Study reveals high level of piracy amongst teenagers

A new Brunel University study has revealed that more than 80 per cent of gamers questioned have engaged in piracy at some stage, a figure that rises to 84 per cent for those aged 15-18.

The study, which was conducted by Alex Dodge of the university's School of Business and Management, found that 80 per cent of the 217 respondents found illegally downloading games an easy task. In total, 65 per cent thought their chances of getting caught were low.

More than 70 per cent of those surveyed said they would obtain a pirate version of a game if they had to wait too long for a UK release, and 58 per cent said they did not go on to buy games they had downloaded.

Videogame piracy costs game publishers an estimated USD 5 billion per year and efforts to combat illegal downloading have met with little success, according to the study's author.

"Most respondents who have and will continue to illegally download games are young males, between 15 and 19 years old," said Dodge.

"They feel videogames are too expensive and resent the long wait for many games released in the US or in Asia before the UK. With a high level of computer literacy, it's easy for them to find a game online and download it. Their friends all do it and why shouldn't they?"

However, Dodge said, the pirates "know they are doing wrong - and understand that the more they pirate, the greater harm they are doing to an industry they support."

So what can be done to solve the problem? Dodge said the message to manufacturers is clear: "To minimise illegal downloading, ensure worldwide product releases, lower prices, and make it harder to pirate."

"Finally, work on a 'piracy education programme' to engender a feeling amongst the young gaming community that piracy is wrong," he continued.

"The alternative is to continue to suffer crippling piracy levels from teenage 'console criminals' gaming in their bedrooms."