> The biggest pirate downside is that it nearly necessitates a desktop with significantly better equipment

For me personally, the biggest downside is that I don’t feel good about myself when I take things I know I don’t have the right to take. YMMV.

>For me personally, the biggest downside is that I don’t feel good about myself when I take things I know I don’t have the right to take. YMMV.

Once I put in enough work to both have some spare money in the bank and to empathize with the people who made the software and music I could so easily "just download", I had this transitionary period where, if I possessed a copy of something available commercially without having paid for it, and found that I enjoyed it enough to keep using it, I would buy a legitimate copy. For music, if I really liked it, I'd buy, for example, the deluxe vinyl edition - hopefully kicking some extra money over.

With software (including games, though it's rare that I play games) I'm now at the point where I won't give it a second thought, and will just pay for it. I bought an iPad app on sale, years before I had an iPad, knowing that one of these days I'd pick one up - it worked out.

In that case I would consider buying a copy on switch, even if you don't own a switch. if you buy the copy and then decide to play it on your PC instead of Switch then you don't really have any reason to feel guilty. This is similar to buying a BluRay and then ripping it to watch it on your personal Plex or Jellyfin server because you prefer that method instead of using a BluRay player.

I understand and share your ethical dilemma. The goal is to support the creators of the work. If you do that, then there is no reason to feel guilty because you enjoy their work in a different way.

Whereas I was taught that "sharing is caring" from an early age. Naturally, that initially was about physical goods.

But when the internet blossomed, so did pervasive copyright bullshit, including DRM and rights-removing systems. And instead of "sharing is caring", its "dont copy that floppy". And that's not even looking at much of these "sales" are just shitty rentals.

So I can moralize and whatever. But when it comes down to it, I've mostly quit buying "media" cause I have been burnt too many fucking times. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Unless there's a damned good reason not to pirate, I'll keep doing so.

Laws don’t determine rights. You’re infringing on copyright, not stealing something. And we all know IP laws are horrendously broken. And I’d argue that your rights from an ethical perspective are extremely broad and you can basically do whatever you want with intellectual property as long as you’re not harming the actual creators (not owners).

I would argue that taking something I’m supposed to pay for makes me feel bad about myself.

First, I'm not "taking". I'm copying. And the person providing a copy is 'giving'. And nowhere is anyone deprived of any physical thing, save an ethereal possibility of buying this game. Then again, I have no switch and no intent to buy one. In this case, it was curiosity.

And frankly, I don't feel one bit bad, copying AND providing copies free of charge. I've paid enough to content, media, and game companies, and screwed over on rentals that were sold as sales.

But you do you.

Totally understandable and I'd encourage you to not do anything that makes you feel bad.

You can separate them out and get best of both worlds. Buy a copy from ninetendo and give it to some kid who wouldnt have been able to have it otherwise and play the pirated version for the technically superior experience. No need to wring your pearls on this one.

Many of us (myself included) have still bought the retail release, even if I plan to play "elsewhere".

Personally I wouldn't feel good giving money to Nintendo, or supporting their business practices. YMMV.