Blizzard Squeezes $88 Million From Private Server Owner

[Aeshi]

When Blizzard wants something done they REALLY go all out on it!

 

[Stickwell]

I believe they should have gave her a debt that she would've have been able to pay off in her lifetime... Instead of a rediculous number that she won't even come close to paying off if she gave them every last cent she earned for the rest of her life.

 

[Rhiehn]

I hope everyone saying "omg blizzard r assholess wtf you ruined her life" realizes she'd be filing bankruptcy even if Blizzard hadn't sued for this much. Because to be honest, If you don't think Blizzard should be suing for at least 5 million dollars, you are wrong. She'd pay the 3 million she made from the server, then file bankruptcy, just like she will with the 88 million, the amount is totally irrelevant because she's equally fucked by an amount that is likely much lower than it should be than by an excessive one. She's not going to be actually paying anywhere near 88 million worth of debt, Blizzard knows this, she knows this, and if your brain isn't falling out your ears, you probably do too.

 

[BaldursBananaSoap]

i'm amazed they got away with this: everyone has the right to a good standard of life: I.e. food, shelter, water, communications, freedom and (in most countries) the right to live up to a standard higher than just those basics. Plunging this woman into that kind of debt is going to seriously harm her ability to have those basic rights (as provided by international laws). Also, Blizzard are selling a product: by it's very definition if someone buys a product they have the right to use it how they will: a company cannot sell a person a chopping board and tell them they can only use it with peppers and nothing else. I don't see how Blizzard are in the right at all with this- just an opinion

She won't actually have to pay that much. Once she appeals it will drop into the tens or hundreds of thousands. Blizzard knew this anyway and were just out to make an example out of her so people stop making money off of their work.

 

[Stephanius]

She made $3M. Add legal costs of $65k. Independently wealthy people aside - do you see anyone recovering from that kind of debt? The $85M just makes that a 'hell no'. This is not about Blizzard actually getting a big check, as others have said - it's about the message.

A mountain of debt means that she'll be unable to own anything substantial for the rest of her life. So what? Even if she wasn't clever enough to have a liability shield in place when she started her piracy period, what do you want to bet she'll figure out soon enough how handy it will be to have someone else hold the title of something she wants to own?

It's not like people are send to forced labor camps when they can't pay like back in the day - they just have to be creative with their paperwork.

I don't know about the US - but here in Europe someone who goes bankrupt is typically in that situation for less than 10 years before the debt isn't claimable anymore. In the meantime they may even be supported by the state. It's not nice, nobody wants it, but it is not the end of the world.

 

[Blackjack 222]

AHHHHAHAH. I'm sorry for laughing at your misfortune but its JUST SO DAMN FUNNY! its like killing a medic using the BONK taunt just as he gets an uber charge, It's its so damn funny. Blizz is NOT to be fucked with, BLIZZ is the ONE group of people that even the A-Team will not fuck with, that's a line Chuck Norris won't cross, and you thought you would steal money from them? Now, i need her address so i can get a football helmet paint "Dumb ***** who owes 88 mill to Blizzard" (or something to that effect) and force her to wear it.
Blizzard=My favorite faceless Juggernaut(i mean that in a loving way)
Now Blizzard, send your legion of Undead Ninja Lawyers to assault the people using the illegal servers, make an example out of the 4 unluckiest bastards you can find.

 

[Fusionxl]

Its not that much from their point of view, just few more milimeters on official Blizzard money pile.

"Pile"? Surely you jest ol' chap, The Official Blizzard Money Himalayas? can hardly be called a "pile"

 

[Albino Boo]

I can't believe what I just read. I knew about blizzard's greed soon after buying WoW Vanilla, and ever since then my awareness of it has only increased, as they land blow after blow of decisions motivated by pure greed, and not quality. But this...

No. This cannot be described as "overkill". Blizzard has gotten fat. And with all animals (and believe me, this puts them in the "animal" category), you slaughter them when they get fat. I think people around the world should boycott blizzard and their products, just bring their income to a crashing halt to teach them about HUMILITY. They just DESTROYED this woman's life over what? Money? A freaking video game? I hope the man in charge gets a terminal illness and dies a slow, painful death. There are boundaries we all must have, and the one who initiated this surely didn't have any.

