No Xmas cheer from CD projekt-pirates are getting legal letters now for Witcher2

AWPC · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:19

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/12/15/cd-projekt-threatening-alleged-pirates/

Looks like they just did way more damage to their rep than the actual alleged piracy :eek:

gropingmantis · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:28

Sounds fair to me.

Its a small-ish studio and they did a DRM-free version so the only reason for pirating the game is because you are a **** and want a free game so I am all for this.

They did everything that is possible to stop people who pirate for reasons other than money so now to go claim the money that they are owed.

edit: That said I think they should only really be asking for the value of the game not €900

grimm · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:30

If they'd waited until the new year though they could've avoided the whole "xmas" thing, and nobody would have cared.

Neil79 · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:31

The only reason they are doing this now is because they got butt hurt by namco

Neil79 · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:33

gropingmantis said:
edit: That said I think they should only really be asking for the value of the game not €900

Greed, like music companies asking millions for one song

Gimpymoo · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:35

Surely those who did pirate the game deserve no sympathy?

Sure, take chances but be a man about it when you get caught instead of moaning like a *****.

Just a load of butt hurt kids who think P2P is "l33t".

Just like VAC bans, everyone moans about how unfair it is when they get caught but nobody cheats apparently.

reflux · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:35

Ah, the settlement letters business. RPS are right indeed, calling it "vile". It's essentially blackmail.

gropingmantis · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:37

reflux said:
Ah, the settlement letters business. RPS are right indeed, calling it "vile". It's essentially blackmail.

And the alternative is to take the IP information and send round the police?

Neil79 · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:37

Gimpymoo said:
Surely those who did pirate the game deserve no sympathy?

Sure, take chances but be a man about it when you get caught instead of moaning like a *****.

Just a load of butt hurt kids who think P2P is "l33t".

You should be fined per the product if the game was £50 at the time then you owe us £50

900 is an insult and just a figure some derp at the top chucked out

reflux · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:38

gropingmantis said:
And the alternative is to take the IP information and send round the police?

Yes, the alternative is to actually investigate each case first, rather than sending letters demanding payment based on very little evidence.

Caseh · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:40

Neil79 said:
Greed, like music companies asking millions for one song

Well I guess they are being greedy yeah, just like the people that pirated their game.

Gimpymoo · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:41

Neil79 said:
You should be fined per the product if the game was £50 at the time then you owe us £50

900 is an insult and just a figure some derp at the top chucked out

What is the deterrent there?

It should be based on the number of completed seeds from that individual plus costs.

spudbynight · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:46

Gimpymoo said:
What is the deterrent there?

It should be based on the number of completed seeds from that individual plus costs.

It isn't supposed to be a deterrent - it is supposed to reflect the loss occurred.

That is the way the law works.

reflux · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:48

spudbynight said:
It isn't supposed to be a deterrent - it is supposed to reflect the loss occurred.

That is the way the law works.

Exactly. Otherwise we end up with the absolutely mind-blowing, totally out of touch with reality verdicts like this one - $1.92 million for sharing 24 songs!!!

spudbynight · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:49

My views on this are as follows :

1) CD Projeckt did a great thing in releasing the game DRM free
2) Pirating the game is wrong legally
3) Pirating the game does not equal a lost sale
4) Everyone is innocent until PROVEN guilty in the eyes of the law and that principal is far more valuable to society than anything related to piracy
5) I don't have a problem with CD Projeckt taking legal action against people who have pirated their game
6) They have to prove this was done by a person beyond all reasonable doubt
7) A court awards damages

spudbynight · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:53

reflux said:
Exactly. Otherwise we end up with the absolutely mind-blowing, totally out of touch with reality verdicts like this one - $1.92 million for sharing 24 songs!!!

Lets step away from piracy entirely and just look at the legal principals to this.

In this country if you sue someone you get awarded damages to reflect your loss. Not to punish the defendant.

A plumber who messes up your kitchen might have the £10,000 it costs to put that right awarded against them. The plaintiff doesn't get £100,000 to send a message to other plumbers and punish them.

Sleepery · 15 Dec 2011 at 10:58

But, just playing devil's advocate here for a moment - you steal a jacket from a shop, and are caught on camera. The shop can either send the cops around, drag you through court, generally make a mess of your life, or

quietly ask you for reparation to forget about the whole thing. No point asking for the price of the jacket, since there's no deterrent not to do it again. I'd take my slap on the hand and get on with my life, personally.

spudbynight · 15 Dec 2011 at 11:14

Sleepery said:
But, just playing devil's advocate here for a moment - you steal a jacket from a shop, and are caught on camera. The shop can either send the cops around, drag you through court, generally make a mess of your life, or

quietly ask you for reparation to forget about the whole thing. No point asking for the price of the jacket, since there's no deterrent not to do it again. I'd take my slap on the hand and get on with my life, personally.

Yes, but a shop doing that would be committing the crime of blackmail and can be prosecuted for it.

Also, the shop doesn't drag you through the courts - the CPS does.

Sleepery · 15 Dec 2011 at 11:17

True, but if I had committed the crime, I know which one I'd opt for. I'd love to see the stats for how many people quietly pay up.

danswan · 15 Dec 2011 at 11:35

Sleepery said:
True, but if I had committed the crime, I know which one I'd opt for. I'd love to see the stats for how many people quietly pay up.

€900?? How many people can afford that, let alone be willing to pay it?