Piracy is one of the scourges of the entertainment industry. It has touched the music, film and television sectors and is only getting worse, especially in the video games industry. Video games have been up on the “I-Want” list for decades, and some have resorted to desperate measures to get their hands on the newest games, and apart from a massive subpoena, the end of video game piracy is seemingly only as possible as having a pet dinosaur. However, game developers are fighting back, but not always in the best way. So, we've listed 10 innovative ways to prevent video game piracy.

Rocksteady Studios released Batman: Arkham Asylum in August (360/PS3) and September (PC) of 2009, and the game was lauded as the best comic book adaptation released ever. Obviously, the game was a huge target for video game pirates, but Rocksteady was ready for them: in the Windows version of the game, a bug of sorts was implemented into the programming to subtly alter the pirates' gameplay experience, by removing the ability to use the gliding feature, a necessary gameplay element as players can only progress by using said ability.

Rocksteady isn't the first developer to utilize this sort of clever tactic. Electronic Arts used an interesting method with Westwood's Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 where as time went on, a player with a pirated copy of the game would see their troops in battle progressively lose attack power and accuracy.

These are just some examples of innovate in-game piracy prevention that does not harm the legitimate player's gaming experience like some of that pesky, invasive DRM. Presented to you now is Game Rant's Ten Piracy Preventatives We'd Love to See Implemented. But please note, we're not condoning you or anyone to pirate games just to test anything, nor are we condoning piracy of any kind. It's illegal, you're hurting a business and the employees of said business.

Now for the fun stuff!

Duke Nukem forever PS3 history

10.) Duke Nukem Forever: Biting the Hand That... Triggers?

So here's the deal: You've got that nice rifle in your hand. You've got it centered on that little guy's head. You're ready to fire, and POOF - your big, big gun is flipped in your hand, and your head is across the screen. Imagine not being able to use any weapon, without it turning on you. Sure, it'd be amusing at first, but the novelty would wear off, and that pirated game wouldn't be as much fun when you're actually wanting to progress further.

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9.) The Sims (or any God-like game): Spare Change?

You've just downloaded The Sims 3. You're ready for the God experience. You've installed the game and you boot it up. Running gorgeously on your machine, the game is everything you were expecting, and you're ready to make your first family. As you finish up creating them, you go to build them a house in the neighborhood, and when you go to build something, you find your "Build" tab isn't there. You look around, looking to see if EA moved it, or if it looks different. No, it's gone. While some play The Sims for fun, others use is as a virtual getaway from real life. Now, anyone who has played The Sims knows that in order to have a toilet, you need a wall. Right there is a prime example of bothering a pirate: no toilets.

Mass Effect 3 Story Shepard

8.) Mass Effect 3/Halo 4: Reload Issues?

Halo 4 looks nice, doesn't it? Gorgeous screenshots, impressive foes, and the chance of stepping into Master Chief's boots are more than enough temptation to pirate this. And as for Mass Effect 3, the Reapers are an enemy worth pirating for, right? Well, as with most FPS titles, ammo is one of those things you can burn through, and you can burn through it quicker than you'd like. In ME3, those nice shiny guns are part of the allure of shooting, after all, and it's nice to use them - a lot. In the middle of a firefight however, your gun overheats, and, like the pro you are, you go to reload the heat sink. Unfortunately, your gun is bone dry; your "ammo" isn't refilling, and every time you fire off a round, your weapon is one bullet/needle/grenade closer to you being down to a melee attack to defend yourself.

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7.) God of War 7: The God Who Wouldn't Budge?

God of War 7 released yesterday. It's the number one game across the planet, and Kratos looks as awesome as ever, and you must have this game. Two hours, and you finally do. GOW7 is running, and you've started your next adventure on your PlayStation 5; the title screen pans out, over the island of Greece and - Kratos himself stands before you, with his trademark grimace and furious eyes, and he proclaims, "I will not move for a pirate, let alone a thief!" Yep. The God of War himself refuses to play for you, merely because you downloaded the game illegally. You think the video will pass, but, nope, as the time ticks on, Kratos stands there, his arms crossed, and he keeps up his defense: "You will not move me! I am no one's tool!"

Mortal Kombat Fatality Video

6.) Mortal Kombat XXV/The Legend of Zelda: The Octorok's Curse: One-Hit Wonder?

Sub-Zero is in front of you. His face is just begging to be knocked in. You go for that "First-Hit" bonus, and you get it. Nice, eh? As you continue to own the screen like you normally do, Sub-Zero turns the tables on you. You get jabbed in the ribs, which, normally, is no big deal. However, this time, you watch as your character falls to his/her knees, and is dead, BAM, like that. And in The Legend of Zelda, it's no better. Link is charging ahead into the forest, where he encounters a lone Stalfos. This is no problem, just as always. As Link approaches the Stalfos, the skeleton warrior swipes out, and gets a lucky strike, but, hey, no big deal, right? It only takes away half a heart container and - Link spins on the screen, and is instantly out of it. But the kicker here is that when you go to your recent checkpoint, you discover yourself back, way back, at the beginning of the game. Anyone who has played a game where you need to time strikes, where the enemies are able to damage the playable character, or a game where there's any attacks of any kind understands that no matter how good you may be, the enemies will always land one hit on you.

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5.) Guitar Hero: Rebecca Black's Classics: Reading the Lines Wrong, eh?

