99% of this hit Steam games’ players are pirates, dev says
Burgie’s Cozy Kitchen, an early-access incremental game on Steam, has challenged the gaming industry’s assumptions about digital rights management (DRM) and piracy. Developer HeyNau revealed that 99% of the game’s players are pirates, yet the game went viral in early 2026 despite this statistic.
Rather than implementing traditional anti-piracy software, HeyNau responded creatively: when the game detects it wasn’t properly purchased, a “piracy mode” activates where in-game customers refuse to pay full price for meals, making progression deliberately more challenging. This tongue-in-cheek approach transforms piracy detection into gameplay mechanics instead of punitive restrictions.
Burgie’s Cozy Kitchen is a cozy-themed idle/incremental game where players serve fast food to animal characters. The developer’s playful response to widespread piracy has sparked broader industry discussion about whether traditional DRM actually prevents financial losses or simply frustrates paying customers. The game’s viral success despite massive piracy rates suggests an alternative narrative: that for some indie titles, piracy and commercial success can coexist, and that heavy-handed DRM measures may not be necessary or effective.