my point was if they weren't playing them for free they wouldn't play them at all. so either way the devs aren't losing money.

I dunno...

Friend of mine used to bang on about paying full wack for games. Got his 360 modded and downloaded all his game, or bought them off a mate for a coupla quid each.

He got all the latest games and I was paying out money for them. I didn't say owt, he was a mate, but I didn't agree with it.

He got buster by ms. His account disabled and couldn't use the 360 anymore online.

He missed gears so much that he bought another 360 and since then, he's been spending...roughly over £120/£130 a month on new games. All that money is now going to the developers because he was forced out of his piracy. I'm glad of it, and it was for the greater good.

OK I admit, in the past I've downloaded stuff and liked it, then bought the album legit, and wouldn't have done without listening to an illigally downloaded copy or from youtube. Blokeh does the same I believe. But not everyone's like me.

At the end of the day, the law's the law, we're not supposed to download these things, or distribute them illigally in the first place. I'd prefer to abide by that law. We cry a lot because of how our rights are taken away, freedom, all that. But in the end it's only so we can break the law anyway. Not always, but step back and look at it. It's true.

@Erbs, you're a little off mate. You're not allowed to download the software (I'm talking the majority of it, mainstream retail released music/films/games) and use for your own use unless you own the original copywritten material. You are allowed to back up your own copies, however distributing them is illigal too. This is warned on the beginning of most movies and games, and is a standard policy among nearly all publishers for most types of media.

Anyway don't get personal about it guys, it's an interesting topic but it's not worth arguing about. I'm not saying you are, but it looks to be heading in that direction before too long.