GoT Will Be the Most Pirated TV-Show, Again

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
75,400
On your mark, get set, go pirate Game of Thrones :D It’s that time of year again when GoT makes its season debut and all around the world is heard a collective Yar! and Yo Ho Ho with the pirates coming out of the woodwork to illegally watch or record the most pirated show on TV for the fifth straight year.

Data gathered during the first 12 hours of the season 4 premiere revealed that most downloads originated from Australia, followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands. So there must be something else going on.
 
As I said before, make it available for download at www.hbo.com for $1 an episode, and see piracy disappear. As it is, you can't even PAY MONEY to get as good an experience as you can through piracy... that's stupid!

I showed the math before, and even at $1 an episode, they would MORE than pay back the cost to produce the show by a wide margin based on its current viewership, and its likely the viewership would increase even further at $1.
 
As I said before, make it available for download at www.hbo.com for $1 an episode, and see piracy disappear. As it is, you can't even PAY MONEY to get as good an experience as you can through piracy... that's stupid!

I showed the math before, and even at $1 an episode, they would MORE than pay back the cost to produce the show by a wide margin based on its current viewership, and its likely the viewership would increase even further at $1.

Can't you use Roku or one of the other TV sticks to get 720p (or better) with 5.1? I know they don't do it via HBO Go on the PC.
 
By downloading the show, I am finished watching it before it started playing on HBO -- I am on the west coast. It starts on the east coast three hours earlier.

Or when I had a transatlantic flight and wanted to watch it on my tablet on the flight over. I had no problems because the downloaded MKV can be played anywhere.

So no, we are not "fucking pirates". If I could pay a buck per unDRM'd episode I would do so, gladly.
 
Logical fallacy. Even if it was free at HBO.COM people will still pirate it. Why? Because they're fucking pirates.

So your logical fallacy trumps the other? Netflix (and similar) have clearly shown what easy-to-access media content does to piracy. We've all had this discussion before and it always ends in the same place. Some bullshit talk about morals, which is laughable, given the people screaming "piracy kills jobs!" and whatnot.
 
So your logical fallacy trumps the other? Netflix (and similar) have clearly shown what easy-to-access media content does to piracy. We've all had this discussion before and it always ends in the same place. Some bullshit talk about morals, which is laughable, given the people screaming "piracy kills jobs!" and whatnot.
Yet from torrent freaks' list of top pirated shows, #2 is TWD which is US basic cable and available for next day streaming and episodic purchase, and #3-#7 are US OTA shows. It sounds like that shows that have appeal to younger, more tech savvy demographics are going to be pirated regardless of how accessible they are.

And regardless, HBO finances and creates original content to sell subscriptions, not to make money purely of a show. The money it could make selling episodes of GoT is much less than what it currently makes selling monthly subscriptions and while GoT is a massive TV success, none of its other shows are even close to the same level of popularity.
 
HBO is and will always be a subscription model service and will retain that exclusive relationship for any of it's upper tiered first runs of any program it produces. They may be finding ways to penetrate the streaming segment of the market but are doing so in a way that will not disrupt their core business which is being a network first and foremost. HBO will still be producing quality product long after GOT finishes airing in 3 years and I'm happy to pay my monthly subscription as part of really enjoying the new content they create as well as top tier movies i can watch alone or with family members. They understand that there is a new generation that either can't afford both internet and cable tv, or just doesn't want cable tv with premium channels in their house. Having the ability to offer themselves a la cart, as a network, to the massive user-base on the internet that is clearly interested in their product (just look at the estimated illegal downloads) they are merely making a sensible attempt at monetizing a delivery method that has clearly been established as working exceptionally well.

There is another discussion of individuals that download out of convenience and try to circumvent the fact that it is both illegal and immoral because of their particular convictions over drm or access to content. This is an age old argument that does not distance you from the fact that you are performing an illegal activity, ie: the theft of a 'luxury' item. Your family is not starving and you aren't stealing bread.

A lot of people that talk about Game of Thrones as a product really forget that you are not buying game of thrones, you are buying an HBO subscription. Keep this in mind while you are formulating your thoughts as it's illogical to argue about single episode or series prices until their blurays are released after the fact.
 
A lot of people that talk about Game of Thrones as a product really forget that you are not buying game of thrones, you are buying an HBO subscription.

When you say "you're buying a sub", I respond with "but that's only because I have to, I'd rather not"

The bundling / package model needs to be modernized. I don't care about HBO's catalog of 80's and 90's movies, I care about their series. Just like people want ESPN and a few other channels, not 30 varieties of TLC that have been downsized so much in content that they overlap one another in shows, all the while not even showing content that fits their channel name.
 
