Let's all be honest here, how many people here actually pay for VN's here?

[Yeah Way]

I'm a proud pirate. Fuck the industry. I've stolen everything on my computer.

[Down]

Katawa Shoujo hard copies exist in France (translated in french but the english text is available) at Kawa Soft and in Japan, god knows where (no idea if the english text is available on it either).

[Guest]

Buy when you can, download when you can't, that's how I roll.

[ittaku]

Paid for quite a few over the last 20 years. I'm more than happy to pay for stuff I like. Most of you would be horrified to learn that I buy them while in Japan, copy and/or install the ISOs off the DVDs, then throw out the DVDs, packaging and everything else. Currently I still have 4 VNs I purchased last trip that I haven't started playing. As a family man I can't have X rated boxes sitting on my bookshelf. Even most digital purchases leave an undesirable credit card record. I'd kill for a site that took bitcoin for purchases, or to have someone I could send some bitcoin and we could share in purchases, even though I don't buy that frequently.

[Kaguya]

Sometimes I have to. Wanna play old VNs that I can't find a download for.

 

Most times, no. I pirate everything I can. 

[sanahtlig]

I buy or otherwise legitimately acquire officially English licensed titles.  On rare occasion I'll buy Japanese-language titles if the developer impresses me AND shows an interest in the English market.  For example, I've bought a couple titles off DLsite English that had English descriptions and were priced reasonably.  I bought one title off JP DLsite to support a developer that engaged with me on Twitter.  In general though, if I have to hack into a game to play that disqualifies it from receiving my support.  I also don't import physical copies because I don't want to end up on a government watchlist.

[Kenshin_sama]

There aren't that many occasions where I can afford to buy any kind of entertainment, but I do try to support companies like JAST and MG by buying their games. Because I'd rather invest my money in a company that brings VNs over to the west, I haven't purchased anything unlicensed yet. I also refrain from pirating licensed games as an incentive to buy them when I can.

[SilverLi]

A bit late to the discussion but yes I am buying stuff. I feel it is obligatory to support the market if you want it to move forward. If I should't buy the upcoming titles I anticipate this autumn I can't complain if they don't release good titles next year. But I am not completely innocent. I have been pirating a few licensed games which is classified as braindead nukige or titles I was highly suspect of the quality. If I liked it I bought it later on.

 

I am not proud of my collection on MG and J-List. But I am still buying a lot of titles every year. Got at least 3 big titles this autumn I am buying.

[ittaku]

For what it's worth, since I'm probably twice the age of the average punter on this forum, I don't have a problem with you guys pirating while you can't afford the stuff, provided as your earning capacity grows you slowly move towards the group that pays for most things (that are worth it). All those visual novels you've loved and spent thousands of hours fapping to reading wouldn't exist without some kind of recompense on the creators' part. I think most business models are rather old fashioned and haven't realised that there really is no way the lower end of the age bracket, which is the bulk of the market, can afford the prices they offer things at. Much more affordable digital distribution is the key in my opinion with boxes, packaging, DVDs, extras and so on being for those who want the extra and are willing to pay the price premium. The other alternative is people will just pirate the digital version instead. In my opinion it's only a matter of time before something like steam - but not steam, so that we actually get uncensored 18+ material - will fill that niche. Maybe I should start a business...

[Tawm]

I only buy localized VNs. The only exception has been the 2011 remake of Kikokugai: The Cyber Slayer, which I have a physical copy of.

[WinterfuryZX]

I have an huge collection and I purchase almost every title fantranslated or officially released in english decent enough to be purchased.

 

I own a physical copy of Comyu, someone mentioned it in the early posts, it's not that difficult to purchase, I bought it from amazon.jp trough a reshipper (2770 yen excluding reshipping costs), it was an used copy, tough.

[Molipa]

I personally don't pay for them since I don't have the money, and I don't think pirating is a bad thing. Some say it's like stealing bread, but it has nothing to do with it : when you steal a bread, the baker has one less to sell and he lost the cost of this bread. When you pirate something because you can't afford it, it doesn't harm anyone, you wouldn't have paid for it even if you couldn't pirate it. And this goes for VN as much as music or movies. By the way, some artists actually say "if you don't have a lot of money, save it for diner and pirate my music", and I deeply respect that.

[Gurluas]

I only buy localized VNs on Steam.

[Scorp]

I buy only physical, usually japanese boxes.

[Nightmare799]

Dont think of me as of some filthy VN pirate! I pirate everything indiscriminately!

[Josephl64]

I purchase tons of VNs, priority goes to AliceSoft of course if I don't have enough.

[WinterfuryZX]

A little photo of my vg shelf, it's a complete mess right now...

 

 

[XionsProphecy]

I always buy all my VN's.

 

AAAHHH!!!

All my beautiful posts are gooooone!

*sadface*

[Scorp]

A little photo of my vg shelf, it's a complete mess right now...

 

 

[WinterfuryZX]

With such great quality all I can see is a cat and Tohsaka (probably?) somewhere in the middle

[AaronIsCrunchy]

A little photo of my vg shelf, it's a complete mess right now...

 

 

 

Good God the jelly is real. There must be, what, nudging 200 there maybe?

[atorq]

I do try to buy them every now and day but the legal options are not great since GabeN says no-no to my porno. It's often easier to pirate them than to buy them, that is the biggest problem, it's all a question of convenience, it always has been, and it always will be.

[AlexZandria]

I've pirated DRAMAtical Murder, Hadaka Shitsuji, and Dangan Ronpa. The first two I got from Fuwanovel the 3rd one I found on tumblr. I actually bought a PS Vita and legal copies of Dangan Ronpa and Super Dangan Ronpa 2 earlier this year. I'd be more than happy to buy either Hadaka Shitsuji or DRAMAtical Murder if they were either translated officially or if I could find a cheap physical copy of one of them.

 

On the other hand I will probably buy 2 copies of Hamashima Shigeo's games. I bought the digital version of NTY!!! when it came out and I'll do the same for Euphoria but I definitely want the hardcopy for both. I almost preordered NTY!!! but I was having car troubles at that point and it was right before a big trip and I just forgot after that. At this point I'm just going to wait to get the physical for me to finish some of my backlog so that I can think about getting another game or two with it.

 

I've bought games from JAST, MangaGamer, Sekai Project, Hanako Games, Steam and even 2 from Ren's wonderful shipping services. I mean I've spent well over 1k on League of Legends I already have 200+ skins 18 rune pages and I only play support....so I need something else to pour my money into that isn't more crappy Steam games.

 

I'll be honest though getting that VN Bundle that came out a few months back with 2 MG and 2 JAST titles for $10 felt like a steal even if I legally obtained it :/

[MFrost]

I'll be putting in for the kickstarter once Muv Luv starts(and if someone reminds me, since I'm not checking every day nor do I have a feed for it)
otherwise if I found somewhere that has a release of Comyu or G Senjo no Maou, I'd be happy to pay money for them, since I loved them both. Only other one I've read and seemed interested in was Eden of Grisaia (Kazaki ftw), but I have to wait for that too. But seeing as how I just lost my job, I don't think it's all responsible for me to be paying for this and not for food or things.