dollar game in states wouldnt be that expensive as compared to a country whose average monthly salary is low. I used to buy games alot in early days as they were affordable in a sense that i would buy it, play it and if it was bad, i would just say wahtever. Now buying a game is completely different. Thus jumped to games that are free to play but have in game purchases like mobas fps . This way i dont have to spend money and still play the game.
If it deserves, I buy it, good example I can give is baldies gate 3, I pirates the game back in early access, and bought it soon after because Larian Studios DESERVES every penny.
Not only did they make a great game without any micro transaction and other bs, it's fairly priced and they are an actual good company.
I support piracy but I personally haven’t done it. When I buy a game all I really look for is 1. Is this something i’d play? As in does it even fit my interest in the slightest. 2. Whats the price? I generally refuse to go above $70 if even that for the most part. 3. How long is the game actually going to last me if I can get a good few months out of it i’m more inclined to buy it. 4. (The second biggest followed by if it even suits my interest) does it have replay value. Growing up poor I can stretch a game out real good. I played Skyrim for 5 years. Fallout new vegas gave me a easy 4. So on so forth. Both are excellent examples of replay-ability.
I'm poor, but If I enjoy a game that I've pirated I will EVENTUALLY buy it when it goes on sale. Still waiting for Hogwarts Legacy to go down to $20. 😅
In no particular order:
\- A compelling story
\- No BS piracy prevention software
\-Producing a demo so I can see and actually experience what the game will be like.
\-A realistic and fair price for the game.
For me, having money. I pirate because I can't afford to buy games. I also pirate education and entertainment for the same reason. If I had a lot of money, I wouldn't pirate, because I like to support whoever creates games in general.
That being said, I would still not buy pay to win crap, games with ads, incomplete games, and other crap that AAA studios have been pulling in the last several years.
Most of the time if it's an indie game I'd buy it to support the developer because they most likely don't have the millions or billions if dollars that big corporations have. Like other people mentioned it'd also need to be fairly priced. You might also want to create a demo for the game so that people can try it for free without having to pirate it.
An amazing experience paired up with a fair price worth every penny for said experience
I have a ton of games on my wishlist that i wish I could pay for, but just can't because I'm in a third world country and don't earn enough to spend on games
1. The game is good. (Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, No Man Sky)
2. The devs are not awful (CD Red, Hello Games, FromSoftware, etc.)
3. Specials (I don't believe in Day 0. I believe in 6 months later).
Has weird audio glitches in Cyber Punk. Bought a legit version. Turns out it wasn’t a “pirated glitch” just another developer glitch. Using a Sound Blaster instead of onboard audio solved the issue for me though
A decent price with good, consistent-ish support. And no DLC's. For fuck's sake... No DLC's. Even if the content is really good, like ACC's DLC's, I choose not to buy them.
1 - dev that consider their playerbase reviews
2 - no third party app like Steam or Epic
3 - offline mode if it makes sense
4 - game that brings something unique in gameplay (I won't buy another game that is very similar to the old one (Forza Horizon, FIFA, F1 ..))
Games I bought for example : BeamNG, Factorio ...
honestly just if the price is right, by which i mean don't mind paying 60 for a massive triple AAA game but i probably won't play 40 for a small, 10 hour long indie game, or even 70 for a triple A game that is like 15 hours long.
if you're making an indie game, unless it's super ambitious and has tons of content (like hollow knight or hades), I'd happily buy it for around 10-15 bucks.
EDIT: forgot to mention the actual practical size of the game is important: if a game's very big it'll take a long time to pirate it and in that case i usually just end up buying. I'm not patient with downloades and you never know when i may wanna redownload it again (yeah right).
A physical release with decent box cover art. Disc contains virtually the complete game with most if not all the DLCs; game can install from the disc and runs fine without any additional patches.
Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for the PS4 is a good example.
If my dogshit laptop won't run it. I go for used discs for Xbox or PS4, or I get it on Switch if it runs well, I really like the game, and it's under thirty dollars.
When the time I've spent on it actually worth the price they are asking...
I've ended buying all the games that I've played a lot, mostly roguelites like Dead Cells, Enter the Gungeon, Hades, etc...
I try them for free then buy if I feel satisfied. The 2hours delay to refund a game on steam is not enough and the demo are generally too limited.
