Compounding the woes of software manufacturers is the rise of the Internet. The aforementioned warez (absurdly pronounced "wayerrrrrz") are everywhere on the Net. These effectively 'free', copy-protection-cracked, fully downloadable copies of otherwise commercially available titles are only a mouse-click away if you have a modem. As more PC owners get hooked up to the Net, it's only their inherent sense of morality, or fear of unlikely recrimination, which will stop them from obtaining the latest titles.

It seems that there's no stopping piracy. With some games magazines advertising perfectly legal 'game backup units' (their real purpose - copying and running pirated games - about as thinly-disguised as those hardcore sex education videos), there seems to be no escaping counterfeit software, and not a great deal that can be done to stop it. In which case, why is the games industry even bothering to try?

"Apathy on behalf of anyone will lead to anarchy," believes Terry Anslow, head of ELSPA's Crime Unit. "Let the criminal elements have a free rein and this will soon deteriorate, bringing a black-market type of environment and a general lowering of standards in all areas. If you lose the legitimate market you lose jobs and investment and a wonderful English industry which is second to none in the world. Do the public really want a Far East economy with rubbish games software?"

But what if this generally considered opinion of all piracy as bad is actually wrong? Could there even be such a thing as 'good piracy'? We spoke to one self-confessed small time pirate, 'Gamer X', who sees himself as a latter day Robin Hood (albeit without the tights).

"Let's face it - games firms are ripping people off," he said. "When you get companies like EA conning people into buying barely different versions of FIFA every six months, they deserve to have their games pirated. I'm giving people the chance to buy games that they otherwise wouldn't buy anyway, and at a cheaper price. Where's the harm in that?"

We asked Gamer X whether he'd considered the smaller game development teams which could be put out of business by people like him. "That won't happen," he told us. "The figures games firms put out about billions being lost every year are just propaganda. The actual figure is much smaller. Maybe half, or even less of what they're saying." Even so, it's still quite a lot of money.