Bottom line with this issue is that our generation, whatever you want to call it, needs to realize that things aren't free and that game developpers need your money to keep doing what they're doing. Sure people will say that they'll buy a game from any of the developpers if it's good, and so they should, but the fact of the matter is that who wants to make a well-made game if it's going to be pirated in any way? Sure console games can be pirated but, for my example, take everyone you know and think about whether they've pirated more computer games than console games and I presume that just like me the answer to almost all of them is computer games. They'll have a bunch of X-box or PS2/3 games in their large covers, a few PC games though also a few torrents going for the latest or greatest PC game downloading away. Only a few of the people I know have that little chip in the consoles, usually the heavy users, to allow them to play their stolen copies. The whole PC gaming community needs to look at themselves in the mirror and think about what we've collectively done, especially the heavy users and I'm no exception.
Sure you can look at all the features that this game doesn't have and should have had but you really need to think of the big picture with large studios, specifically EA posting losses over the last 14 quarters (though I know some of you will have something to say about that), losing money. What are they supposed to do? Go for the option of a larger likelyhood of piracy? I sure as hell wouldn't and, if you have any business sense, nor would you.
The only way to saved our beloved mouse-supporting and upgrade-allowing gaming machines is to hope that the big studios don't turn their backs on us and start pay-as-you-go systems, be it monlty, yearly,etc, and or buy games. I for one slightly respect what they've(makers of modern warfare, I forget atm) done and they're taking control of their company and their work and making people pay and wake up. If people want quality upgrades they need to pay the developpers one way or another. Just look at WoW, even though I hate the game itself, which pretty much supports blizzard with its' monthly subscriptions. Also, though I'm not completely sure, they also get rid of the middleman, a distributor, pilfering the pot which is good most ways you look at it. This is the way I'd like game developpers to go. Sure steam is great and I'd like it to keep going but there are better options still.
Of course, this could bring up other issues, mostly them becoming greedy with their services, though the world does deserve it, and once again not providing dedicated servers which can access their main account servers or their main servers however their system is set up.
Gosh, you turn 21 and it's all about them kids stepping on your lawn.