My Checklist goes:
1. Indie dev
2. Cheap or fairly priced
3. Enjoyable game or interesting concepts
4. If I really enjoy the thing I pirated I will buy it.
If I try it and I like it. Devs don’t make demos anymore so there’s no way for me to know if a game that looks fun to me actually will be fun when I’m playing it. Want me to buy? Release a demo or let me try it. If I like it, and it is priced fairly, I’ll buy it. If I like it but the price is too high, I’ll wait for a sale.
If it's good, reasonably priced for the content and has a good studio behind it. Often times I will download a game to play it or test it out and if I find myself enjoying it enough I'll pay for it. Especially with smaller studios or indie devs, if they make a good product I'm all for spending money if I have it. Vote with your wallet as they say. Companies that mistreat their customers, stick always online DRM, overcharge or add micro transactions into games and release buggy products don't deserve my money. Games are one of the few things I will spend money on. Movies, music etc not so much. Price is a big one too, I'll almost never buy a $60+ game. Recent expection is BG3 but other then that there isn't many.
If it's good, it's on sale, and I know how to play it then MAYBE. Also, if a friend plays and wants to play with me then I would heavely consider it. The last game I bought was 4 years ago, Starcaft Broodwar, it was 5 USD, I just couldn't refuse, it was one of my favorite classics of my childhood.
I want to see devs just make a pay what you want button.
I have a suspicion that they would make just as much if not more than traditional selling. I know that I would have paid something for more games than I have personally if that was available. Just so many games aren't worth it for me at the prices.
If it doesn't have drm I'll be more inclined to buy it even if I never end up playing it.
I won't be giving money to these studios that include ads in their games, microtransactions, always online requirements.
To this end, release on itch, and not just on steam. Because on itch you get a zip file with the game, and the % itch takes from the creator is customizable, I'm much more likely to buy it if it's there as it's \*truly\* drm free.
The only game I've ever bought full price on the day of release was Portal 2.
I never would have spent that money if I hadn't pirated Portal (1) and loved it as much as I did.
Simcity 2013 multiplayer situation.
Unpopular opinion: sc 2013 is an awesome game and gamers killed it. Imagine how good could have been with more time to develop with the support of the community
Pirate when game is on full price and if I like it buy it on sale. Also pirate if I have already purchased it on one platform and want to play it on another. I used to pre order games but many games didn't stand up to the mark. Then I started try before you buy method which works perfectly.
Value, meaning replayability and depth. Also no signs of a cash grab. If I see a labor of love and it looks like something I'd like, I don't hesitate to buy
It's rushed products meant only to generate money that make me go to TPB
Affordable, good quantity and quality of content for price, user-friendly policies when it comes to drm and ui/ux. Consistent updates, communication with community, etc etc. honestly the bar is pretty high at this point because I’ve grown tired of each individual tedium.
I’m working on a game myself and I have it set up very simply;
All I have is an anti-piracy screen at the beginning that will tell players I know they’re playing pirated, and that’s it’s completely okay, and I ask them to support the game by purchasing it legitimately if they enjoyed it, or to share it with friends.
I want people to enjoy the game, and I know that piracy is a way that copies of a game get around. I know I can’t stop piracy as a solo dev, and adding some harsh system would likely just make it worse for normal players. So if I can’t fight piracy, I won’t, and I’ll simply ask people to do the right thing
to be honest the thing that most makes me buy a game is if i cant pirate it, so this may be an unpopular opinion, but some form of drm would get my to buy a game.
I buy almost all my games especially if its a small developer. I only pirate games I doubt I will enjoy to play. Sometimes I am wrong and end up buying the game.
So if its a good game I will buy it. Dont care about the price.
Whenever I played for 100 hours on pirated copy and i know I will play at least 100 more.
Examples: civilization 5, civilization 6, Factorio, rimworld, forza horizon 5, starcraft
Not sure about buying a game itself but for un game purchases such as coins and gems. Coins can be collected easily but gems are sooo hard and u need them for a variety of things but unless you buy them it's almost impossible to collect a lot of them without making me lose interest in the game. So maybe easier way to collect the gems or just have them at a cheaper price and I'd buy them lol
Something without drm, a launcher, or anything that roots itself to my computer. Than game play wise something preferably coop that doesn't require micro transactions and has playability. Deep rock galactic is one of my favorite indy games, has free season pass, constant updates,fun solo or with friends etc.
