Loop Hero Dev, Publisher Condone Piracy Of Their Game For Certain Players

gamespot.com:

For once, pirates can illegally download a game without any remorse. The Russian indie developer behind Loop Hero, Four Quarters, as well as the game's publisher, Devolver Digital, have given pirates their blessing, saying that those who have been affected by sanctions against Russia should illegally download the game.

Four Quarters first condoned potential customers pirating Loop Hero in a post on the Russian social media website, VK. According to a translated version of the post, which ended by linking to a torrent for Loop Hero, Four Quarters said players should «raise the pirate flag.» Apparently, users in affected regions can't outright purchase the game because of sanctions against Russia caused by global outrage over the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Devolver Digital also gave pirates a pass when it comes to downloading Loop Hero, saying that it «fully supports Four Quarters as they navigate this incredibly difficult period,» in a statement to PC Gamer. «We've been communicating consistently with the team to help them wherever possible and were altered of the statement ahead of time, which we back 100%.»

It's not clear how long Four Quarters will condone players pirating its game. However, until users are reliably able to pay Russian developers on Steam, the company will likely continue advocating for piracy.

Companies throughout the game industry have taken their own actions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Sony and Microsoft have both suspended sales of their products in the country, with numerous smaller developers and publishers doing the same.