Blizzard gets $6m in Warcraft bot case

But still wants more

2 October 2008 15:50 GMT / By Verity Burns

Blizzard, the studio behind popular MMO World of Warcraft, has won $6m (around £3.36m) in damages against MDY Industries, the creators of the WOWGlider software "bot".

Blizzard lodged a case against MDY stating that the company's World of Warcraft Glider software infringed WoW copyright.

The Glider software makes the game a lot easier by allowing players to automate a number of the repetitive steps the game involves.

However, the MMOGlider as it is known breaks the terms of license that players agree to when they play WoW, ruled US District Court Judge David Campbell in July.

Over 100,000 copies of the $25 (£14) program have been sold, which basically helps low level characters turn into more powerful ones by automating actions such as killing monsters and scavaging loot. Or in other words, cheating.

You'd think $6m is nothing to be sniffed at, but experts reckon the damages awarded by the courts could have been bigger if MDY hadn't won some of its arguments against the damages in court.

Also helping to lower the amount was MDY's admission that it would be reasonable to pay some form of damages to the developer.

However, Blizzard is less than happy with the reward and had a claim thrown out to double or triple the cash settlement. The current award could now be delayed if the company decides to push for an appeal.

The case still isn't over yet though, and is due to go to court again in January 2009 to settle some remaining issues in the conflict.

One of these is whether MDY broke the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and whether the company's CEO, Michael Donnelly, should have to pay the damages himself and not through his company.