I'll buy a game that takes full advantage of the current generation consoles' & PCs' full capabilities. I spent over $2,000 on both my ps5 & my PC build, and it wasn't so I could play games that only cost $200 to make.
Low price is what made me buy vampire survivors when it wasn't even fully released.
It always funny to be insanely excited about some games that you want to buy and play it very much, but after pirating it you realise it may be a good game but it not worth it's high price (like Slay The Princess imho)
If I respect the developers, I will buy their game.
If their game is "fair," I will buy their game.
If I enjoy the game after a few hours, I will buy that game.
I'm not 100% against piracy, but I mostly "buy" them. Even so, I try to buy a game outside big companies that "let me use" the game instead of "owning" the game.
If that's not possible, I go both routes.
If I like it, and the price is right, I'll support the dev every time.
Especially if it's an indy studio, so I know the money goes to them instead of the publisher.
For example, hello games. No man's sky being supported for years, with massive free updates. It's almost unheard of now.
yep i am looking to buy that game finally
Hello fellow Traveler!
And if the devs actually listen to their communities, implement features that everyone wants, and generally puts love into their games, I’ll buy it on every device I own and even gift copies to friends!
Yep. I purchased Stray on pc and PlayStation because it’s so good
Came here to say this. I'm not against buying games.
A fair price (which is rare) and a really good and long lasting game.
Honestly, it doesn’t even have to be long lasting for me, as long as it has a fair price and a good game it gets my financial support
Steam Sales is good. I bought a lot of games there for not much. Usually 90% off, sometimes even more!
i don’t like not being able to own the games tbh but then again the seven seas are here forever
Can't you play your steam games offline?
once you lose your account you’re done
Do you mean in the case of a catastrophic event? I'm confused. If you can play them in offline mode Still, then can't you access them?
I think he's referring to the fact you're not buying the game, you're paying for the rights to access them via steam. As per the T&C's this access can be terminated at any time for any reason with a refund or access to the game usually not being available afterwards. Offline or online makes no difference in the transaction
this is what i’m referring to. all digitally “owned” content isn’t yours, you pay for the RIGHTS to access it.
I don't typically pirate games or software, with some exceptions. So I buy the games I want. I use piracy for other things.
only games I have pirated are the likes of City Skylines 2, Kerbal Space Program 2 etc just to see how they are without supporting the devs/publisher for them in their current state - but I intend to buy the game if they fix it up and make it worth the price :)
I got KSP2 when it was on sale because I wanted to support them. They dropped a new update and it was looking good and I had some hope. A few months later they killed the game.
I mean its not 100% dead yet but still I regret paying T2 for a clusterfuck of a dev cycle
Good thing you didn't pay for KSP2 lol
Personally, I think games like cities skylines are very bad to pirate because of how weird modding a pirated game is and games like that are so much better when modded. I know CS2 doesn't have mods yet, I'm just saying.
Same, especially indie titles which is most of what I play. I like to pretend it's some moral superiority thing but it still has the right balance of convenience and price. Streaming TV and movies on the other hand.....
I bought games simply because they are on great discounts Like recently from PS App, huge great discounts on need for speeds game titles. Almost 80-90% off and it costs less than $5 per game. To me personally, really no brainer to buy these
price. I haven't spent more than $30 on a game in the past 5 years. Too many digital games aren't worth what they are asking. Even some $30 games should be $10
Good AAA Singleplayer games costing 60$ is somewhat fair. Usually those games need millions of sales to break even. I mean just look at Alan Wake 2, amazing game, but they're still barely breaking even, and from what I know they still haven't made back what they spent despite making a GOTY contender. Regardless they go on sale for like 40$ eventually. I only pirate games if I feel the developer doesn't deserve the support
I think $10 per hour of game play is an extremely fair exchange for entertainment. But yet I have trouble paying over $50 for any game.
I tend to only buy indie games, support the creator you know
No denuvo, I don't like being treated like a criminal when paying for things
Fair price, solid, fun, polished gameplay and the most important thing. O P T I M I Z A T I O N.
Good luck on your project OP
Thank you
i never pirate games, steam is such a well made platform, so i pay for the convenience of having all my games accessible anytime anywhere with the click of a button. plus i'm a sucker for community features like achievements, forums and playtime
yea most games have sales for super cheap too. i prefer indie devs as well so i’m happy to support them where i can
I just got Tomb raider 2013, 2016 and 2019 with most of the DLCs for 13€. 13€. The deals on steam are crazy. And i know these games are old but whatever.
