Blizzard Wins Warcraft Bot Payout

Blizzard have won their case against World of Warcraft 'bot' maker MDY Industries. The bot, known as Glider, controls players' characters, saving them from actually playing the game, and raking in in-game currency and experience while the players themselves could be away from the computer.

Blizzard were awarded $6m in damages.

[thetamer]

sex on legs

[kalos]

Who is? Blizzard? :D

[illizit]

Am I only the only one that thinks this is complete BS? I don't agree with the idea of bots however, they sued a company when its not the companie's fault, its the users fault for using the actual program.

If thats the case, why not punish the gun makers when someone uses a gun to commit a crime?

[Leord]

I know what you mean Illizit, and to all legal extents I do actually agree. This will probably make the botting less common though, and make it easier for Blizzard to stop botters.

Still, they should have won on other grounds. This guy has made a program that deliberately disturbs the balance of the game, impairing the service they provide to others for payment. That should not be legal. Claiming copyright infringement is another thing altogether.

[Dorjan]

GJ blizzard!

[Wuushu]

Go Go Gadget, rrr Blizzard Go!

[Leord]

Good news that Glider is out!

[kalos]

Making money off illigal bots = good

[FantasyStar]

Man I feel bad for the bot-maker though. 6 million? Geez.

[xhairs9]

I have a feeling this is just another nail in the coffin.

Since botters cannot use this to get easy money anymore, who wants to spend more time picking herbs? Lame. With WotLK coming out (and it's absurd idea of a new "BG/Instance") this game is about to bite the dust.

Yesterday I switched over to Warhammer and despite a few lag issues here and there, I'm overwhelmed. I don't even know what to say about the game it's just pure genius.

[Elly]

It still seems to be downloadable.

[Sizik]

I find it amusing that the amount they won is only about 4% of what they take in monthly from subscribers.

[Leord]

It has more to do with discouraging people than to gain money or re-gain lost money...

[Leord]

I think that the grounds they sued on are a little skewed.

It isn't good fro ma copyright point of view. OTOH, the entire copyright system is really fuxed up anyway.

The implications are not funny though, but I still have trust in Blizzard, and getting a judgement against a bot operator will help them fight other bots.