Video games are one of my fondest pastimes and to see things start to decline makes me sick. The worst part is that we as a whole are only aiding the decline. The 3DGPU article touched on the fact that games are too expensive and generally I would agree. I don't like paying $50 for a brand new game or even $55 for some newer ones, but that is the price that the market bears. He also touched on the fact that many people that pirate often times can't afford the games that are coming out. To that I say so what? Because you cannot afford something doesn't mean you should be able to obtain it though other methods. I realize this is a stretch because electronic data can be reproduced without cost, but you can draw a parallel to any other retail good. I can't afford to purchase a brand new Corvette, but that doesn't give me the right to go take one. Unlike a Corvette, the games probably do have higher prices to compensate for the cost of piracy. I know that the cost for many pieces of software have a huge markup so that the company breaks even. So next time you whine about the price, why don't you think twice before pirating that next great game. The bottom line is that there are a whole lot of people who put thousands of hours into developing these games and it just plain isn't right to steal them because you can't afford them.