A Wild West of Italian Game Piracy: The 80s and 90s
2025-01-09
This article details the rampant game piracy in Italy from the 1980s to the early 1990s. Legal loopholes and market conditions allowed pirated games to flourish, sold openly in kiosks and even legitimate stores. Companies openly published pirated games, creating a massive industry. The article profiles major players like Armati, the Neapolitan 'Napoletane', and SIPE/Edigamma, detailing their unique operations and impact. EU intervention and legal reforms eventually ended this era.