Call of Duty publisher takes (auto) aim
Publisher Activision has filed a lawsuit at German website EngineOwning for the alleged manufacturing, marketing, and selling of cheat software and in-game hacks for the company’s blockbuster shooter franchise, Call of Duty.
The suit, which was filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court of California, accuses EngineOwning of developing paid services with which players of Call of Duty and other multiplayer titles can purchase rolling subscriptions for software that enables auto-aim, triggerbots, “X-ray vision”, map radars, and other highly dubious in-game tactics. The site offers paid services for franchises including Call of Duty, Battlefield, Titanfall, and Halo, with fees ranging into three figures.
“Activision is informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that Defendants are engaged in developing, updating, marketing, distributing, selling, and supporting the Cheating Software,” reads the lawsuit. “At all times relevant herein, Defendants have developed, updated, marketed, distributed, sold, and supported the Cheating Software. They have done so, and continue to do so, via the EO Website, email, and other communication platforms such as Discord”.
The suit targets around 12 individuals, via their screen names, as having offered their services as coders, developers, marketers, resellers, and customer support specialists for EngineOwning’s activities. Activision is seeking “exemplary and punitive damages” from the defendants, in an effort to shut down EngineOwning’s operations while simultaneously sending a warning shot to other alleged hacks/cheat-making outfits.
Call of Duty, like many shooters, has been fighting a constant and ever-evolving battle against cheaters since the genre transitioned to the online multiplayer market. Despite having dedicated teams of moderators, the implementation of powerful anti-cheat software, and the banning of millions of accounts over the years, cheating continues to endure as a veteran element of Call of Duty‘s legacy. And, for some individuals, a highly profitable element.
This is just one more woe to add to Activision’s increasing pile of internal and external issues.