Game Author Posts on The Pirate Bay

[Renegade]

This is pretty bizarre:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/390261/why-fight-piracy-anodyne-dev-offers-free-codes-on-pirate-bay/#

'Why fight piracy?' Anodyne dev offers free codes on Pirate Bay
Indie dev posts on torrent search website to raise awareness for Steam Greenlight project

Indie games developer Sean Hogan has offered free copies of Anodyne to those attempting to download the game through a Pirate Bay listings page.

After the 2D top-down adventure was posted on the Pirate Bay, Hogan issued a message within the comments section, asking users to vote for the game on Steam Greenlight if they enjoyed it.


"Hi, I'm one of the two guys who made Anodyne," Sean Wrote.

"It's neat that Anodyne's here and I'm glad that means more people can play it, though of course we'd love it if you bought the game. We're trying to get Greenlit [sic] on Steam so we'd really appreciate it if you and your friends gave us an up-vote".

I wish I had a dollar for every time my software were pirated... I'd buy a new house then another house just because I could.

[p3lb0x]

I think it's because the authors consider themselves artists more than businessmen. I mean, it would make sense to see people enjoy your art and think you're awesome.

[TaoPhoenix]

This is pretty bizarre:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/390261/why-fight-piracy-anodyne-dev-offers-free-codes-on-pirate-bay/#

'Why fight piracy?' Anodyne dev offers free codes on Pirate Bay
Indie dev posts on torrent search website to raise awareness for Steam Greenlight project

Indie games developer Sean Hogan has offered free copies of Anodyne to those attempting to download the game through a Pirate Bay listings page.

After the 2D top-down adventure was posted on the Pirate Bay, Hogan issued a message within the comments section, asking users to vote for the game on Steam Greenlight if they enjoyed it.


"Hi, I'm one of the two guys who made Anodyne," Sean Wrote.

"It's neat that Anodyne's here and I'm glad that means more people can play it, though of course we'd love it if you bought the game. We're trying to get Greenlit [sic] on Steam so we'd really appreciate it if you and your friends gave us an up-vote".

I wish I had a dollar for every time my software were pirated... I'd buy a new house then another house just because I could.

Wait, so you wish you had offered your software under a "99 cent plan"? 

[tomos]

Seems a good approach to me:
if it's going to be there anyway, they may as well get *something* out of it.

(They now get votes, good vibes :p and possibly the occasional purchase.)

[wraith808]

I think it's because the authors consider themselves artists more than businessmen. I mean, it would make sense to see people enjoy your art and think you're awesome.

No, I think it's because they are adapting to the reality of the situation.  You aren't going to stop the pirating, at most you're going to slightly inconvenience them (and possibly majorly inconvenience your customers).  Their efforts on the site at worst will have no effect (other than they generate a few license keys) and at best, turn some people pirating into customers; if not for this effort, then for their next.  I don't do it, but I know people that do- and most of them are reacting to something; prices, bad games, bad DRM, companies shafting them (GOTY editions really pissed a lot of early adopters off- especially when released at the same time as expansions or DRM).  Many of them, once the condition that causes it goes away, actually buy the game.

Is it ideal?  No.  Do I agree with it?  No.  But either you adapt, or you become the RIAA/MPAA.

[Renegade]

Wait, so you wish you had offered your software under a "99 cent plan"? 

I wish it were that simple.

If I did that, I'd be bankrupt several times over. It costs more than $1 to get a customer.

[Renegade]

Oddly enough, the torrent has disappeared from The Pirate Bay:

https://torrentfreak.com/indie-game-devs-delight-pirate-bay-and-reddit-with-disappearing-torrent-130211/

The Pirate Bay is well-known for not removing torrents to any content, unless it’s criminally illegal in Sweden or contains malware or a virus. So with this in mind, try searching for Anodyne on the site. Actually, save yourself some time and don’t bother. The torrent, which was uploaded by a user called Frewyrn, has been deleted.

[f0dder]

The Pirate Bay is well-known for not removing torrents to any content, unless it’s criminally illegal in Sweden or contains malware or a virus. So with this in mind, try searching for Anodyne on the site. Actually, save yourself some time and don’t bother. The torrent, which was uploaded by a user called Frewyrn, has been deleted.

So, who deleted it? TPB admins or Frewyrn?