Cheating Software For Games Prosecutions
1. Blizzard Entertainment vs. Bossland GmbH (United States/Germany, 2017)
Case Summary:
Bossland GmbH, a German company, developed and sold software bots and cheats for Blizzard games like World of Warcraft and Overwatch, allowing players to automate gameplay and bypass in-game rules.
Fraud Mechanism:
The software violated Blizzard’s Terms of Service and copyright protections.
Cheats included “botting” programs that farmed in-game resources automatically.
Prosecution & Outcome:
Blizzard filed civil lawsuits in both the U.S. and Germany under copyright law and anti-circumvention statutes.
In 2017, German courts ruled against Bossland, ordering them to cease distribution and pay damages.
Bossland appealed but was eventually restricted from distributing cheat software globally.
The case reinforced that software enabling game cheating can be prosecuted as copyright infringement.
2. Epic Games vs. EngineOwning (United States, 2020)
Case Summary:
EngineOwning sold cheat software for Fortnite, including aimbots and wallhacks, enabling users to see through walls and automatically target opponents.
Fraud Mechanism:
The cheats allowed unfair gameplay, violating Epic Games’ Terms of Service.
The software included keylogging features, potentially stealing user credentials.
Prosecution & Outcome:
Epic Games filed a civil lawsuit for copyright infringement, computer fraud, and DMCA violations.
The U.S. District Court granted a permanent injunction against EngineOwning, banning them from selling cheats.
The company was ordered to pay over $10 million in damages to Epic Games.
3. Valve Corporation vs. AimJunkies (United States, 2016)
Case Summary:
AimJunkies was a company selling cheating software for Valve games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2.
Fraud Mechanism:
The cheats allowed automatic aiming, wallhacks, and other unfair advantages.
Users purchased cheat licenses through the company website.
Prosecution & Outcome:
Valve sued for copyright infringement, DMCA violations, and tortious interference with contracts.
The court issued an injunction to shut down the website and freeze assets.
AimJunkies was forced to pay substantial damages and stop distributing cheats.
4. Riot Games vs. LeagueSharp (United States, 2014)
Case Summary:
LeagueSharp developed cheat software for League of Legends, providing automated gameplay scripts and other unfair advantages.
Fraud Mechanism:
LeagueSharp’s software modified game behavior, violating Riot Games’ End User License Agreement (EULA).
The company profited by selling subscriptions to users.
Prosecution & Outcome:
Riot Games filed a civil lawsuit for copyright infringement and circumvention of technological protection measures (DMCA).
In 2014, the court issued a permanent injunction against LeagueSharp and awarded over $10 million in damages to Riot Games.
This case set a precedent for treating cheat software as a copyright violation rather than just a Terms-of-Service breach.
5. Epic Games vs. Cheating Companies (Multiple Lawsuits, 2021–2022)
Case Summary:
Epic Games filed lawsuits against multiple cheat software developers, including EngineOwning, CheatingBoards, and others, targeting Fortnite hacks globally.
Fraud Mechanism:
Cheats included aimbots, teleportation hacks, and unlimited resources.
Developers profited from subscription models while Epic Games suffered reputational and financial harm.
Prosecution & Outcome:
Courts across the U.S. recognized cheat software as copyright infringement and computer fraud.
Developers were ordered to pay millions in damages, and several were banned from operating in the U.S.
Epic Games’ aggressive litigation strategy reinforced legal accountability for cheat software distributors.
6. Nintendo vs. Team Xecuter (United States, 2020)
Case Summary:
Team Xecuter created hacking devices for Nintendo Switch, allowing users to bypass security measures, pirate games, and cheat in multiplayer.
Fraud Mechanism:
Devices circumvented Nintendo’s hardware protection, violating the DMCA.
Allowed piracy and unfair competitive advantages in games.
Prosecution & Outcome:
The U.S. Department of Justice prosecuted Team Xecuter under anti-circumvention and copyright infringement laws.
Several operators were sentenced to prison terms, and the company forfeited millions in revenue.
The case highlighted the intersection of cheating software and piracy in console gaming.
Key Takeaways From These Cases
Common Legal Grounds:
Copyright infringement (unauthorized modification of game code).
DMCA anti-circumvention violations (bypassing technological protections).
Computer fraud and tortious interference (profit from unauthorized gameplay manipulation).
Typical Penalties:
Monetary damages (often millions of dollars).
Permanent injunctions against software distribution.
Criminal liability in cases of piracy or malware inclusion.
Industry Impact:
Game developers actively monitor cheat software.
Legal precedents reinforce the illegality of selling cheats, even internationally.
Courts treat cheat software as a serious intellectual property violation, not just a Terms-of-Service breach.
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