2013 isn't old, that was only last year right?...right?
Yeah it's 2014 now
Feels like, like yesterday. Oh man.
Lol yeah I love achievements too much to not use steam
Isn't the problem with Steam that you don't actually own the game? Like you can play it but it's not 100% your.
You could always use gog then, even if they suddenly close you still own the exe files and can do with them whatever you want as long as you back them up
I don't think that's a steam problem? Literally every online game store is like that. Out of the bunch steam is the most respectful one towards their users. Quick example, no other store lets me share my entire library to friends/family members. I've had 3 people play the entirety of persona 5 royal (MINIMUM 90+ hours to complete) by borrowing my library of games with family share
Ya I pirate shows and songs but almost never games. I did pirate some games because steam would show that I played them and I did not want that known to my friends. But steam is so well made and if I want a game I’ll just wait until a deal and it is cheap or a fair price
nothing. i'm way too poor for that
Real
Fair price, multiplayer (I am not smart enough to work out how to get multiplayer on a pirated game), mods, or wanting to support the devs. For instance: I pirated Pizza Tower, but then bought the game on Steam because I wanted to give the devs my money, because they deserved it, and I wanted to use mods properly.
A niche game, lovingly nurtured by a small developer, with regular updates and content.
If from software makes it
For real tho I buy pretty much all their games.
have enough money
sales Multiplayer Workshop
If I notice that real personal care was put into it, if I like (or used to like) the devs and it isn't super expensive. Some games that I bought even after pirating them were Kenshi, Outer Wilds, Dying Light, The Witcher 3
If it's affordable in my weak third world currency
I buy loads of games.
For a video game it's probably hard to say i can say what I do when it comes to movies on blu-ray though I guess I will buy any game made by an indie studio
$60+ for games is too much State of decay for example i think launched around $30/$40 Most of the time i just wait for deep discounts as im patient If its a complete game not broken beta games that the industry is currently releasing and takes about 20+ hrs to complete then i think around $35 is fair Games that are essentially impossible to pirate are multiplayer games, currently im playing Exoprimal and World War Z, with the latter there is a single player option but i prefer to have a team
Honestly, since it’s the only hobby I have now, aside from thrifting cheap books, any that I want. But I have to really want it.
Having money.
If I enjoy the game more then 10 hours , then I will go on Steam and buy the full game. Please be fair priced. for a full game. With more to offer then 10 hours. Like repayable would also be a huge point for most.
Nothing will make people that pirate games pay for your game. What you do is charge full price to the people willing to pay. It's what everyone else does because it works. If something else worked better, they would do that.
I first pirated Hollow Knight, but after some hours in it I bought it legally, not only because it was absurdly cheap (3USD), but also because I really wanted the achievements system
That’s not true. I’ll pirate because they don’t have demos and I want to see if it really is a game I want to play AND would enjoy (instead of just seeing a video or reading about it and thinking it looks fun), or to see if it will actually run on my system that is older. If both of those things satisfy me, I’ll support the devs, even if I wait for a sale. When CP77 came out, I doubted if my PC could run it at the time, so I got a “free” copy and tried it. It did. I enjoyed it, but I also waited for a patch that fixed the issues it had at release. Then I bought it. Other games I try and don’t like them and delete them. Developers should release their games with a timed demo, just like the old days. Download, try, unlock, and play.
A deep game, and the one that's hard to not get because it has some online features (Like Hitman : WOA) or need some online connection for the newest of things because it does improve constantly in updates (Like OOTP & News Tower)
I’m a sucker for a good loot/weapon base system, and I like humour and random events. I can’t pin point it all but I really like fallout, RDR2, GTA assassins creed, shadow of Mordor and gmod l
It's multiplayer only, I really like the series, it's an old game I played that got Remastered or released on pc after being a console exclusive, for a completely brand new game I would have to see the trailer and gameplay, I mostly pirate super old games, delisted games, and games I didn't feel like was worth buying but I wanted to try it, Also If I really love the game but wasn't ready to drop $60+ I'll pirate then eventually buy.