The next Guitar Hero is out. Everyone knows how Rebecca Black became the biggest thing since sliced bread combined with bacon, and she's finally gotten her own music game and it's getting rave reviews; you download the game, boot it up, and you've got your new 9,000 key guitar ready to go. "Friday" is your first choice, and the notes begin to roll towards you. As you press purple, for the first note, you seem to have missed that note. But, it's no big deal, as the next note is coming, and you'll make up for it. You tap that white button. Again, you seemed to have missed that note. But, then, you're on your way to missing every note. See, the developers decided to torture someone like you, and they accomplished this by causing every note you see coming to be a trojan, in some sense. An orange note would be a red note in disguise, but the next time, it randomly decides that today is gonna be a good day, and turns into a purple note. As there's no definite way to find a pattern, this is essentially rendering you unable to get a %.002 on "Friday."

Batman Arkham City Reveal Coming Lack Multiplayer

4.)Doctor Who: Spelling the Doctor's Name: That Jason Game Again?!

The Doctor has been around (for us, at least) since the early sixties, and has been helping the peoples of the universe ever since. Flying around in his time-travelling, space-hopping TARDIS, he's fought countless enemies, such as the Daleks, the Cybermen, and others. Yet, it finally has happened. Doctor Who has finally received a video game adaptation, and lucky for you, the game is for the PC. How lucky is that? Easily obtained, and easier to install, DW: SDN has the gorgeous graphics, and the perfect representation of the Doctor and his TARDIS, and the allure of finding out the Doctor's real name (a huge mystery in the media) is too much to pass up. Yet, as you progress, you, as the Doctor's companion, keep accidentally killing the Doctor, which is bad. Admittedly, this isn't a horrible thing (the guy is an alien who can regenerate from some mortal wounds). Unfortunately, the publisher now in charge, Blizzard, has decided to implement a feature where if the Doctor dies, he stays that way, essentially ending your game. Every time you even look at him. When it gets down to it, you're responsible for killing the only hope the Earth has besides Torchwood, and they've been in shambles since the Battle of Canary Wharf and the 456 ordeal. Good job.

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3.) Batman: Catwoman's Bodysuit: Co-Op Cat Killed You, Did She?

Arkham Asylum and Arkham City got the most incredible reviews, and the reviews weren't just advertisers at work, the games were actually pretty good. However, the third and final installment is out, and, taking cues from Resident Evil 5, 6, and 9, you finally get your own "assistant," to put it bluntly. Catwoman finally helps out in this installment, and she's a great help. She's faster than Batman, able to dish out damage quickly, and can get to places you can't (Rocksteady removed the grapnel gun, remember?). However, due to you taking the easy way obtaining this game, she's your newest enemy. There's literally no way to deal with her. Running won't work, she's faster than you. Fighting her is out of the question, due to her being necessary to the story. So... your newest friend and eye-candy is essentially turned into your biggest pain when you get this a little illegally.

Resident Evil Totally Different Capcom

2.) Resident Evil 6, 7, 8 & 9/Any Game With Human Beings, Guns, and Enemies: Could Have Just Brought a Backpack

Capcom's newest installments of the hugely popular Resident Evil series have been huge successes, which isn't a surprise. Even with the continued use of a companion, the games continue to sell like ice cream in summer. However, as the newest game, RE7, comes out, the companion this time is a ninja, much to everyone's surprise. This is good news, right? You're fighting something with funny looking eyes and claws, and having a master of stealth and weapon restraint on your side should help you out, right? Wrong. Capcom decided that in the event you decided to pirate this game, your ninja friend (his name is Fluffy from now on) is your current target. See, Fluffy has the programming that makes him put himself in your way, all the time. In a game with a laser-sighted handgun, shotgun, Chicago Typewriter, or anything, having your vision obscured is punishment, especially when you're being attacked. But never fear, Fluffy is also programmed to come to your aid - by lighting you on fire to repel enemies. Oh, Fluffy. You're so silly.

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Here's our Numero Uno, and let us give this one its proper fanfare. You kind of have to imagine it, though.

1.) Any Game With Internet Capabilities: The Mark of the Beastly

Theft is a crime punishable by having your hand removed in certain areas on the planet. However, here in North America, in Europe, and in Japan, it's a bit less severe. But still, some find it an offense worth of being paraded about naked. A few developers got together a year or so ago to think of a way to combat this new piracy upsurge. Their idea was brilliant, but was meant to be kept secret, and it did remain secret, until the results of it began to come out to the public. It started with a bang, and ended with a thousand players protesting the evidence of what they had done: on their virtual gamer identification card, a big, red, "THIEF" appears. On any in-game avatars they have in any game, their character is doomed to wander the world, donning a dunce cap, suspenders, and a sign around their neck, with the word "THIEF" emblazoned on it. But wait! There's more. In some games, there's a way to sell and buy items, such as in The Legend of Zelda, where the player can pick up upgrades to the Bomb Bag, or the Quiver. Let's say you decide to take a stroll into the Shop in TLOZ, to pick up a purple potion (when you die, this revives you right on the spot). You go to talk to the person behind the desk, and then it hits you: "Oh, I don't deal with people like you. It's bad for business." Yep. Even in-game, NPCs refuse to associate with you, all because you pirated the game. No purple potion for you. Ever.

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Well, this about wraps it up. The video game industry is a blossoming group of people who are working together (some better than others) to bring an enjoyable experience to the world, in the form of electronic submersion. In return for the hard work they put into creating a world to immerse yourself in, they ask for a bit of your money. Of course, not everyone can afford to do this but it's worth mentioning that even if you can't afford it, these people might suffer, the people who put their lifeblood into this project. It's along the lines of a dine-and-ditch. It's wrong. It may be easy, but that doesn't mean it isn't wrong.

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