Wargaming, the creators behind World of Tanks, are pulling out the big guns: They are demanding 670 million rubles in damages from a Russian citizen, which is slightly more than 8 million euros. The cheat creator allegedly sold “thousands of packages” with cheat and bot programs in games like World of Tanks or World of Warships. This has caused significant damage to Wargaming. The lawsuit is considered a precedent in Russia.
What is the lawsuit about?
- As a Russian fan site for World of Tanks reports, a court in Moscow has opened a lawsuit against a resident of Yekaterinburg, a city with 1.3 million inhabitants east of the Ural Mountains (via wotexpress).
- The man is accused of distributing bots and cheats that give users of the programs an unfair advantage over other players. The programs were allegedly sold through sites called “Cyber Tank” (World of Tanks) and “Cyber Ship” (World of Warships). The prices for the programs were said to be between 30 cents and 25 euros.
- According to the Belarusian developer Wargaming, these bots would cause honest players to lose interest in the game.
Fully automated bot and program that shows vulnerabilities
What kind of programs are these? According to descriptions, they are typical cheat programs. One program marked the vulnerabilities of the opposing vehicle, thereby granting the cheater unfair advantages.
Another program is said to have taken full control of the vehicle in “autoplay mode,” allowing it to earn in-game currency and experience points without being logged in.
How is the procedure going so far? It is reported that the accused admitted his guilt fully during the investigation process but then retracted the confession in court.
The investigation was initiated by a special department, the “Bureau K” of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Russia.
Today, on December 27, the court intends to examine the evidence in general and hear witnesses and victims. The accused has been ordered to remain available and apparently not leave the country.
The case is described as a “precedent in Russia.” Bringing someone to court for unfair interference in computer games has never occurred before.
“Should be treated like theft or fraud”
This is what Wargaming says: A lawyer from Wargaming states that they have obtained an expert opinion to assess the damage. The damage amounts to 670 million rubles, about 8 million euros.
According to Wargaming, creating and selling such programs is the same as theft or fraud and must therefore be covered by legal means.
In Russia, this is a new frontier, while in the USA such lawsuits against bot manufacturers are almost “normal.” Blizzard has fought and won a legendary battle against a German bot provider:
WoW: German bot manufacturer Bossland sounds surprisingly depressed
