I’ve just seen a study from Brunel University being reported on over on Joystiq which suggests that, not particularly shockingly, the majority of UK teenagers possess or regularly obtain pirated software. That’s not exactly news to anyone who’s been to school in the UK and seen the amount of piracy going on whenever a new Championship Manager (now Football Manager) comes out, but what I think the industry really needs to take heed of is the statistic that cost isn’t the main issue for them, even if it probably should be.

The reason why so many of them pirate software is because they’re sick of the delays in bringing certain things to the UK, if they make it at all. Things are definitely better than they were and things like the Xbox 360 making it here within six weeks of the US release is unique in that it actually treats us with some respect, but just look at Sony and the debacle surrounding the PSP release. They’re taking independent retailers to court – the same retailers that their own reps are buying PSPs from – and the whole thing could have been avoided if it was out here now for a decent price, not when it’s pushing its first anniversary in Japan for £70 more.

Good work, Brunel. Too bad the industry will probably just bury its head in the sand as usual.