Andre Yoskowitz
7 Jun 2010 23:41
According to Japan's Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association (CESA), piracy on the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP has cost the industry $41.6 billion USD since June 2004.
The group began conducting research in June 2004 and ended in late 2009.
Research was done by tracking the downloading done of the top 20 software titles in Japan from 114 piracy sites.
CESA says that amounted to $10.4 billion in piracy losses, and the region accounts for 25 percent of the entire global software market so the total posted above was Japan's "losses," multiplied by four.
The report says P2P networks like Gnutella were not included, and says the $41.6 billion number may actually be conservative.
In the world, the U.S. was the "busiest region" for piracy, followed by Japan and then China.