This is during the era when the N64, PS1, SNES, Dreamcast or Sega Genesis were popular. Games back then were released physically via disc or cartridge, meaning distributors or publishers would’ve implemented anti-piracy (like Lenslok) measures onto physical copies but some knew how to tamper with anti-piracy if they have a computer using other sources of capturing data (floppy disks).
Also, games at the time were ‘simple’ to torrent but with a catch (dial up was still a thing at the time meaning downloads could take a while if you have a PC). Discs were more straight forward than “torrenting” cartridges (unless you have connections with the manufacturer on smuggling circuit boards). Like with movies, games that came on discs were “torrented” through CDs by using a PC.
For my Spectrum I didn’t really need to. Magazines gave away several free full games every month on the covertape, and most games were like £2.99.
For my Amiga, fuck yeah I pirated everything because the games were £25 a pop and fuck that when you’re 14 years old and you have a mate who can copy you anything for 50p a disk.
Since becoming an adult, with a job, I just buy games. I’ve got much more money than energy and time, so I’m a lot pickier about what I play.