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Are Free-to-Play Weekends the Best Weapon Against Piracy?

Are Free-to-Play Weekends the Best Weapon Against Piracy?

Recently, Activision Blizzard declared that Overwatch would be free to play last weekend on PS4 and Xbox One. The dates ran from September 9-12, at 4PM PT. For my PS4, all it took was going to the PlayStation Store under “ Overwatch Free Weekend” and downloading away. I am so glad it didn’t require a PlayStation Plus subscription. It also wasn’t the full game, which was unfortunate, but enough to serve as a thorough introduction. You had access to every character and map (including the newly added Eichenwalde), Quick Play, Custom Games, AI matches, tutorials, and the Weekly Brawl. You could even earn XP, unlock items, and open loot boxes; however, Achievements and Trophies weren’t granted. If you want to continue playing the game after the free weekend event, you can purchase the full version and bring your progress with you. Which is pretty cool, to be sure.

That said, these demos (especially in AAA games like Overwatch ) are fantastic for those of us who haven’t been able to afford the entire game just yet. I definitely know what it’s like to watch your entire community happily playing a popular game for months before you get a chance at it. Being poor and being a hardcore gamer sucks; you miss out on a lot of exciting experiences. But these demos provide a sweet-flavored respite while you wait for the money to appear. Needless to say, playing Overwatch last weekend was so much fun, and I’m so grateful I had the opportunity.

In addition, it has been said that those who pirate games often do so because they cannot otherwise afford the games. The numbers are directly proportional to income level and age – the younger you are, the poorer you are (great news, though, once you hit 30 you’ll be able to afford most of your games). I admit, with how much I’m struggling to recover just from buying the PS4, pirating games on my PC was looking very tempting. But just as I was about to Google just how to do that, Blizzard announced that Overwatch would be free for the weekend. It definitely provided ample distraction and renewed my resolve to not pirate games.

Are Free-to-Play Weekends the Best Weapon Against Piracy?

I really hope that more developers do this more often. Not only is it the perfect way to advertise your game, but it discourages pirating. It certainly reminded me that even Blizzard needs to pay its employees, and pirating doesn’t help much with that. As someone who works for a retail giant, I understand how fundamental it is to know that no matter how big or small the company, they’re made up of people who are doing their best with what they’ve got. As much as making a demo for a game is a marketing strategy, it’s a damn good one. It allows people like me, who just aren’t able to afford it yet, to join the community around a game and avoid pirating for one more day.

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