Video game piracy refers to unauthorized bypassing of video game software. Similar to pirating movies or music, video games are "pirated" through torrenting sites in which users can share and downloaded copyrighted media. Examples of such sites are the piratebay, rutracker, rarbg etc. Additionally to downloading the required files to play the game, game developers employ technolgoies to protect their software from copying (i.e., you cannot copy files and play the game). To circumvent this, pirates include cracking software with the game files allowing those who run cracking software to circumvent the copy protection of thevideo game.

The year is 1716. You are a British sailor on a private merchant ship. Having left your recently wed wife in England, it is your first time at sea, and you have almost arrived to the Carribean port city. Suddenly a ship comes portside and they reveal themselves to be pirates. They board your ship, throw the captain and officers overboard, steal all the booty, and offer the rest of the crew to join them. Anyone who refuses, will be left to sail or swim to the port city.

For the sake of this debate Somalian Piracy Stock Exchange (SPSE) refers to the informal fiancial system in which Somalian investors can fund pirate operations in exchange for part of the profits earned from ransoms. Similar to many other famous stock exchanges, SPSE lists a diverse selection of companies although all companies are related to illegal pirate operations in Somalia. Moreover, SPSE is accessible (physically but not online) to anyone willing to invest given that one has sufficient capital to do so. However, unlike other stock exchanges, SPSE allows investment via non-monetary means such as equipment like boats and guns. The monetary value of such equipment is negotiated based on supply and demand of the localized market in which the pirates operate in before being converted into 'stocks'.