WoW BOT creater fined £3.36M

[Popeh]

Not seen this posted elsewhere:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7645059.stm

World of Warcraft creator Blizzard has won $6m (£3.36m) in damages from the makers of a software 'bot'.

The damages award comes after Blizzard won the first round of its legal battle against MDY Industries in July 2008.

Blizzard embarked on the case against MDY claiming that the World of Warcraft Glider software produced by the small company infringed its copyright.

The Glider software lets Warcraft players automate many of the repetitive steps the game involves.

Cash call

In July US District Court Judge David Campbell ruled that the MMOGlider, as the software is now known, broke the terms of the license that players agree to when they play World of Warcraft (WoW).

The Glider software is the creation of MDY founder Michael Donnelly who is thought to have sold more than 100,000 copies of the $25 (£14) program.

It proved popular with many WoW players as it helped them automate the many repetitive tasks, such as killing monsters and scavenging loot, required to turn low level characters into more powerful ones.

Although sizeable the damages award could have been bigger, say experts, if MDY had not won some of its arguments about damages in court.

It was also helped by an admission in court that it would be reasonable to pay some form of damages.

The damages award could be delayed if Blizzard appeals against the judgement which threw out its claim to double or triple the cash settlement.

The case is due to go to court again in January 2009 when the remaining issues in the legal conflict look likely to be settled.

At issue will be whether MDY broke the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act and whether Mr Donnelly will have to pay the damages from his own pocket.

[Eaglestrike]

Awesome. Hope it doesn't stop there and this can scare some of the other people who do this stuff.

[Ramor]

Hopefully, that's actually pretty awesome, I'm glad Blizzard's trying to rid this shit from WoW

[Correction]

It was actually pretty easy to stymie people using Glider if you wanted to take it upon yourself to do it. I remember wasting at least three hours of someone's time in Blasted Lands while I was levelling there by killing absolutely everything (fuck you Vulture Gizzards), leaving them to run in a big circle around the zone getting nothing.

[Gunitsoldier]

3.36M is ALOT, GJ getting rid of it but I think 3.36M is too much imo

[Souj]

he's made at least 2,500,000 off of it. plus he breached a copyright. It's probably going to be the company that pays for it anyways.

[Khamsin]

Blizzard may have been able to get more, but at this stage, it's good just to have a win. MDY will be hurting very soon, with the loss of all that money. At least Blizzard could do something cool with all of it.

It could have been worse, they could have gotten a severely reduced amount, or nothing at all.

[Katlan]

While it's a tad annoying, the reason Warhammer Online makes you accept the EULA (sp?) each time you log on is exactly for these reasons. They have said numerous times that making ppl accept their terms of service upon each login makes it easier for them to enforce[in court] & go after people/companies w/do create these types of programs & are subsequently used in their game.

[Weltall]

This is awesome lol. Guy went from living the high life to being in debt.

[elison]

Blizzard may have been able to get more, but at this stage, it's good just to have a win. MDY will be hurting very soon, with the loss of all that money. At least Blizzard could do something cool with all of it.

It could have been worse, they could have gotten a severely reduced amount, or nothing at all.

Hopefully they can use the $6m to speed up the Diablo 3/SC2 fucking release. Wishful thinking.

[Charla]

Hopefully they can use the $6m to speed up the Diablo 3/SC2 fucking release. Wishful thinking.

Blizzard? Speed up a release? That's unpossible!

[Noobta]

Hopefully they can use the $6m to speed up the Diablo 3/SC2 fucking release. Wishful thinking.

Don't worry, it will be out soon™

[Khamsin]

Sometimes these can take time though, apparently. A friend of mine just won a suit against an uninsured driver who hit her. They didn't even bother showing up in court. But her medical bills and other costs ($40k) are piling up, and the other person has been a bit slow/unresponsive in paying.

[levish]

Don't worry, it will be out soon™

i heard thats also the next WoW patch date

[Demetrius*]

blizzard makes 140? million a month from wow subscriptions. i don't think they went after this case for the money. They're prob just looking to put the guy out of business for good.

[Fhloston]

Good, this guy deserves what he's getting. Seriously, making money/leveling in WoW is way too easy to need botting.

[Krandor]

blizzard makes 140? million a month from wow subscriptions. i don't think they went after this case for the money. They're prob just looking to put the guy out of business for good.

This, they definitely don't need the money (the estimated Revenue for Activision Blizzard will be roughly $3 billion). Especially considering their recent merger with Activision, Blizzard has more money then god right now.

[Hitoshura]

Fuck Blizzard.

[Wintermute]

Fuck Blizzard.

Is your avatar supposed to be Rowley?
All the Flip guys have the same hair lately.

[Correction]

Fuck Blizzard.

Would you say 'fuck SE' if SE brought and won a lawsuit against the people who make speedhacks and teleport bots?