Didnt read anyone elses posts but replying to OP.

Piracy did have a decline before Retribution, this was due to a large number of 0.0 alliances heavily recruiting, and people being afraid of getting dropped by supers, carriers etc. This was also because people got tired of piracy as there was NO reward for it, othr than catching someone unaware.

Suddenly Spaceships. would happily brand itself as a "Pirate" alliance. Although we do some 0.0 PvP too.

With retribution, piracy has become easier, and profitable now, with bounty payments coming in from most kills, and t1 cruisers being able to tank sentries AND bc gangs. It's a lot cheaper and alot of fun now.

I am Buhhdust Princess,
and I'm a Pirate ;)
-Buhhd

In some ways, it nearly feels as if the pirate has become the care-bear. Many contacts of mine that wore -10.0 proudly have now cleaned up, claiming that "the risk of piracy is too great." Have we thus lost the war for low-sec?

Nothing happened. There is nothing glamorous nor honorable about being a pirate. Pirating is an ugly profession that will never get any respect except from other pirates.

The only 'daring raids' into highsec are to either buy something not available or to seed markets elsewhere.

Empire space is boring.

The difference between a pirate and a PVPer is simple, a pirate will always attack weaker prey.

And a PVPer does not want to win? Sorry, that makes no sense. If there has to be a difference it would be that a pirate tries to make a profit while the PVPer wants a killmail.

As a low sec pirate, I can tell you that I see more players coming to low sec now, CCP off course could improove low sec even more, but until now they seens to be doing a nice job.
Yesterday I even found 2 miners 3-4 days old taking risks in low sec to mine jaspet.

Probably because Venture is a very nice low sec mining boat for newbs. It can also run from most solo pirates easily.

I blame the high cost of medical clones.......

That would be a very useful skillbook... reduce medical clone payments by 20% Level - Rank 10

Alright, let's be serious and look at this objectively for a moment.

Before Retribution was released, piracy was in decline. Understandably, some die-hards (myself included) don't want to admit any truth to this, and others attempt to address it by flaming and shooting down posts as care-bears and such. In truth, especially after Retribution, it really feels like our chosen profession is dying a slow and painful death.

Of course, there are hold-outs across EvE, but we are hardly in the days of avoiding every low-sec system possible for fear of losing our ships. Even now, many low-sec PvP organizations don't even bother brandishing the title of "pirate," as low-sec is infested with faction warfare and the like.

So simply, here's my question to the community, because I know some of us that wear the title proudly are still out there:

What happened?

Why does it almost feel like half of us are ashamed to call ourselves pirates anymore, and those of us that accept it, spend our days hiding in anonymity and seclusion? Retribution has given us a tool that could bring tons of flavor to being a pirate, if at a higher risk, so why does it feel that we're hiding from the spot-light?

In some ways, it nearly feels as if the pirate has become the care-bear. Many contacts of mine that wore -10.0 proudly have now cleaned up, claiming that "the risk of piracy is too great." Have we thus lost the war for low-sec?

Perhaps I'm being too analytical, but as I return to the game again, I find myself disappointed by the lack of honorable low-sec pirates. It's simply so much easier to make my way into 0.0 and fight petty Alliance wars. I once played this game to skirmish, steal, and live a life in the shadows, but it seems we've given up the shadows.

So, I ask, what do you think, and what should we do about it?

I think piracy today is more of a choice where you live than a profession in EVE. When you choose the path of piracy you like to PvP, and you generally end up in 0.0, where the alliances generally see a -10 as a good sign on your resume. My security status would have been a lot lower if the fleet fights I ve been in took place in empire space. Both low and null sec are generally the same and if you learn to survive in hostile space you can enjoy the game.

I think piracy today is more of a choice where you live than a profession in EVE. When you choose the path of piracy you like to PvP, and you generally end up in 0.0, where the alliances generally see a -10 as a good sign on your resume. My security status would have been a lot lower if the fleet fights I ve been in took place in empire space. Both low and null sec are generally the same and if you learn to survive in hostile space you can enjoy the game.

pretty sure piracy died the moment jump freighters came into being

I was going to say this. Why be a pirate if it's more profitable to do something else? And for non-pirates, why even bother with anything in low sec space?

Piracy sounds like a pretty low income potential. Anything of real value will just get jump freighter-ed past your systems and the bears don't really need to head into your area of space.

Here is how piracy works now post Retribution:

Two pirates, Frick and Frack, BFFs, are working together and find some lone merchant with gaboodles of cash. The gank his helpless merchant ship and begin sifting around the wreck for loot. Ten seconds later the merchant, still in his pod, places a bijillion ISK bounty on their heads. Frick and Frack look at each other for a few seconds and then BFF turns into a second wave of combat as they proceed to immediate blow the crap out of each other.

In short, no honor amongst thieves... at least thieves with big enough prices on their heads (Read: ALL OF THEM).