CD Projekt on Sending Letters to Pirates: “That Wasn’t the Best Choice”

Speaking with PC Gamer, CD Projekt RED’s PR Specialist Agnieszka Szostak talked about the company’s now-discontinued practice of sending letters to alleged The Witcher 2 pirates. Obviously the letters demanded payment for the pirated title, which garnered a negative reception from some CD Projekt supporters.

In retrospect, CD Projekt’s employee argues that it wasn’t the best of choice, although she still argues that asking pirates for money was “fair”:

(So, we’re not afraid to say that wasn’t the best choice and best solution we could have done. And that’s why we kind of resigned and we don’t do it anymore.)

When I asked if she thought asking for money from pirates was fair, Szóstak said, (Yes, it is fair. It is fair to ask for money for a job that we do. And for content we do believe it’s actually worth paying for. So, it is fair to ask for money, although one thing doesn’t collide with another.)

No one argues that pirating game is fair, because it isn’t (and there’s a reason it’s illegal more or less worldwide), but I can’t help but feel like Agnieszka smartly sidestepped the issue, not acknowledging the fact that it’s difficult to track the actual pirates.