UK Game Sharers Face Hefty Fines
It seems like games companies are finally catching up with those gamers who feel overwhelming generosity to their fellow men [and women] by sharing their games online. This illegal activity has just landed one UK woman with a massive £16,000 damages fine in court. And what did she share with the world? GTA iV? Mass Effect? Nope, it was Dream Pinball 3D. Its creator, Topware Interactive, has won the test case at London’s Patents County Court which could see thousands more UK gamers end up in courts, and out of pocket, for sharing games online. Three more sharers of the pinball game are also awaiting damages hearings and thousands more have been identified. Topware started its fight back last year by winning a legal action that forced 18 British ISPs to pass on details of suspected pirates that it had identified. Letters were sent to 500 people that shared the game on game sharing networks, asking for a £300 settlement to offset further legal action. The unlucky lady with the £16,000 bill decided to fight the action. The moral of the story is either (a) don’t share games because it’s illegal (b) pay the £300 and don’t get smart or (c) if you’re going to get done for sharing a game, make it something more worthwhile than Dream Pinball 3D.-Martin Lynch [BBC] games internet crime news
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Original post by nafiz