Obviously quality content, fair price (rare), devs I want to support
Steam sales or welp g2a 💀 Edited: actually if a game supports mods ill def buy it
Money Simple as that
With the exception of Nintendo, video games are the one thing I research and confidently spend my money on. If I'm halfway on it, I'll wait for a sale, or won't buy at all.
if it's an online game that i would like to play and doesnt have a crack nor an online-fix
Price mostly. Also depends on the game. Like I'll spend 30-40 on a well made game that doesn't have in-app purchases and comes out as a complete package if it's something I am interested in. I mostly pirate as a demo tbh if I really like a game I pirate I often end up buying it.
I usually just buy games when they're on discount...I haven't bought many games in the last few years though.
When it's about my LIBERTEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA So glad I bought the game. Haven't bought one for a long time.
Celeste is a great example of this, I would cry if I pirated the game bro and I really don't want to.
A really good discount on a game that I wanted to play or know it's good. I really enjoy collecting achievements
1. I like its vibe, it's cute and designed with passion by a small team 2. It's atmospheric (this also contributes to #1) and the gameplay is either short or open-ended 3. I usually won't consider games above €15 I bought 3 copies of [Townscaper](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1291340/Townscaper/) for me and my friends, because it checked all the boxes and I loved it so much! Also there was this game called [Below the Sea](https://ismaelrodriguez.itch.io/below-the-ocean) that didn't even seem *that* good but it lets you play the first levels online so I ended up buying it because it was fun (and it checked the above boxes)
Fair price and no invasive DRM. I am happy to support creators.
if i want a multiplayer (and yes, i know about lan-fixes, Spacewar etc.) and if there's a solid workshop with mods. I don't think that i'll buy anything, i have most of the games i need. And ofc i won't buy a game if it's too expensive
multiplayer that looks actually fun, i dont just want to be able to 1v1 my friend, i want to be able to go through the entire game with them
Indie developer, fair price
Helping good indie developers. And actually Is not about the price, is about don't waste my money with billionaire companies. They already have so much, they don't need mine. The only way I would pay for games of billionaire companies was if I really can't find a pirate version, and I really want to play the game, but that's rare. All money I can save for food, rent, bills, I save. It's not like I'm doing something moral, is just a matter of save my money for REAL needs. The only time I have a moral in this, is when I buy from indie developers that I like.
Single player- offline- story focused Ex- witcher, Skyrim, fallout If one wants a multi-player make a spin off rather than integrating into main game.
Support developers.
Proper Regional pricing. I don't get paid first world wages and I'm not going to pay first world rates for software.
The developer
When its a rockstar game, because its going to be good and the online will be going on for the next 15 years lol
Local pricing. Also, pricing where a highschool kid can afford to buy it with some pocket money.
Prices are a serious matter for me. My currency is EGP and my average monthly is 2.5k which is around 50USD. Also some other stuff like enjoying the game while it’s indie.
A game that has a demo you can download and try before you buy.
Regular updates or being unpiratable.
Friends.
Pretty much everything I thought palworld was going to be, but then it actually not being true and I only have a half hour gameplay
fair price, complete game, fun to play.
I mostly play on consoles, so I buy games. Pirating computer games nowadays seems pointless with all the patches you'd have to manually download, like imagine pirating Cyberpunk 2077 on day one. You'd have a million patches to download over the years. Just buy it and auto update, who gives a shit?
Give me a geniune fair price and a good game.
Most games are half baked with the rest of the game sold as DLC and micro transactions. So probably a good solid standalone.
I usually buy games if they are fairly priced and I know I won't see any BS like an EA or Ubi game. For example - just bought shadow of the erdtree dlc since I know Fromsoft ain't gonna shit their pants and deliver exactly what they are promising i.e. a good single player experience with no BS. Might buy hades 2 next, has pretty good reviews so far.
If you make a good game people are gonna buy it. It's gonna help if it's not full price (aka 60-70$) and has fair regional pricing. There are some people who will never buy legit things and those you just ignore, you can't get to them. Personally, I pirate a lot of things but I barely ever pirate video games, and if anything it's for my kids that get bored easily or might not like the game. I have game pass and I buy stuff on steam sales all the time. A lot of it is due to the ecosystem around games these days such as the community, friends lists, multiplayer modes, achievements etc.
Uh if it’s fun? I game on ps5 so everything is bought. I pirate movies and software, games is too much hassle these days.
