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Publishers target 25,000 file-sharers for illegal games downloads
Five games companies are to serve notice to 25,000 file-sharing internet users demanding payment of GBP 300 immediately or risk court action.
The users are being targeted for downloading games illegally, according to a report by The Times.
Atari, Codemasters, Reality Pump, Techland and Topware Interactive have appointed Davenport Lyons to take action on their behalf.
Codemasters' Operation Flashpoint was downloaded over 691,000 times in one week according to monitoring firm Peerland.
"Our clients were incensed by the level of illegal downloading," commented Roger Billens, a partner for the law firm.
The move follows the successful prosecution of Isabella Barwinska, who has been ordered to pay Topware over GBP 16,000 for uploading a copy of the company's Dream Pinball 3D game.
The companies will begin by targeting 500 file-sharers who ignore the initial GBP 300 demand, with the law firm applying to the High Court for an order requiring internet service providers to deliver the names and addresses of 25,000 individuals suspected of illegally downloading games.
According to The Times, 5000 addresses have already been obtained.
EA exec warns against suing file-sharers
EA Sports boss Peter Moore has said he doesn't support the move to sue consumers for illegal downloading - warning, "It didn't work for the music industry."
Moore was speaking to GamesIndustry.biz at the Leipzig Games Convention, following the announcement that five games companies are taking legal action against 25,000 file-sharing internet users.
"I'm not a huge fan of trying to punish your consumer," he said. "Albeit these people have clearly stolen intellectual property, I think there are better ways of resolving this within our power as developers and publishers.
"Yes, we've got to find solutions," Moore continued. "We absolutely should crack down on piracy. People put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into their content and deserve to get paid for it. It's absolutely wrong, it is stealing.
"But at the same time I think there are better solutions than chasing people for money. I'm not sure what they are, other than to build game experiences that make it more difficult for there to be any value in pirating games."
According to Moore, there are lessons to be learned from the experiences of other industries. "If we learned anything from the music business, they just don't win any friends by suing their consumers," he observed. "Speaking personally, I think our industry does not want to fall foul of what happened with music."
When asked whether EA has any plans to go down the same road as Atari, Codemasters and the other publishers launching the legal action, Moore replied, "Not as far as I'm aware. Regarding what EA needs to do - I can't comment on that. EA takes piracy very seriously, and people deserve to get paid for content they create.
"But as far as I'm aware, we have no plans, that I know of, to partner with Atari and Codemasters and chase down consumers," he added.
To read the full interview with Moore, where he discusses EA, E3 and the console race, visit Eurogamer.net.
Credits: gamesindusty.biz, XGC D3SIGN XM
Five games companies are to serve notice to 25,000 file-sharing internet users demanding payment of GBP 300 immediately or risk court action.
The users are being targeted for downloading games illegally, according to a report by The Times.
Atari, Codemasters, Reality Pump, Techland and Topware Interactive have appointed Davenport Lyons to take action on their behalf.
Codemasters' Operation Flashpoint was downloaded over 691,000 times in one week according to monitoring firm Peerland.
"Our clients were incensed by the level of illegal downloading," commented Roger Billens, a partner for the law firm.
The move follows the successful prosecution of Isabella Barwinska, who has been ordered to pay Topware over GBP 16,000 for uploading a copy of the company's Dream Pinball 3D game.
The companies will begin by targeting 500 file-sharers who ignore the initial GBP 300 demand, with the law firm applying to the High Court for an order requiring internet service providers to deliver the names and addresses of 25,000 individuals suspected of illegally downloading games.
According to The Times, 5000 addresses have already been obtained.
EA exec warns against suing file-sharers
EA Sports boss Peter Moore has said he doesn't support the move to sue consumers for illegal downloading - warning, "It didn't work for the music industry."
Moore was speaking to GamesIndustry.biz at the Leipzig Games Convention, following the announcement that five games companies are taking legal action against 25,000 file-sharing internet users.
"I'm not a huge fan of trying to punish your consumer," he said. "Albeit these people have clearly stolen intellectual property, I think there are better ways of resolving this within our power as developers and publishers.
"Yes, we've got to find solutions," Moore continued. "We absolutely should crack down on piracy. People put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into their content and deserve to get paid for it. It's absolutely wrong, it is stealing.
"But at the same time I think there are better solutions than chasing people for money. I'm not sure what they are, other than to build game experiences that make it more difficult for there to be any value in pirating games."
According to Moore, there are lessons to be learned from the experiences of other industries. "If we learned anything from the music business, they just don't win any friends by suing their consumers," he observed. "Speaking personally, I think our industry does not want to fall foul of what happened with music."
When asked whether EA has any plans to go down the same road as Atari, Codemasters and the other publishers launching the legal action, Moore replied, "Not as far as I'm aware. Regarding what EA needs to do - I can't comment on that. EA takes piracy very seriously, and people deserve to get paid for content they create.
"But as far as I'm aware, we have no plans, that I know of, to partner with Atari and Codemasters and chase down consumers," he added.
To read the full interview with Moore, where he discusses EA, E3 and the console race, visit Eurogamer.net.
Credits: gamesindusty.biz, XGC D3SIGN XM
