How to Protect Your Game from Piracy?

Ever wondered why some games are available for free on certain websites, even when they’re not supposed to be? That’s game piracy in action.

It’s the unauthorised copying and distribution of games, robbing developers of their rightful earnings and recognition.

Imagine working on a masterpiece painting for months, only to have someone take a photo and sell prints without your permission. That’s how game developers feel when their games are pirated.

So how to protect your game from piracy? Let’s dive in to explore.

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How Game Piracy Happens?

1. Physical Copying: In the earlier days of gaming, piracy often involved physically copying game discs or cartridges. Someone with an original game could produce multiple copies using specialised hardware and then distribute them.
2. Cracking: Modern games often come with protective measures, such as Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems, to prevent unauthorised copying. “Crackers” are individuals or groups that break or bypass these protective measures, allowing the game to be copied and played without validation.
3. Torrenting and Peer-to-Peer Sharing: One of the most common methods of distributing pirated games is through torrenting. Using peer-to-peer networks, individuals can download and share game files with others around the world.
4. Direct Downloads: Pirated games can also be hosted on websites for direct download. These sites often provide cracked versions of games, allowing users to install and play them without any need for validation or authentication.
5. Modded Consoles: Some gaming consoles can be modified (or “modded”) to run pirated games. This often involves altering the hardware or software of the console to bypass security measures.
6. Repackaging: Some pirates repackage games with malware or other unwanted software. Unsuspecting users, thinking they’re getting a free game, might also end up with a virus or spyware on their system.
7. Unauthorised Key Reselling: Some platforms or websites sell game keys at a significantly reduced price. While some of these keys might be legitimate, others could be purchased using stolen credit cards or are unauthorised copies, making their purchase and use a form of piracy.
8. Game Streaming and Cloud Services: With the rise of game streaming platforms and cloud gaming, there’s a potential for games to be pirated through unauthorised streaming. This involves someone broadcasting a game for others to watch or play without the necessary licenses.

7 Benefits of Protecting Your Game from Unauthorised Access

Protecting your game from unauthorised access is crucial for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Financial Security: By preventing unauthorised access and distribution, developers ensure that they receive the revenue they deserve from game sales. This financial stability allows them to invest in future projects and continue producing quality content.
2. Preserving Intellectual Property: A game is a unique creation, a result of countless hours of design, development, and testing. Protecting it from unauthorised access ensures that the developer’s intellectual property rights are upheld, preventing others from copying or replicating their work without permission.
3. Maintaining Game Integrity: Unauthorised access can lead to game modifications or “mods” that the developer did not intend. By controlling access, developers can ensure that players experience the game as it was designed, free from unwanted alterations, bugs, or imbalances.
4. Protecting Users from Malware: Unauthorised versions of games can often contain malicious software. By safeguarding the game, developers protect their users from potential threats like viruses, spyware, and ransomware that might be bundled with pirated copies.
5. Upholding Reputation: A game that’s easily accessible without authorisation can be perceived as less valuable or of lower quality. By protecting it, developers maintain their reputation, ensuring that their brand is associated with quality and integrity.
6. Ensuring Fair Play: In multiplayer games, unauthorised access can lead to cheating, giving some players an unfair advantage. By controlling access, developers can maintain a level playing field, ensuring that all players have an equal chance to succeed, especially in competitive settings.
7. Data Protection: Modern games often collect user data to enhance the gaming experience, provide personalised game content, or support online features. Unauthorised access can lead to data breaches, putting user privacy at risk. Proper protection mechanisms ensure that user data remains confidential and secure.

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How to Protect Your Game from Piracy?

Protecting your online game from piracy is essential, especially when your popular game could attract millions of users, including mobile users.

Implementing robust anti-piracy features can deter those looking to pirate games and ensure that players get the genuine experience you’ve crafted.

Copy Protection Methods:

1. Digital Rights Management (DRM): This piece of software controls and restricts the use of your game. It ensures that only users who’ve made a legitimate game purchase can access and play, often requiring a unique digit code for verification.
2. Encryption and Authorisation: Encrypt game data so that only authorised parties can access it. Authorisation mechanisms can include online activation or requiring a unique key to install or play the game.
3. Limited Installations: Allow the game to be installed a set number of times. This deters users from sharing their non-genuine copy with others.
4. Physical Copy Protection: For games distributed on physical media, use techniques that make direct copying of discs or cartridges difficult, preventing the spread of illegal copies.