I pray for this woman. I hope the cycle of greed ends soon.

Yeah, screw Blizzard for trying to protect their IP. They should be burned at the stake for trying to send a message to dissuade others from infringing on their copyright, because no one else would do this, right?

/sarcasm

Really, the corporate hate wagon is getting a little out of control here. Was the fine a bit excessive? One could argue that, but no one can argue that Blizzard was acting to protect their own creation from others trying to make a profit off of it. What person or persons or corporation wouldn't act to protect their property? Warnings were sent but ignored. What did they think would happen? That Blizzard would roll over and forget about the whole thing? This wasn't some fan-made homage. It was a private server, which by its very nature is illegal. I understand the cool thing nowadays is to hate on the corporations, which, sometimes, is warranted. However, I don't think that can apply here.

. And all of you who are sticking up for blizzard should join them in some terminal illness. You just forfeited your right to be called human beings.

Please leave your "rational person" card at the front desk on your way out, please.

I agree, however there is little point challenging the hivemind with logic and reason. Groupthink is common on internet forums and you are just going to have to ignore most of it. I just think of this most of the time

 

[Phoenixlight]

Seems a bit extreme, the people who play on private servers are the one paying the subscription fees for the actual game; they usually just want to try out other races and classes at level 80.

 

[Blackjack 222]

Hivemind? Oh, do tell. I would love to hear you defend the ethics of what blizzard did in a morally following manner. Unless of course, animals are incapable of moral thought. I almost forgot, I was talking to a pig. Guess there goes any chance for a meaningful discussion. There's a puddle of mud you should be rolling in, isn't there?

Whats not to love? Blizzard sent the Legions of Mordor to make an example out of an easy target who was STEALING from them, and unlike Blizzard, ONLY SHE was getting the reward, Whereas had that money gone to Blizzard it would have fed devs, devs families, and kept them with job(plus the legions of mordor/zombie ninja lawyers dont work for free). Respect them for making the one person into an example, and not one by one washing over them and crushing them under the Steal-toed boot of their armies. I mean come'on, Skeletor's successful brother(or whoever runs that place) cvould have snapped his fingers and BAM! world domination.

Also respect the fact they did not pussy foot around the subject they brought out the big guns at the first sign of resistance.

 

[Custard_Angel]

Very harsh, but deserved.

If you knowingly and willfully break the law you shouldn't be afraid to accept the punishment.

Should the punishment in this case be $88 million? No. That is far too steep, but does it deserve a tap-on-the-knuckles approach? No also.

 

[GoGo_Boy]

So in short a lot people here support piracy... at least the moment someone gets punished for it. Ridiculous.
I also feel sorry for the woman that made hundred thousands of dollars, if no even millions, with an illegal server, got a C&D letter, ignored it furthermore and then got caught!

But yeh Blizzard is the greedy one /facepalm.

 

[Blackjack 222]

Hivemind? Oh, do tell. I would love to hear you defend the ethics of what blizzard did in a morally following manner. Unless of course, animals are incapable of moral thought. I almost forgot, I was talking to a pig. Guess there goes any chance for a meaningful discussion. There's a puddle of mud you should be rolling in, isn't there?

Whats not to love? Blizzard sent the Legions of Mordor to make an example out of an easy target who was STEALING from them, and unlike Blizzard, ONLY SHE was getting the reward, Whereas had that money gone to Blizzard it would have fed devs, devs families, and kept them with job(plus the legions of mordor/zombie ninja lawyers dont work for free). Respect them for making the one person into an example, and not one by one washing over them and crushing them under the Steal-toed boot of their armies.

She deserved punishment. I said this, didn't I? Nobody was starving because of her. Nobody's children were going without. But nevertheless, they destroyed her life. Your logic is lacking, and in special favor to Blizzard, special favor they don't deserve. This could have been handled differently, and I don't care about their stupid message, you shouldn't ruin someone's life in the process. Good luck, moral fail.

She stole from them, they stole from her(admitidly they stole different things but hey, she poked the sleeping behemoth when she ignored the C&D letter.

 

[ESCAPIST DELETE THIS ACCOUNT]

$88 million dollars :O

That lady isnt gonna forget this anytime soon.