When you say "you're buying a sub", I respond with "but that's only because I have to, I'd rather not"

The bundling / package model needs to be modernized. I don't care about HBO's catalog of 80's and 90's movies, I care about their series. Just like people want ESPN and a few other channels, not 30 varieties of TLC that have been downsized so much in content that they overlap one another in shows, all the while not even showing content that fits their channel name.

You can always wait a couple weeks until the Blu-Ray/DVD is released...but oh wait everyone believes they deserve to see it NOW...............
 
As I said before, make it available for download at www.hbo.com for $1 an episode, and see piracy disappear. As it is, you can't even PAY MONEY to get as good an experience as you can through piracy... that's stupid!

I showed the math before, and even at $1 an episode, they would MORE than pay back the cost to produce the show by a wide margin based on its current viewership, and its likely the viewership would increase even further at $1.

Is that really a feasible model ... HBO makes more than 4 Billion dollars a year at about a 50% profit margin with the current model (piracy and all) ... would selling GoT for only $1 dollar really add the hundreds of millions needed to offset the potential losses in their existing revenue stream (and could they maintain the 50% profit margin needed to protect their parent company's stock price) ... if not, then the model isn't feasible :confused:
 
You can always wait a couple weeks until the Blu-Ray/DVD is released...but oh wait everyone believes they deserve to see it NOW...............

Delaying release, an accessibility issue, technically another problem they created themselves.
 
So your logical fallacy trumps the other? Netflix (and similar) have clearly shown what easy-to-access media content does to piracy. We've all had this discussion before and it always ends in the same place. Some bullshit talk about morals, which is laughable, given the people screaming "piracy kills jobs!" and whatnot.

All NetFlix content is on pirate sites. I assume those with netflix stream it. The only reason I can see to D/L it is if you have several people who'll watch the show at different times and your ISP has a cap.
 
When you say "you're buying a sub", I respond with "but that's only because I have to, I'd rather not"

The bundling / package model needs to be modernized. I don't care about HBO's catalog of 80's and 90's movies, I care about their series. Just like people want ESPN and a few other channels, not 30 varieties of TLC that have been downsized so much in content that they overlap one another in shows, all the while not even showing content that fits their channel name.

Then HBO would charge you $3-$5/episode. You're not going to get it for a buck. Each episode costs 6 million. A buck isn't going to cut it. My guess is they'd have to get $5.00 per episode...at that price, you might as well subscribe.
 
When you say "you're buying a sub", I respond with "but that's only because I have to, I'd rather not"

The bundling / package model needs to be modernized. I don't care about HBO's catalog of 80's and 90's movies, I care about their series. Just like people want ESPN and a few other channels, not 30 varieties of TLC that have been downsized so much in content that they overlap one another in shows, all the while not even showing content that fits their channel name.

The thing is those channels are cheap. It's ESPN, Fox and Disney that are semi expensive. I can't find the cost of TLC, but generally channels like that are roughly a quarter (and I think that's for the entire line up, not just a single TLC (or ESPN) channel.

Its not a surprise that Sling is only $20.00. The only channel that's expensive is ESPN. The rest, combined, cost a fraction of what ESPN costs. Drop ESPN, and it'd probably be 50-75% less.

If you only got HBO series, you'd still pay about the same amount.
 
All NetFlix content is on pirate sites. I assume those with netflix stream it. The only reason I can see to D/L it is if you have several people who'll watch the show at different times and your ISP has a cap.
I think you are missing a key point in the original news article. It is the rest of the planet that causes that huge inflation of the download numbers. There can be a huge delay in these series being available elsewhere. Australia especially suffer from late releases which probably explains why it is top of the list.

In many cases we have no idea when a series will be released. Or if it is going to get a release. Or the release is on an expensive to access channel. (In the UK a lot of stuff gets stuck on expensive Sky Satellite TV). And then the BluRay releases will also be delayed. Even Netflix will show different shows outside of the US.
 
All NetFlix content is on pirate sites. I assume those with netflix stream it. The only reason I can see to D/L it is if you have several people who'll watch the show at different times and your ISP has a cap.

Netflix is unavaialable in most of the world outside the US, and even if it is, then with greatly castrated content.

As long as pirating gives me a better experience I will pirate. But as soon as I get better service I'll switch to that service. It's not about the money, it wasn't about the money for at least two decades now. It's about the quality of service. I'm not pirating because I'm a fucking pirate, I pirate because It's more convenient. I don't even care that much about getting it NOW, but if I can get it now, why would I wait, to get it on a worse service later?
 
I don't remember when I last pirated a game, why? Because it's easier and more convenient to just buy it and let steam download and install it automatically, and not fiddle with isos and cracks and downloading and unpacking and so on.

