Posted 10/01/2008 at 12:09:03pm

I'll admit it right up front, I pirated GoW.  There was no pre-release demo, so I do what I always do when there is no demo, I pirate the game.  Before anyone like CliffB gets their panties in a bunch, I've probably spent around $300 on software and games this year.  Bought The Witcher EE, Grid, Multiwinia and a bunch of other games of Steam, bought SoaSE...probably spent way too much money on video games, all things considered.

After I pirated GoW, I proceeded to play the first chapter or two and became stupendously bored.  I haven't touched it since.  I probably deleted the image file out of apathy. No multiplayer worth speaking of, no interesting mods, just what amounts to another rehash of the original Doom.

I've been burned before, purchasing games without playing them first, I've learned my lesson.  Not to pick on the mentally challenged here, but "fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."

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Regarding DRM, anyone who thinks it is anything EXCEPT punishment for paying customers doesn't know their head from their ass: this directly and entirely means you, CliffyB.  Pirates don't have to screw around with activation, CD keys OR wondering where their Play disk is.  They just apply a crack and PLAY THE GAME.  The actual paying customers (you know, the "good guys"), however, have to deal with intrusive software (starforce is the bestest idea evar!), needing to swap CDs anytime they want to switch games (where the HELL is my BF2 CD!?!?), and worrying that once some DRM server goes down, will they ever be able to play this game again (WalMart Music Store, anyone?).  

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If publishers want to feed drivel to the masses, they should be in the business of feeding drivel to the masses.  

They shouldn't feed drivel to the refined, and then suffer consternation about our gag reflexes.