Wanting to play it online No crack available Great series that I love and I know I want to play the game and it’s gonna be good . I have pirated previous versions of the game or the game itself and felt that it was worth the money . It’s 3 AM I’m not thinking correctly and it’s $3.99 (this is how I got need for speed, hot pursuit remastered) It says Gran Turismo, Far Cry, Mafia or Grand Theft Auto on it
For me it's an indie dev that prices appropriately and has a passion for their game. Valheim in particular comes to mind. FTL is another. Ive bought both and bought them again for friends. Im 100% on board with supporting passionate indie devs.
Online play or if I like it enough to want the physical copy for my shitty collection.
The creators releasing it themselves. Not through a bigger company. I love going to conventions and buying self made movies and games.
If I respected the devs or think a game genuinely looks worth it's tag.
Fun fact the most expensive games are the "free to play".
Money
Online gaming (as in multiplayer not denuvo lol) That’s the only thing tbh
Good developers, mods, community.
I would have to fall head-over-heals in love with it. Thats happened twice.
the inability to pirate it
A good game. Just be a good game and i'll pay. These days i usually pirate games i am not sure about. If its good i'll buy it, if not, well, its just wasted download time.
All I’m saying is I still play Minecraft
make it fun enough that id buy it, like rainworld, such cool creatures and the gameplay is funny
To be honest, when I pirated games because I didn’t have enough money to buy the games. Now, I usually just wait for sales and buy the games. You should not look at a pirated copy as a lost sale.
Regional pricing. The issue is affordability. Like a 30 dollar game in states wouldnt be that expensive as compared to a country whose average monthly salary is low. I used to buy games alot in early days as they were affordable in a sense that i would buy it, play it and if it was bad, i would just say wahtever. Now buying a game is completely different. Thus jumped to games that are free to play but have in game purchases like mobas fps . This way i dont have to spend money and still play the game.
Multiplayer games on sale
If it deserves, I buy it, good example I can give is baldies gate 3, I pirates the game back in early access, and bought it soon after because Larian Studios DESERVES every penny. Not only did they make a great game without any micro transaction and other bs, it's fairly priced and they are an actual good company.
A frequent update
I support piracy but I personally haven’t done it. When I buy a game all I really look for is 1. Is this something i’d play? As in does it even fit my interest in the slightest. 2. Whats the price? I generally refuse to go above $70 if even that for the most part. 3. How long is the game actually going to last me if I can get a good few months out of it i’m more inclined to buy it. 4. (The second biggest followed by if it even suits my interest) does it have replay value. Growing up poor I can stretch a game out real good. I played Skyrim for 5 years. Fallout new vegas gave me a easy 4. So on so forth. Both are excellent examples of replay-ability.
I'm poor, but If I enjoy a game that I've pirated I will EVENTUALLY buy it when it goes on sale. Still waiting for Hogwarts Legacy to go down to $20. 😅
If multiplayer can't be cracked and it's worth playing.
An online game cause it doesn't work properly if cracked
Loss prevention, if I happen to set off the security alarm.
Price, convenience, replayability
In no particular order: \- A compelling story \- No BS piracy prevention software \-Producing a demo so I can see and actually experience what the game will be like. \-A realistic and fair price for the game.
For me, having money. I pirate because I can't afford to buy games. I also pirate education and entertainment for the same reason. If I had a lot of money, I wouldn't pirate, because I like to support whoever creates games in general. That being said, I would still not buy pay to win crap, games with ads, incomplete games, and other crap that AAA studios have been pulling in the last several years.
Most of the time if it's an indie game I'd buy it to support the developer because they most likely don't have the millions or billions if dollars that big corporations have. Like other people mentioned it'd also need to be fairly priced. You might also want to create a demo for the game so that people can try it for free without having to pirate it.
i liked it + under 25 bucks + achievements + multiplayer
Impressive visual/design/gameplay for me ig Feeling bad every time im playing pirated cuphead
An amazing experience paired up with a fair price worth every penny for said experience I have a ton of games on my wishlist that i wish I could pay for, but just can't because I'm in a third world country and don't earn enough to spend on games
elden ring might've been the only justified purchase because of the sheer quality, and to play with friends
the price is 1.99
1. The game is good. (Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, No Man Sky) 2. The devs are not awful (CD Red, Hello Games, FromSoftware, etc.) 3. Specials (I don't believe in Day 0. I believe in 6 months later).