Anti-Piracy Techniques in Gaming:

1. Watermarking: Embed unique identifiers in each game copy. If a non-genuine copy gets leaked or distributed, the source can be traced using the watermark.
2. Server-Side Execution: For an online game, run essential game logic on the server side. This ensures that players must connect to official game servers to play, making the game unbeatable if someone tries to pirate the game.
3. Code Obfuscation: This involves making the game’s source code difficult to read and understand, deterring reverse engineering. It’s a crucial part of the game’s anti-piracy measures.

Unique Content:

1. Exclusive Features: Offer features or content exclusive to legitimate copies. This could be special levels or characters that aren’t available in pirated versions.
2. Regular Updates: Provide frequent updates with new content, bug fixes, or enhancements. This not only improves the experience for legitimate users but also makes game work pirating harder as pirated versions become outdated quickly.

Online Features:

1. Online Multiplayer: Make certain game modes or features available only when connected to the official game servers. This adds value to genuine copies and deters those looking to pirate games.
2. Cloud Saves: Allow players to save their game progress on the cloud, accessible only through legitimate copies.
3. Achievements and Leaderboards: Offer online achievements or leaderboards that require a connection to official servers.

Collaboration:

1. Work with Platforms: Collaborate with established gaming platforms. These platforms have their own anti-piracy measures in place.
2. Community Engagement: Engage with the gaming community, listen to their feedback, and address their concerns. A loyal community is less likely to resort to piracy and more likely to report or discourage it.

How to Detect Pirated Copies of Your Game in 5 Easy Ways?

1. Watermarking: Embed a unique watermark or digital signature into each legitimate copy of your game. This watermark can be a series of numbers, a code, or any other identifier. If a copy of your game appears online or elsewhere without this watermark, it’s likely a pirated version. Additionally, if a pirated copy is traced back to a specific watermark, you can identify the original source of the leak.
2. Online Authentication Checks: Implement a system where the game periodically checks in with an official server to verify its authenticity. If the game cannot validate its legitimacy during these checks, it’s likely a pirated copy. This method can also deter users from using pirated versions, as they might face interruptions or limited functionality.
3. Monitor Piracy Websites and Forums: Regularly check popular piracy websites, forums, and torrent sites for unauthoriSed copies of your game. By staying vigilant and monitoring these platforms, you can quickly identify and take action against pirated versions.
4. Implement Unique Game Features: Introduce certain features or content that are only available in legitimate copies. If these features are absent or malfunction in a version of your game, it’s a clear sign of a pirated copy. For instance, some developers have creatively made pirated versions of their games unbeatable or introduced subtle bugs to deter piracy.
5. Track Game Analytics: Incorporate analytics tools into your game to track user behavior, location, and other metrics. If you notice unusual patterns, such as a surge in players from a specific region or abnormal gameplay behavior, it might indicate that pirated copies are in circulation. Comparing the number of active players to the number of legitimate sales can also provide insights.

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How Does Bytescare Protect Your Game from Piracy?

Bytescare’s anti-piracy tool is a breakthrough for game developers. It persistently combs through the digital world, identifying unauthorized game distributions with in-depth analysis.

The instant a piracy effort is spotted, Bytescare responds rapidly, making sure developers’ games are safeguarded.

Moreover, as pirates refine their methods, Bytescare adapts, always remaining one step in the lead. Looking to bolster your game against online piracy?

To experience Bytescare’s digital piracy monitoring service firsthand, schedule a demo or contact us. Let’s protect your gaming masterpieces together!

Conclusion

Protecting games from piracy is paramount, especially in an era where indie games and major games alike are vulnerable to unauthorised distribution.

Whether it’s safeguarding game content to ensure an authentic game experience or securing network game interactions, developers must be proactive.

While platforms like Steam offer robust protections, non-Steam games also need stringent measures.

From modern fighting games to offline game titles, ensuring that the game reaches people in its intended form is crucial.

After all, when a player genuinely pays for games, they support the industry, fostering innovation and growth.

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