crime

Grand Theft Console: Pirates steal video game riches in China

14 Comments
By Paul Carsten, Sophie Knight and Malathi Nayak

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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014.

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14 Comments
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I have never seen a proper accounting, but it seems to me that console game titles are priced well beyond the actual cost to the makers. That of course is just asking for piracy.

And its interesting that while China lacks so many freedoms, it seems the Chinese are free to pirate to their heart's content. Its hard to feel sympathy to the sellers though as some things are clearly outrageously over-priced, like 40 year old music can cost as much as brand new music. Or they sell you a "best of" album with one ore two of the greatest songs missing so as to get you to buy another album.

players get games for nothing but are offered to buy in-game items such as weapons and extra lives.

Interesting model. But for MMORPGs I wonder if it would be better to just charge for the connection to the servers and sell connection time at small shops everywhere?

I would hate to play such games where other players have awesome weapons and abilities for paying cash for them. I like a challenge. I don't like to lose guaranteed.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I have never seen a proper accounting, but it seems to me that console game titles are priced well beyond the actual cost to the makers. That of course is just asking for piracy.

Well they have to make a profit for the developer and for the console maker. Consoles are sold at a loss and companies make that money back through software sales.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Again what has the chinese ever made? Their thing is you make it we take it. It called reverse thievenireening no degree required just steal it. This comes all the way down from the government to the people. A friend of mine went fishing with his own fishing real and bait he casted his line had a fish on it a chinese fisherman nearby noticed the hooked fish he reel the fish in and argued with my friend that it was his fish because he caught it. What sick thinking what a warped culture!

0 ( +4 / -4 )

And yet again the righteous people and nation of china show the world its true colours.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

When you've even got the government in on piracy, what hope is there?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

funny carJan. 13, 2014 - 08:05AM JST

I have never seen a proper accounting, but it seems to me that console game titles are priced well beyond the actual cost to the makers. That of course is just asking for piracy.

And its interesting that while China lacks so many freedoms, it seems the Chinese are free to pirate to their heart's content. Its hard to feel sympathy to the sellers though as some things are clearly outrageously over-priced, like 40 year old music can cost as much as brand new music. Or they sell you a "best of" album with one ore two of the greatest songs missing so as to get you to buy another album.

players get games for nothing but are offered to buy in-game items such as weapons and extra lives.

Interesting model. But for MMORPGs I wonder if it would be better to just charge for the connection to the servers and sell connection time at small shops everywhere?

I would hate to play such games where other players have awesome weapons and abilities for paying cash for them. I like a challenge. I don't like to lose guaranteed.

I'll admit that you have a point about overpriced items.

However, you still should pay the person for their work. This is just justifying the equally terrible "other end of the spectrum."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

kaimycahlJ, you seem very bitter. The fishing story does you no favors. If I were to view an entire culture based on one person's behavior, I would have to view China as the most intelligent and insightful culture there is. But I'm pretty sure my Chinese colleague is not typical of everyone in China. I'm just fortunate to work with him.

A country playing catch up is unlikely to innovate in the area of new products. But just like Japan before the 1980s, it will have to innovate in things like production methods and business models if it is to succeed. The article gives an example of this: "It’s a business model China basically championed and invented and it basically eradicated the risk of piracy".

And to answer your question, "What have the Chinese ever made?", do you mean apart from paper, printing, gunpowder, the compass, crossbows, noodles, silk, and lacquer ware?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Difference between Chinese and Japanese: Chinese: you make it, we take it, and make it worse. Japanese: we make it, you take it, we make it better.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Difference between Chinese and Japanese: Chinese: you make it, we take it, and make it worse. Japanese: we make it, you take it, we make it better.

The real difference is that China is leftist, Japan is rightist... and never the twain shall meet.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Video games are addictive especially to young ones, and they are not much different from addictions to cigarette, drug and alcohol, and that society pays dearly at a later time.

The violence in many of these games is detrimental to the well being of our kids, and they should be banned outright. Age advice put on game packaging is truly delusional. Corporate greed is above social responsibilities.

Government should impose heavy taxes on these games and put the taxes aside as reserve to help the mentally sick ones, consequence of playing these games for years.

How come no one has complained about the 'cultural genocide' of our young generation? .

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This just proves one thing that China does the best at which is 'Stealing What They Do Not Own'.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

...have to stifle my laughter...one look at the country, they're bereft of anything contemporary. They still do things like...well, Germans play PC Games--but wildly exceeds China since we all contribute something into gaming...ahh yes, they're the sweatshop. Taiwan does the actual brainwork

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I have never seen a proper accounting, but it seems to me that console game titles are priced well beyond the actual cost to the makers. That of course is just asking for piracy.

Actually, they are generally sold at a loss. The companies make money from peripheral and publishing rights.

A PC that boasts similar overall power would cost (roughly) 3-4 times the price in total.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Abaleo,

Evidently your interaction with Chinese are very shallow when I made my comment it was based on more than one individual, for example I can say my Japanese friends are polite and on the other hand I can say my Chinese friends are rude and I bet everyone here on the site would agree with that example. So I am writing about my experience and its a daily experience! AS far as the answer to my question of "What have the Chinese ever made?", you mentioned paper well they stole that from the Egyptians they, I will give them credit for gun powder, as far as printing be more specific gunpowder LMAO that was a mistake research what happened when the discovery was made, everything you have mentioned is so dated tell me something new!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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