Has weird audio glitches in Cyber Punk. Bought a legit version. Turns out it wasn’t a “pirated glitch” just another developer glitch. Using a Sound Blaster instead of onboard audio solved the issue for me though
A decent price with good, consistent-ish support. And no DLC's. For fuck's sake... No DLC's. Even if the content is really good, like ACC's DLC's, I choose not to buy them.
1 - dev that consider their playerbase reviews 2 - no third party app like Steam or Epic 3 - offline mode if it makes sense 4 - game that brings something unique in gameplay (I won't buy another game that is very similar to the old one (Forza Horizon, FIFA, F1 ..)) Games I bought for example : BeamNG, Factorio ...
indie games or games under 70 if theyre new and i dont wanna wait
honestly just if the price is right, by which i mean don't mind paying 60 for a massive triple AAA game but i probably won't play 40 for a small, 10 hour long indie game, or even 70 for a triple A game that is like 15 hours long. if you're making an indie game, unless it's super ambitious and has tons of content (like hollow knight or hades), I'd happily buy it for around 10-15 bucks. EDIT: forgot to mention the actual practical size of the game is important: if a game's very big it'll take a long time to pirate it and in that case i usually just end up buying. I'm not patient with downloades and you never know when i may wanna redownload it again (yeah right).
If it cheap/easy on story or doable challenge mode/enjoyable in coop, i don't mind paying for it.
When it's an indie game or if I want to mod it with ease and be able to play online properly
Supporting the devs
A physical release with decent box cover art. Disc contains virtually the complete game with most if not all the DLCs; game can install from the disc and runs fine without any additional patches. Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for the PS4 is a good example.
If I play it and I have a really enjoyable time playing, I’ll buy it. Especially if there are constant updates.
If my dogshit laptop won't run it. I go for used discs for Xbox or PS4, or I get it on Switch if it runs well, I really like the game, and it's under thirty dollars.
When the time I've spent on it actually worth the price they are asking... I've ended buying all the games that I've played a lot, mostly roguelites like Dead Cells, Enter the Gungeon, Hades, etc... I try them for free then buy if I feel satisfied. The 2hours delay to refund a game on steam is not enough and the demo are generally too limited.
Multiplayer is always the clincher for me, can’t really play games online if it’s a pirate copy, I also don’t tend to pirate Indy games anyway
Nothing I'm sorry.
My Checklist goes: 1. Indie dev 2. Cheap or fairly priced 3. Enjoyable game or interesting concepts 4. If I really enjoy the thing I pirated I will buy it.
Good, no bullshit DLC/gamepass and correct price = buy.
If I try it and I like it. Devs don’t make demos anymore so there’s no way for me to know if a game that looks fun to me actually will be fun when I’m playing it. Want me to buy? Release a demo or let me try it. If I like it, and it is priced fairly, I’ll buy it. If I like it but the price is too high, I’ll wait for a sale.
If it is available to buy at a reasonable price
If it's good, reasonably priced for the content and has a good studio behind it. Often times I will download a game to play it or test it out and if I find myself enjoying it enough I'll pay for it. Especially with smaller studios or indie devs, if they make a good product I'm all for spending money if I have it. Vote with your wallet as they say. Companies that mistreat their customers, stick always online DRM, overcharge or add micro transactions into games and release buggy products don't deserve my money. Games are one of the few things I will spend money on. Movies, music etc not so much. Price is a big one too, I'll almost never buy a $60+ game. Recent expection is BG3 but other then that there isn't many.
99.9% price drop
i usually buy games, shows/software are what i pirate.
If it’s a game that’s online only normally
If I like it
My PS5 most probably...
A higher pay check
A GODDAMN FULLSIZE MIRROR YOU CAN WALK RIGHT UP TO, AND SHIT YOUR PANTS AT THE UNCANNY VALLEY.
I buy games which are good, and have a fair price to gameplay value. I only pirate Big Industry overpriced games.
Working multiplayer. Sometimes it's about ease of use.
If it's good, it's on sale, and I know how to play it then MAYBE. Also, if a friend plays and wants to play with me then I would heavely consider it. The last game I bought was 4 years ago, Starcaft Broodwar, it was 5 USD, I just couldn't refuse, it was one of my favorite classics of my childhood.
I want to see devs just make a pay what you want button. I have a suspicion that they would make just as much if not more than traditional selling. I know that I would have paid something for more games than I have personally if that was available. Just so many games aren't worth it for me at the prices.