Maybe it's about the money, for some people, and yes there are some jerks who would stand on their heads while watching a movie if it meant not paying for it, but the majority of decent people would start paying if the paid service would surpass piracy in convenience and quality.
 
I bet if they take that "most pirated show" chart and compare it with the "most boxsets sold" chart they will see a lot of similarities. Popular shows get watched shock!
 
At this point I feel like HBO is intentionally making it hard* to get the show just so their PR team can keep using the "Most Pirated..." line to build hype :p

*I'm outside the US, I don't even have the option to sub to HBO.
 
Logical fallacy. Even if it was free at HBO.COM people will still pirate it. Why? Because they're fucking pirates.

Not true. If HBO made it widely known that is was available for 1$ each, in fullHD with 5.1 uncompressed audio many people would get it for convenience sake.

Hell sell it on Steam if they want a big audience. Valve's way worked well for many casual pirates.
 
8e9e1aff226ea039cffc532b78526524.jpg
 
Logical fallacy. Even if it was free at HBO.COM people will still pirate it. Why? Because they're fucking pirates.

Not at all.

I have subs to Prime, Netflix, Hulu, but I DL linux distros alllll the time, and the ones I get that I like that are still in theaters, I go and see (yes, I watch them twice), and I go very very often.

I want content how and when I want it, supply it that way, and I will be more than happy to pay for it, as I still do in most cases.
 
Not at all.

I have subs to Prime, Netflix, Hulu, but I DL linux distros alllll the time, and the ones I get that I like that are still in theaters, I go and see (yes, I watch them twice), and I go very very often.

I want content how and when I want it, supply it that way, and I will be more than happy to pay for it, as I still do in most cases.

The entitlement in this post...YOU deserve to have the content when YOU want it at the price YOU want? This is just too good.
 
I don't remember pirating anything for years now. I think the last time I did was when I couldn't get a game working after paying for it and the crack actually got he game working for me which was surprising.

It took over a week for the support guys to look into it and took them a solid month to patch the issue.

Some people are going to pirate no matter what. Luckily, I'm happy with my DVR and using it to watch GOTs.
 
For the nay-sayers, look up the other thread on this forum. I showed their current viewership and did the math with revenue income vs their costs, and projected that a good portion of total pirate downloads would turn legit at $1 an episode.

The problem is that right now, piracy is not only free but the easiest and best viewing experience currently available. What we need to do is replicate the piracy experience, without any risk, for a dollar. That won't kill all pirates, as some would even care about that tiny amount, but it would deal with a good portion and increase international sales.
The entitlement in this post...YOU deserve to have the content when YOU want it at the price YOU want? This is just too good.
Uhhhh yeah. Since when does the consumer not dictate demand? Its a consumer driven market, and you can damn well say exactly what you're willing to pay for a service and how you'd like that service delivered, or else you keep your money. Only with monopolies like comcast are you expected to hold on tight to your shoe-laces without bending at the knee, and bite down on a pencil while they "deliver outstanding service" fast and hard.
 
The entitlement in this post...YOU deserve to have the content when YOU want it at the price YOU want? This is just too good.

Entitlement? I pay for subs to just about every decent streaming service out there, and I pay extremely over priced fees to go see movies in theaters at least once a week. Sooo....Yeah.

Never said I deserve anything, only that if you want people to pay for something, supply it in the form people have been begging for it in (online/streaming, remove region restrictions and the "wait" from theaters to BD/etc). I also said nothing about cost and as I said, I pay for most of it anyway soooo....Strawman much?
 
You have the ability to pay for it, you just don't like the price or way it is delivered. HBO doesn't release movies in theaters, so that adds nothing for them. There will be HBOgo in a few months for $15, at which point there won't be an excuse anymore for anyone(unless you live in a country where it's not offered). But you'll still see really high numbers of piracy because pirates will pirate, that's just how it'll always be.
 
The entitlement in this post...YOU deserve to have the content when YOU want it at the price YOU want? This is just too good.

Take the deserve word out and it's pretty accurate. Consumers want to have the content that they want at a price they want. That's how it works. Most businesses cater to that. Supply & demand. Demand for these shows are high. Supply is limited, so people go to other, non-legit sources to obtain it. Either get rid of the non-legit sources or increase supply. Both will give a similar result, but one is much easier than the other.

