NCsoft Cracking Down On Illegal Game Servers

[Andy Chalk]

NCsoft Cracking Down On Illegal Game Servers

MMOG publisher NCsoft [http://www.ncsoft.com/]has announced it is stepping up its efforts against illegal online game servers, particularly in Eastern Europe.

The company says the problem is especially acute in Greece and Russia, where NCsoft's Lineage II [http://www.lineage2.com/]MMOG is extremely popular. The servers in question often require the use of illegally modified and potentially harmful code, the company said, which can result in a considerably different game experience. NCsoft says it has identified several prominent illegal servers across Europe, and is taking action against both individuals and corporations who are in breach of international copyright laws.

"Illegal game servers, such as those operating from (internet cafe chain) e-GLOBAL, have a hugely negative impact on both NCsoft Europe and its customers," said NCsoft Europe Sales and Operations Director Max Brown. "They seriously affect the player's experience of our products and rob the company of potential revenue that is used to further enhance the player experience on official servers. NCsoft's loss in revenue from e-GLOBAL's operation is estimated in excess of €6 million ($9.4 million). We are defiant in our resolve to stamp out theft of NCsoft's intellectual properties and are prepared to take the strongest measures to do so." NCsoft launched a lawsuit against e-GLOBAL in Greece last year which has led to raids against four of its cafes and the seizure of illegal software.

NCsoft has previously taken a strong stand against unauthorized servers, working with the FBI in 2006 to shut down fraudulent game servers run by the L2Extreme.com website, which claimed to support 50,000 active users.


Permalink

 

[Melaisis]

Perhaps NCSoft should stop wasting money on attempting to take very costly action against such companies; and actually start creating content which makes people feel that it's worth paying for?

 

[sharp_as_a_cork]

This is a first for me...an illegal server?
How did they manage to get their hands on the server code? how do these servers connect (if at all) to the larger network?
I this done to avoid paying subscriptions?

 

[Yan-Yan]

This is a first for me...an illegal server?
How did they manage to get their hands on the server code? how do these servers connect (if at all) to the larger network?
I this done to avoid paying subscriptions?

Well... Once they get their hands on the server code, so long as they have an address and computer capable of providing the service, they can set up the server and allow others to connect. It's kind of similar to a Lan game where one computer serves as the server for all others to play on. There's no "larger network", as these home grown servers don't connect to the official servers. It is possible to avoid paying the subscription fees doing this, as well as having 'home rules' (once you set up a server, you're able to adjust a lot of things in there, like XP rate, accuracy, etc).

I've seen similar things done with certain freeware RPG games, and occasionally with MMOs that are 'pay to play'.

Perhaps NCSoft should stop wasting money on attempting to take very costly action against such companies; and actually start creating content which makes people feel that it's worth paying for?

Without going into too much detail: NCSoft doesn't develop games or content. They don't create any games, let alone the ones you apparently don't want to play. They're the producers of games, working with other companies (like Cryptic) who develop the games.

Beyond that, going after the people who breach the terms and services of the contracts in this way is (regardless of if you like it or not) an important way to protect their business. I suppose it goes without saying that suing companies and individuals that help detract their profit directly like this is slightly different then the relatively controversial lawsuit recently enacted by Blizzard against the Bot maker, which operates in a fairly indirect way.

 

[OneHP]

I actually play an illegal private server based on NCSoft's Lineage2 game. The main reason that people play these servers are that they can't afford to (or simply don't want to) pay monthly for their gaming experience, there are a lot of players from less affluent regions of the world on these servers. There are however also players like myself that can afford to pay monthly and probably have done in the past, in this case it is likely that the illegal servers offer a greater freedom both in game and in real time constraints to these players.

The server I play allows you to reach the level cap in around an hour, have the highest level gear in under a month and focuses on quick accessible pvp. In comparison when I played the official servers, which I did for several years, it would take 3-4 weeks of extremely hardcore play to reach the level cap (top gear for every bracket, perfectly set-up groups, etc.), several months if not years to legally accrue the wealth to afford top level gear and pvp was a rarity that was hard to find.

 

[Melaisis]

Without going into too much detail: NCSoft doesn't develop games or content. They don't create any games, let alone the ones you apparently don't want to play. They're the producers of games, working with other companies (like Cryptic) who develop the games.

True. Yet are you saying that EA still totally out of the affairs of their developer studios? Of course they don't, and the same goes to NCSoft. Despite my original statement being out of arrogance as a veteran MMORPG player (and, sadly, I did try Lineage II), the point still stands. If NCSoft can afford to wage these huge court battles against private servers which have made a (albeit illegal) financial bomb out of hosting the game, then surely they can afford to employ some decent artists, too? Just because they are the distribution service doesn't mean QA is entirely on the hands of the original developers.

Beyond that, going after the people who breach the terms and services of the contracts in this way is (regardless of if you like it or not) an important way to protect their business. I suppose it goes without saying that suing companies and individuals that help detract their profit directly like this is slightly different then the relatively controversial lawsuit recently enacted by Blizzard against the Bot maker, which operates in a fairly indirect way.

Indeed, this is something I do agree on. Bare in mind, however, that Blizzard probably have the best advocates in the world working for them, and thus can pursue even the smallest thing which violates their ToS.

 

[Yan-Yan]

[...]the point still stands.

I disagree that the point is still valid. Just because they have a hand in how a developer goes about publishing it's game, it doesn't mean ANY money from NCSoft goes into hiring artists, code writers, or any other members of staff FOR the developer company. They get NO say in that. It's not a matter of them being able to, but choosing not to, it's that it isn't their place to tell the developer how to make the game on such a scale, or to make it for them.

As for the QA being in their hands as well: That doesn't mean they have as much control as YOU think they should, or want them to. It's just that NCSoft works with the developing company from the start, and the end result is something that both NCSoft and the developers are happy with. You may not be happy with it, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it, just because your tastes aren't the same.