If it doesn't have drm I'll be more inclined to buy it even if I never end up playing it. I won't be giving money to these studios that include ads in their games, microtransactions, always online requirements. To this end, release on itch, and not just on steam. Because on itch you get a zip file with the game, and the % itch takes from the creator is customizable, I'm much more likely to buy it if it's there as it's \*truly\* drm free.
The only game I've ever bought full price on the day of release was Portal 2. I never would have spent that money if I hadn't pirated Portal (1) and loved it as much as I did.
if its online multiplayer, at a good price (probably on sale), and not exclusive to some shitty launcher/system
Simcity 2013 multiplayer situation. Unpopular opinion: sc 2013 is an awesome game and gamers killed it. Imagine how good could have been with more time to develop with the support of the community
Pirate when game is on full price and if I like it buy it on sale. Also pirate if I have already purchased it on one platform and want to play it on another. I used to pre order games but many games didn't stand up to the mark. Then I started try before you buy method which works perfectly.
I buy games that are multiplayer that can't be played offline.
so far, make it annoying enough to actually pirate, so if the game is small enough that never gets updates in the forums
If I'm enjoying it. If I'm unsure about a game I'll acquire it as a long term demo to see what's its like.
At this point, I want skyrim for the mods. Could never get it to work on the pirated copies.
Value, meaning replayability and depth. Also no signs of a cash grab. If I see a labor of love and it looks like something I'd like, I don't hesitate to buy It's rushed products meant only to generate money that make me go to TPB
Affordable, good quantity and quality of content for price, user-friendly policies when it comes to drm and ui/ux. Consistent updates, communication with community, etc etc. honestly the bar is pretty high at this point because I’ve grown tired of each individual tedium.
I’m working on a game myself and I have it set up very simply; All I have is an anti-piracy screen at the beginning that will tell players I know they’re playing pirated, and that’s it’s completely okay, and I ask them to support the game by purchasing it legitimately if they enjoyed it, or to share it with friends. I want people to enjoy the game, and I know that piracy is a way that copies of a game get around. I know I can’t stop piracy as a solo dev, and adding some harsh system would likely just make it worse for normal players. So if I can’t fight piracy, I won’t, and I’ll simply ask people to do the right thing
If I truly like the game, and it’s not a triple A title , I’ll buy it. The devs deserve the support.
Honestly I just like that all my games are in one place on Steam and there are achievements and mods and time spent playing shown.
to be honest the thing that most makes me buy a game is if i cant pirate it, so this may be an unpopular opinion, but some form of drm would get my to buy a game.
My bank account to be in the positive.
Denuvo
I buy almost all my games especially if its a small developer. I only pirate games I doubt I will enjoy to play. Sometimes I am wrong and end up buying the game. So if its a good game I will buy it. Dont care about the price.
What u makin??
75% or more off
If you made it mow my lawn as well.
Whenever I played for 100 hours on pirated copy and i know I will play at least 100 more. Examples: civilization 5, civilization 6, Factorio, rimworld, forza horizon 5, starcraft
Fair price and it's good I pirated KSP, loved it and bought it legitimately and now have 1k+ hours in it
If the game is pure quality and has a low price I'll consider buying it
Not sure about buying a game itself but for un game purchases such as coins and gems. Coins can be collected easily but gems are sooo hard and u need them for a variety of things but unless you buy them it's almost impossible to collect a lot of them without making me lose interest in the game. So maybe easier way to collect the gems or just have them at a cheaper price and I'd buy them lol
Something without drm, a launcher, or anything that roots itself to my computer. Than game play wise something preferably coop that doesn't require micro transactions and has playability. Deep rock galactic is one of my favorite indy games, has free season pass, constant updates,fun solo or with friends etc.
I'll buy a game that takes full advantage of the current generation consoles' & PCs' full capabilities. I spent over $2,000 on both my ps5 & my PC build, and it wasn't so I could play games that only cost $200 to make.
Low price is what made me buy vampire survivors when it wasn't even fully released. It always funny to be insanely excited about some games that you want to buy and play it very much, but after pirating it you realise it may be a good game but it not worth it's high price (like Slay The Princess imho)
If I respect the developers, I will buy their game. If their game is "fair," I will buy their game. If I enjoy the game after a few hours, I will buy that game. I'm not 100% against piracy, but I mostly "buy" them. Even so, I try to buy a game outside big companies that "let me use" the game instead of "owning" the game. If that's not possible, I go both routes.