I'll contribute to this discussion as a gamer.
I have played many games - both for professional reasons and for fun
. I have started playing games in times there was no way to buy a legal copy in Poland. And "no way" means that in the beginning no one of us, teenagers, even suspected there might be another way to acquire a game than have it copied at a local electronics market. When we became aware of the world outside it was plain impossible to buy a game that would cost like a... preowned car.
But let's cut to the chase: many things has changed since then. Including my own attitude - I just enjoy better and put more attention to games I have chosen thoughtfuly and payed for them. I am no stranger to buying games on sales for one buck just in case
but somehow those are games I seldom play.