Blizzard's WoW Copyright Case
Jul 16, 2008
Videogame publisher Blizzard Entertainment, maker of the popular World of Warcraft franchise, won a legal victory yesterday. Though the outcome wasn't quite what Blizzard's legal aces had hoped for.
Blizzard had claimed that a startup named MDY Industries violated copyright law, specifically the Digital Milllennium Copyright Act (DMCA), when it created a product that allows World of Warcraft users to cheat and automatically improve their gameplay.
According to reports by News.com and Ars Technica, U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell agreed in his summary judgement that MDY Industries' MMOGlider software infringes on Blizzard's copyrights. However, he said that it does so not because it violates DMCA but because it breaks the licensing agreement that gamers must adhere to when using World of Warcraft.
Ars Technica writes, "Judge Campbell found Blizzard's argument that [MMO]Glider violates the DMCA unconvincing, and the question of whether it does will be settled at trial. That trial will also determine whether MDY violated Blizzard's copyrights, trademarks, and Blizzard's unjust enrichment claims, as well as putting a dollar figure on the damages."
Public Knowledge had filed a 25-page amicus brief in support of MDY, which can be downloaded here.
Tags:
Blizzard, copyright, video games
