AfterDawn: News

2008: Most pirated PC games

Every year, Torrentfreak makes a list of the most pirated PC games of the year and this year is no different.

Topping the list is Spore, the blockbuster game that made headlines for its unique gameplay and for the backlash it received due to EA's choice to include brutal SecuROM DRM.



In second place was Sims 2, another game from Spore creator Will Wright. In third was Assassin's Creed, which is probably on the list because a pirated version was leaked to torrent and P2P sites weeks before the retail date.

Some of the other titles on the list are more surprising given their release date but they remain popular.

The full list is as follows:
Number on list; Name; Amount of downloads; Date of release

1 Spore
(1,700,000) (Sept. 2008)

2 The Sims 2
(1,150,000) (Sept. 2004)

3 Assassins Creed
(1,070,000) (Nov. 2007)

4 Crysis
(940,000) (Nov. 2007)

5 Command & Conquer 3
(860,000) (Mar. 2007)

6 Call of Duty 4
(830,000) (Nov. 2007)

7 GTA San Andreas
(740,000) (Jun. 2005)

8 Fallout 3
(645,000) (Oct. 2008)

9 Far Cry 2
(585,000) (Oct. 2008)

10 Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
(470,000) (Oct. 2008)

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 7 Dec 2008 18:05

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• 11 comments

• tripplite

  we should find a list of how many titles those games actually sold:D

  7.12.2008 18:21 #1

• rvinkebob

  It's nice to see that San Andreas is still being pirated, LOL

  7.12.2008 19:25 #2

• skeil909

  In reality those numbers are meaningless. At best you could cut them by 25% to 50% and still be using meaningless numbers.
  
  If a game is WORTH buying, you could argue that at least 25% of down loaders would probably buy it and another 25%* would be considering it. While the other 50%* had no intention or means to buy the game in the first place.
  
  *Percentages may vary +/- 25% - 50%.
  
  :P

  7.12.2008 19:46 #3

• MuffinsQ

  the amazing irony of Spore is that the very copy protection designed to stop piracy caused people (who may well have not pirated it)to go and pirate the game simply to avoid the copy protection restrictions!

  7.12.2008 20:19 #4

• idef

  Funny thing but this list helps me know what game I'd buy over another one. Pirate rating is probably the best indicator of a good game.
  Sells don't always reflect the truth for exemple :
  - price too high so less people buy a game.
  - game not sold yet (or at all) in some countries.
  - companies that give false numbers to boost a game popularity

  7.12.2008 21:48 #5

• tgok

  Originally posted by idef: Funny thing but this list helps me know what game I'd buy over another one. Pirate rating is probably the best indicator of a good game.
  Originally posted by idef: best indicator of a good gameOriginally posted by idef: good gameQuote: assasin's creed I lol'd.

  7.12.2008 22:29 #6

• ads

  It was a pain in the A** to get bioshock working when I bought it so I didnt buy spore.. limit to installs what a pain in the rear I go through a new computer every 5-6 months.. thats only if its worth upgradeing at the time with newer parts ect.. and to only be alowed to install a few times its a big pain haveing to go buy the game agian.. i bought fallout 3 its a good game.. crysis I bought as well call of duty 4 and 5 i bought as well.. to many games worth buying but when they put junk in it and i know that the pirated version works fine but the one you buy doesnt it bugs me I had a friend who downloaded a game installed it works fine goes i really like this game and runs out and buys it and it doesnt work because of the anti piracy that gets removed when they crack the game.. Its ironic they should be more consrened about how people are geting fustrated when they buy there game and then dont buy anymore because of problems installing or running the game. And ea has the worse custmer suport out of all the companys i actually had a person to tell me to go download and install the no cd crack to get a game to work then i asked them will this affect my online play they said yep.. and i told them well i bought the game to play online and it doesnt work... Its because of bugs that alot of people with ati video cards had the same problem and sometimes its the other way around its a pain in the ass...

  7.12.2008 23:07 #7

• ZippyDSM

  Its nice to see world of goo not on the list....and only the big 3/5 pub games on there......cant even get the propaganda right....

  8.12.2008 06:39 #8

• borhan9

  the other problem with this list is the fact that its only talking about pirated games that are uploaded and then downloaded off the net however u can download the game but it does not nesccaralliy going to work when downloaded..

  8.12.2008 19:54 #9

• Shegax

  I would hope people went out of their way to pirate Spore to make a statement. And look it was the most pirated game! Awsome. What other way does a consumer have to create a protest? Other than not buy it...which isn't making much of a statement.

  8.12.2008 22:54 #10

• canuckerz

  Haha, san andreas is still up there. Man that was a sick game.

  11.12.2008 01:47 #11