I don't expect companies to just give me things. I don't expect them to offer services to cater to me (I'd love to go to the moon for $5,000, but that's not happening). But, in this day and age, there is a huge market that they could move on to, but it's like bathing a cat. These big companies are holding onto their old 80's models and not moving forward. Piracy is huge. It will never fully go away, but it could be minimized by giving the consumer legit ways to get their content at reasonable prices and in a timely fashion. These big companies are screaming bloody murder at pirates, yet they only offer a crap service outside of their $90 cable bill + addon subscription. Many people are just not willing to buy the whole package for a single show.

Yes, people feel entitled in this new internet generation. With new services allowing streaming of shows, movies, music, sometimes live - that's the new reality. That's what people are expecting. Yet, it seems that's what a lot of content providers are avoiding. There's a market there, but there isn't a legit means for it. So, piracy takes that spot (and it's extremely easy for anyone to pirate material... easier than signing up for the legit service...). Piracy is big now. I'm sure it will remain big for a while, even with legit sources. People are used to it, people know how to do it, and yes - people feel entitled to those things for free now.

Sling TV is a great service. When it works. The Walking Dead, NCAA both brought the service to it's knees. Won't load half the time. The day time, it works excellent. They weren't prepared for the load. Haven't tried HBOGo or whatever yet. Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime work great. The services are great when they work. The content is there. There is zero reason to pirate for me (couldn't say that 10 years or so ago...). Maybe if I wanted to watch a show without commercials before the pacific time slot, but yea, that'd make me entitled (I agree there). But, as it is SO EASY to pirate and finish watching before it even airs on this side of the country, it's going to happen no matter what. Unless you take away the geo restrictions, and allow streaming the same time as the first airing, it's going to happen. I really don't know how they could monetize that business model and make it worth their while.

Yes - people are entitled. They want their shit, and they want it now, and they want it where they want it. They want full control. They have that control with a lot of things already. While it's not a good thing, it is a thriving open market that piracy has most of the control of. Get legit means in there, and it will help (not stop) piracy. The entitlement feelings will still be there, of course. But, you're satisfying those people while getting paid for it.
 
An example of why people in Australia are top of the pirate list for GoT
www.smh.com.au hbo-screws-australia-over-game-of-thrones

It has gone exclusive to an expensive pay-per-view channel. So exclusive you can't even download it from iTunes. A trick that also happens here in the UK. A show starts on a Free to Air channel, and then once it gets successful it swaps to Pay per View.

Interesting to note in the comments a common thread: "I don't watch the show myself, but i find that torrenting HD versions from America, then buying the DVDs when they come out to be the best thing for me - watch it sooner, pay for the stuff later."

Or what about how the Aus Netflix has only a tiny fraction of the shows available that the US Netflix has.
www.smh.com.au how-the-australian-netflix-differs-from-the-us-service
 
As I said before, make it available for download at www.hbo.com for $1 an episode, and see piracy disappear. As it is, you can't even PAY MONEY to get as good an experience as you can through piracy... that's stupid!

I don't know, and likely never will watch Game of Thrones, but I agree.

Users will flock to the most convenient way to get content, legal or illegal.

Piracy is not about wanting something for free (at least not for most people) it's about the convenient, fast, DRM free experience.

Offer video content that is convenient, fast, DRM free and reasonably priced, and piracy will be gone overnight, similar to how Spotify almost killed music piracy overnight.

Oh, and the obligatory link to the comic on this topic.
 
I don't remember when I last pirated a game, why? Because it's easier and more convenient to just buy it and let steam download and install it automatically, and not fiddle with isos and cracks and downloading and unpacking and so on.

Maybe it's about the money, for some people, and yes there are some jerks who would stand on their heads while watching a movie if it meant not paying for it, but the majority of decent people would start paying if the paid service would surpass piracy in convenience and quality.

Here's a good example, I just rented the new Hobbit movie on Google Play to watch last night around 8pm. I assume this is another 3 hour epic and I already knew I would fall asleep before then as I had had a long day. So naturally I figure I'll just resume it the next night to complete. FUCK NO. Movie had a 24 hour expiry period on it, meaning that should I decide to finish it around 10pm i fucking cant. Fuck that fucking bullshit. That is clearly designed to fuck me in the ass and try to get me to rent it twice by having it expire at the most logical time I would resume watching.

This happened to me last year so I began pirating everything whether it was available to stream or not. Shit I could totally pay for, but fuck that, they want to fuck me? Then I'll fuck them. I started renting again when I saw movies had 48 hour expiration, because at least that makes sense. Give me a couple of days to finish, let me switch up my viewing times. 24 hours is just a kick to the balls.

So I think I'll go back to pirating for awhile now because that pissed me off so bad. I have about 10 movies in my "wish list". Thats $50 worth of streams they'll miss out on now and another $50 for the next 10 movies I dont pay for. Good job Google. Your short sighted greed just screwed you.
 
Back
Top